Sorry that this one's a little shorter than usual, but it is what it is. Star vs the Forces of Evil is owned by Disney and Stands are the creation of the brilliant and talented Hirohiko Araki. With that said, Enjoy.

Flowers and Brimstone: Chapter 15.

(Meanwhile, on the Mysterious Island)

Jackie was drifting through a sea of infinite blackness; her mind a total blank.

As promised by the King, by gazing into the Cosmic Ley Line, she had essentially downloaded all the information in the universe into her brain.

Unfortunately, it was too much for her to retain at her current level of Cosmic Awareness, so really, the only thing it accomplished was triggering a sensory overload and knocking her out cold. But, all things considered, it could have been much worse.

As she floated through the great darkness, she could hear a few lingering threads of Ley Line data whispering in her ears.

It sounded something like this.

All gold comes from supernovas.

The pyramids were built by humans but plagiarized from Martians.

Pigs are the descendants of a once proud warrior race that was enslaved by early Mesopotamians.

The separation between matter and energy is a lie.

Reptilians have not invaded Earth, they came here looking for work.

All things vibrate at their own frequency.

The Hobyah Man is still alive.

Tulips are smarter than most dolphins.

Air molecules carry the vibrations of human speech.

Festivia Butterfly was really a…

"JACKIE!"

Suddenly, the young skateboarder's eyes snapped open, and she was back in the real world.

To be precise, she was back beneath the shade of the King's lush canopy, being cradled in the arms of her new friend Kelly. Who, despite the fact that she had tears streaming down her face, seemed overjoyed to see her.

"Jackie!" the bush girl cried, pulling her into a tight embrace. "Oh, thank goodness! Hic. I was Hic Hic so worried Hic about you."

Apparently, she'd been crying for some time; the hiccups were a dead giveaway.

"Uh… yeah. Hey, Kelly. I was just…"

"Shhhh~ It's okay, sweetie." The bush girl said in a soothing voice as she gently stroked Jackie's hair. "You don't have to say anything. Hic. Hic. And try not to Hic move too much. You've been through a Hic Hic Hic Hic lot."

"Kelly, what day is it."

"That doesn't Hic matter right now."

"It's the fifth day, isn't it? I have to go fight Danni."

"No, you Hic don't. We'll figure out some other Hic Hic Hic way."

"Kelly, there is no other way. I have to go."

"No, you don't!" the bush head said hysterically, pushing Jackie back just a bit so she could look her in the eye. "Jackie, you almost died. Hic. And it was Hic Hic all my Hic fault. If I hadn't brought you those stupid Hic mushrooms, then you wouldn't 've Hic Hic Hic gotten addicted and Hic and Hic and Hic. Oh god, Jackie! I'm so sorry!"

As she sat there, watching her friend sob uncontrollably, the young skateboarder felt a strange sensation welling up in her chest. It was… difficult to describe. There was guilt, of course, for putting the poor girl through so much turmoil. But more than that, there was something she'd never felt before. A strong, almost overpowering desire to protect and comfort this sad creature. To make her smile and laugh again. To scoop her up in her arms and tell her that everything's going to be alright.

What was this strange new feeling?

Could it be…

Air molecules…

"Ugh!" Jackie groaned in agony as her forehead started throbbing; forcing her to push away from her bush headed friend.

"Jackie? Hic."

"I'm fine… I'm fine, I just… AAAHH!"

Air molecules carry the vibrations of human speech.

"Shut up!"

"W-What?"

"Not you, Kelly! AHHHH!"

Air molecules carry the vibrations of human speech.

"Stop saying that!"

"Stop what? Jackie, you're not making any sense."

"GAAAAAAAAAAAH! Make it stop! Make it stop!"

Air molecules… vibrations…

Then, just as mysteriously as it began, the throbbing subsided, and her pain was replaced by an unnatural calm. Suddenly, her mind was clear again. Finally, she could think.

'Jeez, what the heck was that all about? Why did that thread keep playing over and over? And why did it hurt so much? Was this your doing, King? King! I said, was this your… oh wait, I don't have that mushroom stuff in my head anymore. He can't hear me. Or, I can't hear him. Ugh, this is too confusing.'

"Jackie?" said Kelly, sounding both concerned and fearful. "Are you Hic okay?"

"Yeah, I'm okay." She replied, half lying. "I'm just… trying to figure something out."

'Okay, seriously, what the heck is going on here? If this really is the King's doing, what's his end game? Why does he keep replaying that same thread? Maybe it has something to do with Pinball Wizard's secret power. Okay, let's think. Air molecules carry the vibrations of human speech. So… I guess that means they carry the vibrations of all sounds. Sounds make air molecules vibrate. Sound makes air vibrate. No, that's crazy. Air doesn't vibrate. Or does it? I mean, we can't see air, so how do we know it can't vibrate? Okay, let's assume that air vibrates, what does that have to do with my Stand? Well… air vibrates even though it's not a solid. Stands aren't solid either, but mine can bounce off solid objects. Sound isn't solid, but it can bounce off air molecules which aren't solid either. Nonsolid things can bounce off other nonsolid things.'

Suddenly, someone flipped a switch in Jackie's brain.

An epiphany had smacked her right in the face.

"That's it." She said, quietly at first, before leaping to her feet and shouting at the top of her voice. "That's it!"

"What? What's going on?"

"I've got it! By god, Kelly, I've got it! I know how I can beat Danni!"

"Hic. R-Really?" the bush girl asked, with timid skepticism. "How?"

"It's easy. All I have to do is take my clothes off."

"Eh… Hic. What?"

"Look, it's very simple. Last night, a talking pig took me to meet a talking tree, and the tree told me how the universe was made and then he showed me a Cosmic Ley Line and now I have to get naked, so I can beat the evil Stand User and we can go home. See, simple."

Kelly gave no response, but her fearful, wide-eyed expression said it all.

She thought Jackie was crazy.

"Oh… okay, Kelly. I know how this sounds…"

"Do you? Hic." The bush girl interrupted, her voice dripping with panic and concern. "Jackie, you ate enough Morpheus Mushrooms to kill a Hic Hic gorilla. And now you're babbling about Hic talking pig-trees and taking your clothes off. Hic. Oh Jackie! Hic. Hic. Hic. Hic. I'm so sorry! Hic. Hic. Hic. I messed up your brain! Hic."

"Whoa! Hey now. My brain is just fine. In fact, it's better than fine. For the first time in days I can see a light at the end of the tunnel. I know I can beat Danni this time. But first I have to take my clothes off."

"Jackie, stop it! Hic. You're talking crazy! I think those mushrooms did something Hic Hic to your brain chemistry. You need to lie down. Hic."

"I told you, I'm fine. And anyway, we don't have time for that. I have to go face Danni now, before it's too late."

"Forget about Danni! Hic. You're in no shape Hic to fight anybody!"

"I don't have a choice. If one of us doesn't beat that chick soon, we'll both die. And since you don't have a Stand it has to be me. There's just no other way."

"Yes, there is! Hic. Hic. We can run away, or hide, or Hic."

"Run where? Hide where? Kelly, we're out of time. I have to do this."

"No, you don't!" the bush head yelled defiantly, before tearing up again. "Jackie… Hic your mind… you're not well. Hic. Hic. If you go up against Danni now, you'll… Hic… you'll… Hic… you'll… Hic… Oh god! Jackie, please don't go! Hic. Hic. Hic. I don't want you to die! Hic. Hic."

Suddenly, the young skateboarder was struck by yet another shocking epiphany.

Why hadn't it occurred to her before?

The sadness in her eyes.

The soul crushing guilt in her voice.

They'd been through so much over the last few days.

Laughing.

Crying.

Overcoming hardship after hardship.

They'd become so close in such a short period of time.

Of course, Kelly wanted to protect her.

Heck, she wanted to protect Kelly.

That's why she knew what she had to do.

"Kelly." Jackie said softly, as she gently placed a hand under the bush girl's chin; tilting her head so they were looking into each other's eyes. "I promise, everything's gonna be alright."

Kelly looked like she was about to say something, but before she could open her mouth, Jackie summoned Pinball Wizard and had it strike her in the back of the head; instantly knocking her out cold.

As her body went ragdoll, Jackie carefully guided it into the most comfortable position she could manage.

Then, after giving her unconscious companion a quick kiss on the forehead, the young skateboarder stood back up and said,

"Okay… let's get to it."

End Notes:

Only about… four chapters left.

I think.

Might need to double check my notes later.

Anyway, thanks for reading and I'll see you in the next one.

Peace.