Walking through the orphanage, I stopped once I saw two boys picking on a girl. This girl was none other than Xenovia, one of the decedents of the Hero's. Though, at this time, it was the first time I had met her. Her doll had been stolen from her, and the two boys were tossing it over here, with them being older than her by many years.
"Enough, give it back to her this instant!" I called out, gaining their attention.
"Oi, who's this lot? He your friend?" The smaller boy questioned while picking his nose.
"I've never met her, but I will defend her all the same!" I said, rushing at them. Punching the one who held the doll, it went flying out of his hand. Punching him in the gut, he leaned over in pain. Bringing both hands up, I slammed them down on his back, sending him crashing into the ground with a loud thud. "The lord will frown upon my actions today, but he will turn a blind eye due to my deeds." I said as I looked towards the smaller one as he shook in fear. "Leave and take your friend with you!" I ordered, with him running away without his friend. Walking over to the doll, I picked it up and made my way over to the girl. "Are you ok?" I asked, holding it out to her.
"Just leave me alone! I will be fine!" She said, snatching the doll away. "You did not have to resort to violence, so whatever you are thinking, you can stop it!" She said, glaring up at me as I was taller than her. "You fancy yourself a gentleman?" She asked, crossing her arms.
"Yes. A gentleman has no fear, he will fight for those who can't, even knowing if it is a fight he can't win, he enters the fray!" I informed, turned around and left her with those words.
Years later
Seeing a car pulling up to the church, I made my way outside as to greet my newest partner. Once outside, I was that I was the first to greet him. Seeing the door fly open, I watched as his luggage was tossed out, smacking into the ground. Soon he followed, jumping out and posing in the air like some kind of figure skater until he landed on the ground.
"You must be Dario Barbaro, correct?" I asked, watching as he turned his attention towards me, his eyes slightly narrowed.
"And you must be... Gianni Giano." He said, with me nodding my head at his statement, even though he said it wrong, it was understandable.
"Yes, but the pronunciation for my name is similar to that of Johnny, so there is no need to focus on the first I too much." I informed, where he spat on the ground as I corrected him.
"I will call you Jojo then, make it easier." He informed, with me nodding as I did not want to argue with him.
"I see that you have finally arrived, Master Barbaro." Sister Sofia called out, with both of us looking towards her as she approached us with two knights. "I hope your meeting with Master Giano has gone well." She said, looking at the both of us.
"Master?" Dario questioned, where I turned to face him.
"She refers to us that way because of what our mission in tells." I told, where he looked back at me.
"Vampire slaying?" He asked, with me nodding. "Very well, just keep to yourself. I would hate to lose another of my comrades to the likes of them." He said, grabbing his bag and walking inside, where I followed after him as Sister Sofia lead us.
Once we were inside, I stood next to Sister Sofia and the guards as we turned to face Dario. "Welcome to the manner. This is reserved only for those who are so young to have slain over one hundred vampires and lived. Though, both of you have arrived here on special occasions. Gianni with his combative capabilities has spent night after night hunting the likes down. You on the other hand, Dario, have prevented more assassination attempts on your life than actually combat kills from the vampire kind." Sister Sofia informed, impressing me as I had never had one assassination attempt on my life from any vampire I had met. "This way, Dario, I will show you to your chamber." She informed, where she and the knights started walking upstairs.
"Of course." Dario said as he started following, leaving his bag behind. Noticing this, I went to grab it, but Dario grabbed my arm and twisted it. He had come downstairs to retrieve his things after he had forgotten them. "Stay your hand! None shall touch my things without permission!" He yelled, with me ripping my arm away from him.
"Dario." Sister Sofia called out, with us looking up at her as she had reached the top of the stairs. "Do not be rash, for he had good intentions. Come now, we must be going." She informed, where he picked up his bag and stormed off after her.
One month later
Standing in the training ground, I threw punch after punch as one of the training knights, hitting and knocking him down. "Another good fight, Sir Gianni." He said as he got up, dusting himself off.
"So, this is your training?" We heard, where we turned to face Dario as he walked over in his own training gear. "Jojo, how about a spar with me, a real Vampire Slayer?" He questioned, where I put my fists up to accept his fight.
Extending my arm once he got closer to me, I watched as he dodged with ease, shocking me. 'Such speed, he simply moved to the side as if I was walking past him!' I thought as I pulled myself back and threw another punch, but he ducked under it, standing up straight as I pulled my arm back. Going for two quick jabs, he dodged them as well. Going for a quick jab, I followed up with a heavy punch to the face, which he dodged them both. 'I can't connect!' I thought as I switched between quick jabs and heavy punches.
"You can box, I will grant you that much. However, you may have slain over a hundred vampires, but you've never had to fight a slayer before!" Dario said as he punched me in the lung, knocking the air out. He then proceeded to punch me in the face over and over again with no hint of stopping. Once I fell back, he stepped on my foot, stopping me from my fall. "This isn't over, JOJO!?" He yelled as he proceeded to punch me one last time, sending me flying back, taking my shoe off in the process.
One month Later
Leaving the market, I stopped once I saw two girls walking past me with rather large swords on their backs. One of them stopped once they saw me, and the other took notice to it. "Is there something Wrong, Xenovia?" The second asked, looking back at her friend.
"It's been years, but your hair hasn't changed one bit." Xenovia said, where she removed her hood to show her blue hair, with a green strip in it.
"That it has. If I remember right, your name is Xenovia Quartets?" I asked, where she shook her head at that.
"Quarta, and you were John... something?" She said, trying her best to remember.
"Gianni Giano, but close enough." I said, with her nodding. "I take it that you two are here due to the rumors of devils in our back yards?" I asked, with her nodding. "I too have heard about them but have not seen any proof of it. If I do find anything on them, I will let you know. I am not trained to fight devils, but Vampires after all." I said, smiling at her, one she returned.
"Of course, the famed Jostar." Xenovia said, confusing me on the Jostar.
"I don't understand, Jostar?" I asked, with her nodding.
"Jo, from your name, and Star due to the sun. Though, it is now wrong seeing as you don't have a J in your name." She informed, with me nodding.
"I see, I quite like it. I wonder if Dario has a title as well?" I thought out loud, where her eyes narrowed as I brought up Dario.
"Do not put your trust in Dario. A member of the church or not, he is on the verge of defecting." Xenovia informed, shocking me. "If you are partnered with him, then watch your back. Word is he will kill his allies to kill the vampires. Just rumors." Xenovia informed, closing her eyes.
"I see... I will have to look into this matter. Rumor or not, there's always some truth to it." I informed as I walked past them. "It was good to see you again, may god watch over you two." I said, clinching my fist as I wanted answers now.
"You as well, Gianni."
Later
Reaching home, I watched as Dario stabbed one of the nights in the chest, shocking me at his actions. "Dario, what have you done!" I yelled, where he pulled his stake out of the man's chest, kicking him back.
"What have I done I defended myself!" Dario said as the man burst into flames. "The vampires has staged another assassination attempt!" He informed as he turned to face me.
"Dario." I said, in complete shock as the rumors of him killing off any assassins were true. But that did not clear him of his other rumors.
"Dario, Gianni." Sister Sofia called out, with us looking up at her as she stood at the top of the stairs, her face covered by a cloth. "Both of you are to return to your rooms for the night, put up any protection you can. The Church suspects that the vampires are working with the devils. They will be doing a sweep of the area for any way that the devils have entered." She informed, with me nodding and making my way towards my room, where I stopped once I saw something strange about Sister Sofias stomach, but it was only a moment before she was gone.