Newtopia Castle Throne Room

The city was on high alert following Anne's kidnapping. Guards patrolled the streets, inspected suspicious buildings for any trace of her and interrogated the Bearded Dragons that had already been arrested. Alas, it was all in vain. Everyone had a different reaction. Johan did his best to reign in his anger, but was clearly failing as DARE would punch random furniture. Sprig wanted to find her immediately and had to be held back. Polly trashed the room with the gold bucket. Hop Pop paced back and forth muttering something about how he knew something like this would happen.

Marcy took it the hardest. After learning of Anne's kidnapping, she stopped her sessions with Andrias so she could lead the investigation along with Triple B. So far, she showed no progress. She let out a roar of frustration and threw the map of Newtopia off the table she was at. "Damn it! I just got her back! I can't lose her now!"

"Do not worry," said Andrias. "I have my best men looking for her."

"But we don't know if those men are in the Bearded Dragons' payroll! For all we know, they could be intentionally stalling for time! I just..." Marcy grabbed her hair, almost yanking it out. "Ugh! I've never felt so useless!"

Andrias put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "It's alright. We'll find her. We have to."

Olivia entered the room and said, "I just got in touch with Billie. Ever since the two of you ruined the deal with the toads at the docks, Johan, the Bearded Dragons are being more secretive about their deals. It's why we haven't been seeing them on the streets all day."

Johan's grip on a chair tightened until it snapped in half. He was about to step out of the room when Sprig stopped him. "Where are you going?"

"To blow off some steam."

As he left the castle, he passed by Diego Brando, who was reclining against a pillar. "That girl is the talk of the town, JoJo. Despite the fact that she's not one of us amphibians, she gives them hope." He whispered to himself, "It'd be a shame if that hope were to die."

Johan stopped. "What did you say?"

"Nothing." Johan left, completely unaware of the smile Diego was making.

Johan was at the shooting gallery, blasting the targets away with his gunblade. "More ammo!" he shouted to the owner, who backed away in fear. "Sir, you destroyed all the targets! For crying out loud, you didn't give the other guys a chance!" He gestured to the other gun owners, who were huddled in a corner in fear.

"Rrrgh!" Johan left the shooting gallery, still fuming and angry with himself. Then he saw it, two Bearded Dragons, one of whom was carrying a saddle. Quietly, he followed them, not really caring about the conversation they were having. He followed them until they arrived to their snail. That's when he made his move and summoned DARE. With a single touch, their eyes went milky white.

"Hey, who turned out the lights," one of them asked before Johan covered his mouth with a rag and dragged him off.

"Lloyd?! Where did you go?! WHERE DID EVERYONE GO?!" Johan slipped a bag over his head.

The next thing the two Bearded Dragons knew, they in the castle dungeon. One was tied to a chair, the other tied to a table. Both had their mouths sewn shut. They let out muffled screams as their pain receptors had been amplified by DARE. Someone splashed cold water on them and they screamed again. Johan stepped out of the shadows, carrying the empty bucket and placed it upside-down before sitting on it. "Comfy?" He was met with more muffled screams. "Oh. Sorry. Let me just..." He reached forward and yanked the stitches off the one tied to the table.

"YOU BASTARDS! I CAN'T MOVE!"

Johan lit a match. "Yeah. Funny thing about being tied down..." He flicked it in the newt's face. "It's hard to keep your defenses up. Taser him."

Polly was more than eager to use a baby zapapede on the soaking wet newt. He let out a scream of agony while his partner let out muffled cries.

Hop Pop and Sprig winced. "Is this necessary?" asked the latter. "I don't advocate or approve torture!"

Olivia winced. "I agree. This could result in you being arrested for unlawful kidnapping and torture! Your immunity won't save you from the law!" Johan glared her, and she glared back.

Finally, the human boy said, "Take five on the juice, Polly." Polly gave the wet newt another zap for good measure. Johan then approached the soaked, electrocuted man and put a hand on his head. "Now, you're gonna answer me some questions, and if you don't..." He dug into his pocket and pulled out a rat. "Now, my father would never approve of this. He would never stoop to Diavolo's level when dealing with enemies. Usually, he would just scare them straight with the power of his Stand, Gold Experience Requiem. But when push comes to shove and someone is too stupid to learn their lesson, that's when he has to put his foot down." He leaned in closer. "Where is Anne Boonchuy?"

"Who?"

Johan slapped him in the face with his free hand. "She's a human girl with dark tan skin, bushy brown hair with leaves in it and she has one shoe that's coming apart!"

The newt spat in his face and said, "You're not getting any answers out of me, freak!"

Johan chuckled. "Who said you will be talking? Your friend in the chair will be the one talking."

"How does that make any sense?" asked Hop Pop. "He's got his mouth sewn shut."

The boy chuckled again. "You'll see." He placed the rat on the newt's belly, put the bucket over it and taped the bucket down. The rat began squealing and the newt began to squirm in fear. "Now that the bucket is in place, the rat is going to want to come out and the only way out is through you." He walked away for a brief moment then came back with a blow torch. "Did you know that your average rat can chew through a steal pipe?" He turned it on and began burning the bucket. "You have nothing to fear when it's squealing. It's when it stops is when you should be worried. That's when it starts slowly eating it's way through you." He leaned in to whisper in the newt's ear. "And with my Stand amplifying your sense of touch into hyperdrive, you'll probably go mad from the pain."

Marcy grabbed the boy by the shoulder and said, really scared with what might happen next, "Wait! You're going too far, JoJo! The shock alone could kill him!"

The newt began panting. "You can't do this to me! The king will have you arrested! He'll throw you away in the prison forever! MY BOSS WILL EAT YOU ALIVE WHEN HE FINDS OUT! I'M ONE OF HIS BEST MEN!"

"Hop Pop, take your grandkids and Marcy and go wait outside. I don't want them to see this."

The old frog was more than happy to do so. Johan reached into his pocket, pulled out his phone, and started playing "Canzoni Preferite" at full volume.

"Vocal percussion on a whole 'nother level
Coming from my mind
Vocal percussion on a whole 'nother level
Coming from my mind"

As the song played, Johan began to dance around the table, all the while keeping the flame on the bucket. The rat stopped squeaking at this point.

"Ha
We're Golden Wind
Kono me amareri maroreri merare maro
Ha ha
We're Golden Wind
Kono me amareri maroreri merare maro"

Olivia watched, disturbed and a little curious as to why he was dancing of all things. Then the screams of pain began, which was drowned out by the loud music. In the shadows, Diego silently watched, narrowing his eyes.

"It's like a burning sunrise
Ahi makareru makare pun pun kete
It's like a burning sunset
Ahi makareru makare pun pun kete
It's like a burning sunrise
Ahi makareru makare pun pun kete
It's like a burning sunset
Ahi makareru makare pun pun kete"

Johan stopped dancing and looked up at the newt tied to the chair, who at this point was crying his eyes out and wetted himself. "If you're not going to tell me where Anne Boonchuy is and if your boss has a Stand or not, loose lips, you're going to be the one on this table," he shouted over the music. "So, do you have anything you want to share with the class?" His response was more muffled screams.

"HE HAS A YACHT!" screamed the newt he was currently torturing. "A PRIVATE YACHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BAY!"

Johan smacked him in the face. "I'm not talking to you!"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Olivia used the Spin on her shell necklace and flung it at the bucket, freeing the rat before it ricocheted back into her hand. Johan was about to protest when she punched him in the face. Then she approached the crying newt and asked, "What was that about a yacht?"

"They took the girl to Hellbender's yacht. It's where he keeps his menagerie of exotic animals! He wants to use her in the race! It's why we bought the saddle!"

Johan asked, after recovering from the punch, "What race?"

"The annual Newtopia races! The chance to race against the champion, Diego Brando! It's the only one Hellbender has never won!"

Johan made a weird look. He expected a skinny twig like Anne to go against the racing champion? Either this guy is desperate or he's not thinking clearly at all. "Okay, now let's get to the heart of the conversation. What's his Stand?"

"I don't know..."

"You want me to bring back the rat?"

"NO! I DON'T KNOW! I REALLY DON'T KNOW!" The poor newt sobbed. "He never reveals it to anyone! I don't know why!"

Johan untied one of the newt's hands, then walked away for a moment and came back with a map. "You're going to point the exact point where the yacht is and your partner better point to the exact same spot if you know what's good for you."

The newt nodded and marked the map with his blood. "He'll tell you the same. I ain't lyin'! I ain't lyin'!"

Johan approached the newt's partner and began to remove the stitches on his mouth when he heard a gunshot. Startled, he turned around to see Diego holding a smoking pistol and the newt he just interrogated with his brains blown out. Olivia held her hands over her mouth in shock.

When the newt tied to the chair saw this, he shouted, "Fuck you, Diego! He was telling the truth!" Diego slowly approached him. "I an't tellin' you shit!"

"That's alright," said Diego. "I believe him."

"No, wait!" That was the final sentence that newt would ever make in this life as Diego pistol whipped him on the head so hard, blood began to pour out of his ears and nostrils.

"What the hell?!" shouted Johan in outrage. "I was going to let them go! They posed no harm anymore!"

"Let them go?" Diego asked as he holstered his pistol. "Those newts alone are wanted for drug trafficking and the murder of twelve men, six women, four children, three goats and a rather nasty massacre of poultry. That alone means they should be sentenced to death. Isn't that right, Lady Olivia?" Olivia could not respond and looked away. Snorting, he walked away, bumping into Johan in the process.

Johan looked at Olivia, who held up her hands in defense. "Well, he is right. The crimes those two committed alone would give them the death penalty. Letting them go means they would go back to their crimes. Besides, they would have told Hellbender we're coming for him."

Johan made an annoyed noise then exhaled in concede. "You know what? We don't have time for this. We have Anne's location, now all we have to do is plan our attack." He left the dungeon with Olivia following him where they ran into Marcy, Hop Pop and the kids.

"I just heard a gunfire," said Hop Pop, enraged. "Did you kill those two?!"

"No. It was Diego. He killed them without my consent and he didn't care!"

Hop Pop's eyes widened, then narrowed. "That guy has been a pain in our keisters since day one. Two days ago he gave me a citation for 'illegally parking a farm snail in a white zone'. Razzin' frazzin'..." Hop Pop then went on a grumbling rant.

"And he tried to put me in the loony bin," complained Polly. "You threaten people one too many times and suddenly, you're pegged for life!"

Johan said, "Can we focus on rescuing Anne, please? I want to get her butt out of that yacht as soon as I can!"

"How do we do that, genius?" snarked Polly.

Johan thought it over, then said, "We're have to take a boat, go out to sea and attack the yacht."

"And you don't think it's going to be surrounded by guards," Olivia pointed out the obvious.

"We're going to need people to distract them. The problem is that Passione's numbers are small in Newtopia and our supporters aren't exactly combat ready. I mean, I can think of a few like Priscilla and Billie, but..." Johan's eyes widened then turned to Olivia. "Did you say your Stand keeps track of every Stand user in Newtopia?"

"Yes. But why..." Olivia then realized what he was implying. She summoned Book of Memories and opened it. "Yes, there are registered Stand user citizens here with Stands, but I don't know if they're willing to help."

"Send them messages and tell them about our mission. After that, we'll let them decide wether they want to join or not."

"What about us?" asked Sprig as he held Polly. "We want to help, too!"

Johan exhaled. "Knowing you two, you'll definitely disobey my order to stay with Hopediah at the hotel. Fine. You can help. But only for the distraction part and only if you stay with Hopediah!"

Sprig and Polly looked at each other and said, "Deal!"

"Wait, I never approved of this," said Hop Pop.

"Too late!"

Johan said, "Olivia, gather everyone who'll agree to help us and meet us at the docks. We're getting Anne back and take her psychotic kidnapper down."

Anne was in hell. After being captured by the Bearded Dragons, they trapped in a large, circular room full of strange and exotic animals in cages. her in a giant hamster wheel and forced her to run nonstop except for bathroom breaks. They fed her while she ran via a giant hamster bottle. "Remind me...hoo...why...hah...I'm doing this again," she asked, panting between words.

"I TOLD YOU!" Anne winced at Bishop's shrill voice. "Your friend JoJo stole my casino's money and you're gonna get it all back one way or another!"

"And...hah...what's with...hoo...the...hamster wheel?"

"Simple. You're gonna be my racing animal!"

"WHAT?! RACING ANIMAL?!"

"You're a bit skinny, I admit. But a couple of days in that thing, and I'll have you bulked up and ready to race against that smug prick, Diego Brando!"

Anne asked, confused, "Diego Brando? You hate him too?"

"Yeah! He was the only one I could never beat in a race, no matter how many times I cheated and bribed the judges! I figured the only way to beat him was with an animal not from Amphibia, and as luck would have it, YOU'RE not from Amphibia!" He poked her belly as he continued, "You're really skinny I admit, but after I bulk you up and get you fitted with the saddle, you're gonna help me get my money back...as soon as those two IDIOTS I SENT GET ME THE SADDLE!"

Anne winced at his voice again. "I've...already...been...ridden once at Ribbitvale, and I won't be again!"

"YOU'RE GONNA-" Before he could rant at the girl, a telephone rang. It was one of those old fashioned ones you'd see in Edwardian era England. "WHAT?!"

"Your voice is shrill and irritating," said the person on the other end.

"Oh, it's you, father," said Hellbender, irritated. "WHAT DO YOU WANT, YOU-"

"Shut up."

Hellbender's eye twitched. "What did you say to me?"

"You heard me, you spoiled brat. Honestly, why do I put up with you? I just called to let you know I'll be arriving at Newtopia tomorrow and I expect you to have the money you lost back by then!"

Hellbender's eyes widened and said, "Don't worry! I'll have it back! I guarantee it!"

"Ha!" laughed Anne. "Pretty big words coming from someone who couldn't stop a bunch of kids from stealing your money!"

"Who is that?" asked Gozaburo. "Do you have someone with you?"

Hellbender laughed nervously and said, "Oh, it's just one of my servants! I'll talk to you later."

"Bishop! What is going on-" Hellbender hung up before the older newt could finish his sentence. He glared at Anne and snapped, "That outburst of yours is gonna cost you another twenty laps in that thing!"

"You sound like my gym teacher," scoffed Anne.

At the docks, Johan sat on a crate, kicking his feet as he read a book on his phone. He checked his watch. "They should be arriving soon."

"JoJo!"

"You're here, Marcy! That's...whoa." He did not expect to see so many newts accompanying her, Olivia and the Plantars. "Wow, Anne really left an impact on Newtopia, huh? Uh, are you sure you guys want to do this," he asked them. "This could get painful."

"We don't care. We all heard about you guys going to rescue Anne and we came running," said Gertie. "After all that she has done for us, I'd say it's time to return the favor."

"If it was my daughter kidnapped," said Priscilla. "I would do anything to save her."

"Wait, are any of you Stand users?" Only ten people in the group held up their hands. "Okay, those who are Stand users are coming on this mission."

"Oh, no," said Gertie. "You're not giving us the boot just because we don't have those fancy powers Stand users have."

"But we don't even know if Hellbender is a Stand user! I mean, he could have one that could make you explode, or turn you into mindless zombies, or inflate you into balloons, or..."

"We don't care," said Billie. "I mean, look at skinny here," she gestured to Marcy. "She's been kicking butt since she got here and she's never used a Stand."

"Never needed one either," said Marcy with pride. Then she muttered to herself, "It'd be nice to have one though."

Johan said, "I've got no way to talk you out of this, do I?" Everybody shook their heads. "Fine. First and foremost, we have to get to Hellbender's yacht. Luckily, Marcy was able to rent out these." He gestured to the dock, where a bunch of water strider jet skis were waiting. "While Marcy, Olivia and I sneak onto the yacht and free Anne, the rest of you will take care of any patrols."

"Hey, how come we can't do the rescue part," complained Polly.

"Because then you won't bash Bearded Dragon heads if you do," said Johan with a smirk, taking advantage of Polly's lust for battle. "And you'll be doing the bashing with THIS!" He held up a rabid weasel duct taped to a stick. Everyone gave him strange looks. "No? Alright, then everyone stand back, I gotta whack this thing on the ground."

"That's right, freak," Hellbender shouted as he cracked a whip, making Anne move faster. "Keep running! Don't stop now!" Suddenly, his intercom beeped. He pressed the button and screamed into it, "WHAT IS IT?!"

"We got a problem, boss," said a goon's voice. "It looks like Passione is heading toward the yacht, and they brought friends."

"WHAT?! WHAT ARE YOU IDIOTS WAITING FOR?! GET OUT THERE AND STOP THEM!"

"Uh...about that...we kinda are low on patrolmen right now and..."

"THEN BRING THE GUARDS ON THE YACHT WITH YOU!"

"...all of them...?"

"ALL OF THEM! DO NOT LET THEM NEAR THE YACHT!"

"...er...uh...yes, sir." The goon hung up.

Anne chuckled. "Sounds like my friends are coming to save me."

"SILENCE! I won't be bested by a bunch of common street thugs! And besides," Hellbender said as his anger gave way to a smirk. "I'll deal with them myself if they dare reach here. My Stand, Big Fat Greek Wedding, is unstoppable!" He chuckled maniacally as he left the room.

"So he IS a Stand user," said Anne to herself as she ran. Then she thought out loud, "Wait a minute, why am I still running? I can just stop!" She pressed her feet down and the hamster wheel ground to a halt. Then she stepped out and collapsed to the ground, panting. "Oh, I'm gonna be sore tomorrow." As she laid panting, she remembered her training. "Gotta...control...my breathing." Her panting became slower and slower until finally, it became steady breathing, allowing her to activate her Ripple.

She got up and headed for the door, only to run into a snag. "Of course he locked the door. Hmm." She looked her hands, which were sparkling with Ripple energy, then smirked as she laid her hands on the lock. She wanted it to unlock, but instead, she caused it to explode. "Oh, well, at least I got the door open."

Meanwhile, outside the yacht, the waters was filled with the sound of gunfire, battle cries and cries of pain as Passione battled the Bearded Dragons. Johan sniggered as he watched Polly go to town on one of the Dragons. "So glad Polly brought her flail with her."

"And Sprig is doing surprisingly well with that sling shot," said Marcy.

"And that Hopediah Plantar is surprisingly skilled with Ripple," complimented Olivia. "No one has seen Ripple be used for hundreds of years, so this is a rare treat."

"Still," said Priscilla, who was holding the three of them. "Why aren't I taking part in all this?"

"Because you still haven't recovered from your tail injury," said Johan. "And also because I need you to do something for us."

"What's that?"

"I need you to throw the three of us into the yacht's glass roof." That plan made Marcy, Olivia and Priscilla give him looks that said, "What are you thinking?" He explained, "That idiot ordered all his guards to attack us at once, leaving the yacht defenseless. This will be our opportunity to get on board."

"JoJo, that's a bad idea," said Olivia. "No. Not just bad, crazy!"

"Stick around. We Joestars are full of crazy ideas."

Priscilla chuckled. "I like it! Right through the glass roof, right?" She raised the three of them up...

"Wait," shouted Marcy. "I'm having second thoughts about THIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIS!" she screamed as she, Olivia and Johan were flung into the sky and into the yacht. They crashed through the glass roof just as planned and landed in a room filled with water with floating lily pad-like platforms. They quickly climbed on one of the platforms and did their best to dry themselves off.

"Well, I think that went well," said Johan as he ringed his tunic.

"Now what?" asked Olivia as she dried out her hair.

"We gotta figure out where they're keeping Anne."

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that." Hellbender was sitting in a chair on the other side of the room. "She's just doing just fine in her training. She's gonna help me win the race against Diego Brando, and you know what I'm gonna do with my money? I'm gonna first spend it ON THE REPAIRS FOR MY GLASS ROOF!"

"Man, that voice is shrill," muttered Marcy as she rubbed a finger in her ear.

Johan pointed his gunblade at the newt. "Listen, Hellbender, kidnapping someone in my familia is guaranteed to get your ass skewered."

"Oh, well excuse me! Maybe if you hadn't robbed my casino, I wouldn't have to kidnap her. And you dare trespass in my yacht. So, let's make things even by having me, oh I don't know...BLOATING TO GARGANTUAN SIZE AND SQUASHING YOU THREE LIKE THE INSIGNIFICANT BUGS THAT YOU ARE!"

"Prendilo."

"I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU SAID!" True to his word, Hellbender took a deep breath and swelled up like a balloon before hopping his way toward the trio. "BEHOLD! BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING!" Johan fired the gunblade at the newt, but the bullet bounced harmlessly off him and flew back, hitting Johan in the arm instead. He let out a yell of pain as he grabbed his bleeding arm and jumped out of the way of Hellbender's path. Marcy pulled out her crossbow and fired, but the arrow bounced back and would have hit her if Olivia hadn't used the Spin on her necklace and flicked it at the arrow, sending it flying in another direction.

"This must be his Stand's ability," said Johan as he jumped from one lily pad to another.

"But how are we supposed to stop it," asked Olivia as she and Marcy jumped out of Hellbender's path.

Hellbender laughed. "You cannot stop Big Fat Greek Wedding! It has no weakness to exploit! It has no physical form, therefore it is invincible!"

Johan made an annoyed sound. "Santo cielo. You know, I get really tired of hearing people say their Stands are invincible. Every Stand has a weakness..." He summoned DARE. "...you just gotta find it!" DARE began to rapidly punch Hellbender in the stomach. "MUDA, MUDA, MUDA, MUDA, MUDA, MUDA, MUDA, MUDA, MUDA, MUDA, MUDA, MUDA, MUDA, MUDA, MUDA, MUDA, MUDA, MUDA, MUDA, MUDA!" But nothing happened.

Hellbender laughed maniacally. "I told you! BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING HAS NO WEAKNESS!" He laughed again as he rolled over Johan. It was a miracle he didn't get crushed then and there, but he knew he broke a few bones.

"JoJo!" exclaimed Marcy. She took out her die, used the Spin on it and threw it at Hellbender, and it bounced off and flew back into her hand. But instead of laughing and gloating like before, Hellbender let out a scream of pain.

"WHAT?!"

Johan chuckled. "Your Stand may be invincible, but you're not. It's the one weakness for a Stand with no physical form: its user. And now that I've amplified your sense of touch with DARE, your pain receptors are sent into overdrive as well. Which means...LET 'EM HAVE IT, GIRLS!"

Marcy and Olivia used the Spin on the die and seashell necklace and threw them. They bounced around the room, hitting Hellbender's body in the process. Thanks to DARE's effect, he could do nothing but scream in pain, resulting in his body deflating. He dropped to the ground, panting heavily.

"Didn't put up much of a fight," said Johan. "I'm honestly disappointed." He pulled out the gunblade and pointed it at Hellbender. "Now, I'm only gonna ask you once. Are you going to take us to Anne or are we going to have to get nasty?"

"How...about...never?" Before Johan could react, Hellbender pressed a button and the lily pads sank into the water and the mad newt, Johan, Marcy and Olivia fell in. "You idiots! I still have my trap set up and you sprang it! All I have to do is press this button again and the electric eels will be released! And the best part is that I'm immune to electricity thanks to my Stand turning my body rubber!" He laughed maniacally until an explosion rocked the whole yacht. "What the..?"

Stand: Big Fat Greek Wedding

User: Bishop Hellbender

Power: A

Speed: N/A

Range: N/A

Durability: C

Precision: C

Potential: E

Ability: This formless Stand turns the user's body into rubber and allow him to inflate like a balloon with the durability of a monster truck tyre. The user can maintain this form for as long he can hold his breath.

Minutes earlier...

Anne stumbled through the hallway of the yacht, looking for a way out. Her arms and legs were sore from all the running and she felt for sure it was gonna get worse tomorrow morning. Still, she had to find her way out and reunite with her friends as she could hear the sound of gunfire coming from outside. She had to get out of here without anyone getting killed.

"And where do you think you are going?" It was Francis, Hellbender's butler.

"Great," grumbled Anne. "I knew this was too easy. Look, I'm really tired and I want to go back to Newtopia. So, I'm just gonna..." Before she could make an escape, he blocked her with his sword. "Aw, come on!" She picked up a sword hanging from the wall, but her arms were so sore, she could barely lift it.

"I must warn you, I've got mad skills," she quipped, then ran at him, swinging sharply. He dodged it, and Anne realized she made a big mistake; years of training and experience showed as he curled the sword around on her. He was talented, that was for sure. But he was still an old man and without strength and speed, his skills couldn't really be applied. Anne blocked his attacks, quickly on the back foot, before she managed to lock his sword down under hers, and kicked sharply into his shin, lurching her skull forward to head butt him. The old man fell backwards, and she lifted the sword to swing it at him, believing victory was actually in her hands.

He moved quickly then, swinging his own blade, the tip slicing open her hand and sending her weapon flying across the room. She grabbed my hand tightly. The thick flesh under her little finger had a deep laceration, bleeding profusely. That moment of distracting was enough for him to land a kick into her knee – the impact was weak, but the spot he'd expertly aimed for was a vulnerable point causing her to yell in pain, her knee bending sharply a way it wasn't supposed to and he stumbled backwards, landing heavily on her butt.

"Did you really think you could match my skill," Francis asked as he pointed the sword at her. Before he could thrust the sword into her, Anne's hair and eyes glowed blue, then became like fire. "What is this?" he gasped as she got back up with no problem at all. She took a step forward and he backed away in fear.

"You're right," she said, her voice becoming an echo. "I can't beat you. So, I'm gonna pull a JoJo and cheat! Ripple Overdrive!" She thrusted her hands forward and a blast of Ripple energy shot out of her hands and into Francis, sending him flying into a wall and he did not get up. She panted heavily and fell to her knees as her hair and eyes returned to normal. "I think I'm getting the hang of this."

Suddenly, the whole yacht rocked and fire began to spread. "Uh-oh..."

Present...

"How...about...never?" Before Johan could react, Hellbender pressed a button and the lily pads sank into the water and the mad newt, Johan, Marcy and Olivia fell in. "You idiots! I still have my trap set up and you sprang it! All I have to do is press this button again and the electric eels will be released! And the best part is that I'm immune to electricity thanks to my Stand turning my body rubber!" He laughed maniacally until an explosion rocked the whole yacht. "What the..?"

Anne kicked a door down and ran into the room. "Guys, we gotta get out of here, the whole boat is gonna blow!"

"WHAT?!" exclaimed Marcy and Olivia. Johan facepalmed and said, "What did you do this time?!"

"Nothing! Just used a little Ripple that may have hit the boiler."

"Ugh," Johan groaned and facepalmed.

"You destroyed my yacht," shrieked Hellbender. "It's not even insured!"

"Uh, can we focus on GETTING THE HELL OUT OF HERE?!" shouted Olivia.

It was in that moment Johan realized he did not plan this far ahead. Luckily for him, fate was on his side in the form of a rope that slid down the hole in the roof. Everyone looked up to see, much to their surprise, Diego holding onto it. "Hurry and get out if you want to live!" No need to say that twice. Johan, Olivia and Marcy climbed up the rope while Anne dove into the water and swam toward the rope. Before she could climb up, however, Hellbender grabbed her by the leg.

"If I'm going down, I'm taking -"

BANG!

Hellbender let go of Anne as blood shot out of his head and he fell into the water. Johan blew the smoke out of his gunblade and put it back in the scabbard. "No time for bad guy speeches. Hurry!"

The humans and newts jumped into Diego's boat then sped away with the rest of Passione as the yacht exploded. Everyone watched as the vessel slowly sank into the ocean depths. Anne collapsed onto the floor and groaned. "Well, there's my exercise for the day." Everyone couldn't help but laugh at that comment.

Sprig, Hop Pop and Polly were the first to hug onto Anne, followed by Marcy. The poor girl let out a groan. "Not so hard with the hugging! I'm still sore!"

"I don't care," wept Sprig. "I was so scared! I didn't think I'd see you again!"

"Same here," said Hop Pop. "I never want to lose another member of my family again!"

Polly and Marcy didn't say anything and just blubbered and mumbled unintelligibly.

Johan restrained himself from hugging her and simply patted her shoulder, but even that caused her to wince painfully. "Oops. Sorry, Anne."

There would a massive celebration among Passione when they arrive on shore, but Anne was too exhausted to party, which bummed her out big time. Diego, on the other hand, looked in the direction of the boat as it disappeared into the water. "Now there's only Gozaburo left."

Unknown location

When Gozaburo Hellbender heard the news about his son's passing, he asked everyone to leave his room. He reached for a bottle of beetle mead and did not stop drinking until the whole thing was empty. He let out a burp and slumped into a chair, drunk almost immediately. "Stupid boy...I knew something like this was gonna happen..." He looked at the empty bottle, then threw it away. "I wanna have a talk with this Passione..."

To be continued ➟