Bearticguy7: Love it!
Euphoria: Yup! Well, a "friend with benefits"
Jpx0999: It's honestly one of my more wild chapters.
Spaghetti Sauce: It's the big finale!
Dumpstertrashfire123: Next arc is the Raked arc, with Johnny, Ochako, and Mirko. It takes place around the same time...but lasts slightly longer than the MVA arc.
It'll be less chapters, but more time will pass.
Kyeo307: I don't know...something might happen...
Kasumi Kenshiro: It's here!
Guest: Joseph will be crucial to how Kars is defeated.
We have reached the end of the MVA arc. With two more arcs that happen around the same time around the corner, I made sure to make the finale...explosive.
I still dislike Joseph Joestar.
I have abandoned my hatred for him, but he is still a major pain in the ass, especially with his frequent quips. He did not stop dressing throughout that entire fight...
I hate that he even got me to laugh a few times.
However, his skill and ingenuity was unparalleled by many, except maybe his own kin...so it proved to be an edge we desperately needed in that fight. Kars was enraged at that point, seeing Joseph had !are him snap, similar to how I did when I encountered the man on I-Island.
Last time I met Joseph Joestar, we were hurtling down an elevator shaft, and I was crushed underneath, defeated once more by this man's tricks.
This time...we...were unfortunately allies.
However, there are aspects to him that have put him VERY high on my list of people to respect, regardless of how insufferable he is.
He's a good man, flawed, but good.
He values his family more than anything...something he and I have grown to have in common.
Despite his tomfoolery, he does value honor and respect in a fight. According to an account written by his mother, Elizabeth Joestar, he was respectful towards Wammu in my master's final moments...to the point where Wammu defended him from an attack.
If he earned Wammu's respect, then he was something special.
Perhaps that is why the Joestar family tends to make such interesting allies, such as Yaoyorozu. She isn't a heavy hitter...but what she did in the ensuing brawl...it saved our asses.
Kaina Tsutsumi stretched her arms, yawning.
"Ugggh...what a day...hero training is hard."
She walked up the incredibly long staircase, shifting her bag to her side.
"It's JoJo!" A girl screamed, almost shoving the budding hero down the stairs.
"Rude." Kaina scoffed, brushing herself off. "There they go again..."
A tall, muscular 17-year old was briskly walking through the school courtyard, a sour look on his face as he was being tailed by girls of all sizes. The 15-year old snorted, amused at the delinquent's misfortune.
"Poor guy...still...he beat up a teacher the other day...so..."
Sitting in her usual spot, she waited for a while, taking a sandwich out of her bag and taking a bite. Soon enough, Jotaro Kujo came around the corner, still looking pissed.
"Well if it isn't my favorite upperclassman! Tired of your harem?" Kaina asked with a smile.
"Shut the fuck up, I don't want a harem." Jotaro responded, lighting a cigarette. "I wish those bitches would just leave me alone."
"Aww come on, you should give one of them a chance."
"No." Jotaro glanced at her bag. "How's work for the Public Safety Commission?"
Kaina sighed. "Tough...tough...but I want to be a hero, and I was given the opportunity to start early so...I can't really complain."
Jotaro took a puff, sitting next to her. "They aren't overworking you, are they?"
"Nah, don't worry."
"Not worried."
"Sure JoJo, sure...how is things with your mom?"
"Too clingy, as usual."
Kaina couldn't help it, Jotaro's sour attitude always amused her. It was probably because she could see right through it.
"You love her."
"Of course I do, she's my fucking mom. I just wish she wasn't so...smothering. Pisses me off." Jotaro replied. "Everyone here is...you're the only person here I can actually talk to."
"Well, at least they aren't bullying you for being Quirkless."
Jotaro pressed his lips together. There was a moment of silence between the two, and Kaina knew she had touched a nerve.
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be. It's nothing."
"It's not nothing and you know it. I don't care if you're Quirkless JoJo, only a guy like you would stand up for his underclassmen. That teacher really took a dump on my dream you know...now he flinches whenever he looks at you."
"I just don't like assholes."
Kaina wrapped up her lunch, and checked her watch. "Welp, I better be off...good luck avoiding the mob."
"Good luck on your hero stuff I guess."
You're a good guy JoJo...now if only you could see it.
*23 years later*
The embittered Nagant sat alone in the cafeteria, eating slop. She had been cooped up in prison for a while now.
"You're Lady Nagant right, the hero who rebelled against the system? I was wondering-" A noseless man attempted to sit with her.
"Fuck off Stain."
"Fine..."
Another day another bout of existential torment. Nagantthought to herself, stirring the food on her plate. Fuck life...
"So...you see, we've been getting some paranormal activity in the lower deck of the facility, and we really needed you to check it out."
"I don't have all day, I have a class to teach soon." A familiar voice said, and Nagant's eyes widened as she tilted her head up.
Jotaro Kujo, now an adult, was standing near her.
Thinking fast, she put her head back down, refusing to let him see her face.
Great...an old friend from high school...what am I supposed to say? I'm a criminal now? I doubt he'd even have sympathy for me...
"Kaina?"
FUCK.
Nagant raised her head, frowning, to see Jotaro staring at her with what appeared to be mild shock. "JoJo."
"..."
"..."
"Uh...Dr. Kujo?"
He's a doctor?
JOJO?
Then again...I'm in fucking prison, so I guess anything can happen.
"The investigation can wait." Jotaro said, and continued to stare her down.
"Don't look at me, just go."
"I haven't seen you in years."
"Well, now you know why...just go, don't bother with me." Nagant replied, averting her gaze. "In fact, just pretend you never saw me."
"What the fuck happened to you?"
"The world happened JoJo, now get out of my face."
Jotaro turned to the guard. "Can I talk to her for a second? In private?"
"Uhhh...sure, don't see why not."
"No. Please...just look the other way." Nagant said, her lips tightening to avoid a well of emotions coming out. Jotaro grabbed her by the arm and started pulling her out of the cafeteria. "Hey! Let go!"
"No."
"JoJo you bastard! Let go!"
"Not until I get some answers."
Nagant wrenched her arm out of his grip, rubbing the spot where he grabbed her. "Still a stubborn jackass after all these years...JoJo, I don't want to talk, I don't want to even see you, so just go."
Star Platinum stopped her from walking away, and she looked at the Stand's arm with a sigh.
"Last time I saw you was at my graduation." Jotaro said, looking at Nagant with his typical deadpan. "The Kaina I knew back then was a girl devoted to helping people, studying to become a hero...not a bitter and resentful woman sitting in Tarturus. I followed your hero career from America...when it suddenly went quiet. So...how did you end up here?"
Nagant turned her back to him.
"I'm not that girl anymore."
"Well no kidding, you're kind of an asshole now."
"Well you were always an asshole." Nagant fired back. "You only mellowed out after you disappeared for 50-something days. Clearly, things haven't changed much...so let me go already."
"Yare yare daze...how would you react if you found out an old friend was in prison? I'm trying to understand what the fuck happened here."
"You wouldn't understand, I heard them call you Dr. Kujo. A doctor...you must be doing so well for yourself, and you expect me to believe you could ever understand what I'm going through?! Well, fine, here it is! The Hero Public Safety Commission signed me up as a hero...but they didn't really want one. They wanted AN ASSASSIN!"
Nagant had whirled around, digging her finger into Jotaro's chest.
"I did what I was told, they reasoned that the people I killed deserved to die...that I was doing the right thing! I was killing villains, corrupt heroes, and even people who didn't break the law, and just had radical ideals! Anyone who was deemed a threat! I had to look fans, kids, in the eye and sign autographs and shit, WITH BLOOD ON MY HANDS! I got sick of it...I realized just how far those fuckers corrupted my dream..."
Jotaro was standing as stiff as a board, his hat casting a shadow over his eyes.
"I wanted to be a hero! I wanted to save people...and they made me into A KILLER!" Nagant said, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. "So I fucking snapped, and I ended up killing my superior after he threatened my life...I...I never wanted this...I..."
The 38 year old woman had an iron grip on Jotaro's jacket, the sight of an old friend, and revealing everything to said friend...had caused all the pent-up heartbreak and anguish to come out. Tears dripped onto the floor as she clung to his jacket, clenching her teeth.
"They ruined my life JoJo...now I'm stuck here..."
That's when she was caught off guard.
Jotaro had hugged her. Jotaro Kujo, THE Jotaro Kujo...
He didn't say anything, he probably didn't really have anything to say anway, but he had instead opted to try and comfort her a different way. The Jotaro she knew from high school wouldn't have hugged anyone...except for maybe his mother.
Jotaro reached into his jacket, and pulled out a few photos, handing them to her. They were of a young woman with portions of her hair dyed green, and a teenaged boy with shoulder-length brown hair. Nagant looked at the photos with a saddened expression.
"Are these your kids?" She asked, softly.
"Yes...they've both suffered...my whole family has."
For the first time, Nagant looked Jotaro in the eye, and was heartbroken by what she saw.
Pain. Jotaro had always kept a lid on his emotions, but the pain in his eyes was as clear as day. There were years worth of trauma, just in his eyes alone.
"I'm...sorry to hear that."
"That 50 day trip you mentioned...it wasn't for leisure. I had some of the best...and worst days of my life in that time...and...they affect me to this day." Jotaro said. "It's affected everything...including how I've gone about being a father..."
"I...guess we both didn't turn out okay, did we?" Nagant asked.
"No...we didn't."
Things only got better from there.
Jotaro came back to visit her when he could, and Nagant couldn't help about appreciate his company. Her time in Tatarus suddenly didn't seem so bad...and she began to smile more.
He had told her everything, from DIO murdering his friends, to Susan abusing his poor son. It became clear to her that Jotaro, while his life wasn't completely ruined like hers, had suffered a great deal.
Using his connections with the Speedwagon Foundation, he graciously provided her with a phone, so that they could talk while she was in prison.
Eventually, their rekindled friendship turned into something...a little bit more.
So when Santana had offered her freedom in exchange for her services, she couldn't refuse. Not just so she could get paid, but so she could rebuild her life...possibly with Jotaro at her side.
So seeing him show up in her darkest hour once more, it brought a big smile to her face.
The Shoggoth set it's sights on Jotaro, roaring in fury. The Joestar lifted his head to meet the monster, looking at it with disgust.
"Just when I though Shigaraki couldn't look more disgusting..."
"JoJo!"
Jotaro's eyes widened in surprise, and he turned to find the wounded Nagant waving at him. "Kaina? Wha...what the fuck?!"
"I'll explain later! Aim for the head!"
That woman... Jotarothought to himself, frowning. The Shoggoth sent a plethora of hands his way, but Star Platinum simply bashed them aside. With one move, he suddenly grabbed the Cartoonist and threw her out of the decaying battlefield.
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH! OOF!" The Cartoonist landed with a thud. "HEY! I'M WOUNDED! Is that any way to treat a lady?!"
The Shoggoth was still making it's trek towards civilization, but most of it's many eyes were focused on Jotaro.
A mouth opened up from it's side and spat out a foul black liquid, as the Shoggoth suddenly sprouted wings. Kars' bone was defending it's host with everything it had.
The black liquid spread the decay even further, and Jotaro was forced to jump away as the decay quickened. Rolling to the side, Star Platinum punched the ground, digging it up and stopping the spread.
Nagant slid down the hill, running to his side.
"I can't tell you how glad I am to see you..."
"What the fuck happened?! You're out of prison?!" Jotaro asked, tilting his head to the side so the disgraced hero could fire a shot.
"I...may have made a deal with Santana..."
"WHAT?!"
"It's fine! I...just helped him...*grunt*...kill a monster...and with this...what're you doing here?!"
"I'm tracking down the source of all this! AFO breaking out of Tarturus is only ONE of the things happening around here!" Jotaro replied, smashing an eyeball, and causing the Shoggoth to scream. "I was running around every battlefield, and I came upon this!"
"There's more than one battle?!"
"The Barge, the woods, and apparently now UA...I just left...apparently Kars is to blame for this!"
"So that's who Santana ended up fighting...oh fuck...that's really bad..."
"No shit!" Jotaro said, glaring at the Shoggoth. "Now I have to worry about you on top of all that!"
"I can handle myself just fine."
"I'm not talking about a fight you idiot! You broke out of prison for fuck's sake, the Public Safety Commission will be on you faster that Star Platinum can stop time...speaking of that..."
Next thing she knew, she was on the opposite side of the Shoggoth, as the area they were standing on earlier crumbled away.
"I'm aware of the risk JoJo, I know them better than anyone."
"Then why-?"
"You're the one who told me that life isn't worth living unless we take risks, and I took that to heart. I'm tired of seeing you from my cell! I want to actually live my life JoJo!"
Jotaro blinked, and sighed.
"I can't fault you for that..."
Nagant wiped the blood from her face. "Then let's kill this thing."
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHGHGHGHGH!" Joseph screamed as he sprinted away from the school, using Hamon to enhance his endurance. He passed by a bloody and confused Endeavor, who had just managed to catch up to the battle...
Only for both Santana and Kars to go right past him as though he wasn't even there. Endeavor angrily began limping the other way.
"TURN AROUND COWARDS! I'M NOT DONE YET!"
I have to fulfill my duty as the number one hero! Damn it, come back!
Who am I kidding? The Pillar Men won't take me seriously...altough...that may just be an advantage!
*FWOOSH*
Endeavor activated his flames, pushing through the pain and heat as he rushed after them, picking up speed.
If only Hawks was here to use his feathers to boost me...where did he go anyway?! He went off with that Italian kid in Shoto's class...
If he missed something like this...there must be a problem on his end of things.
As soon as Joseph reached buildings, he summoned Hermit Purple, and began swinging around the evacuated streets. While the heroes were keeping Kars busy, rescue teams had led civilians to shelters.
Now, Joseph had a good portion of the city to swing around.
Suddenly, something flew right onto his face.
"GAH! WHAT THE HELL?!"
The piece of metal looped around his ear, and a small screen popped over his eye.
"Sorry Mr. Joestar, I had to fire it at you."
"Yaoyorozu?! What are you doing?!" Joseph yelled, catching sight of a certain drone flying alongside him.
"Helping of course, did you really think I'd just abandon the fight? I don't run away from villains, regardless of who the are. I'm sending you the most optimal escape route."
"I'm not trying to escape Yaoyorozu! The Joestar Family technique is a retreat with the intent of formulating a plan, not running like a coward!"
"You misunderstand Mr. Joestar. An escape is precisely what you need to gain the advantage."
"What?!"
"I have an eye in the sky, remember? Santana's range of abilities is crucial to your victory...you see this?"
An image of Dagobah beach popped into Joseph's eye.
"Ah...an escape as in a vacation spot...nice pun! I still don't see how this helps..."
"Santana's Stand, Genesis, has the ability to turn into anything inorganic...and he appears to have a new ability to lock himself into a form..."
"So he can turn into water...I get it! That just might be enough to slow Kars down!" Joseph began following the path Momo laid out for him. "Can you give Santana one of these doohickies too?"
"I'm...not sure I want to give him an in to Exodus' systems..."
"He's part of this plan, is he not? We don't have a choice!"
Momo sighed over the comms, and the drone spun around, firing upon the pursuing Santana.
The Pillar Man caught the projectile in his fingers, and examined it. Recognizing it as an earpiece, he put it in. "What is this?"
"I am forced to temporarily give you access to my systems, don't make me regret this."
"Yaoyorozu...you...have systems? This technology is fantastic!" Santana complimented.
"I inherited them from someone, so please treat it with respect. Now...about our plan..."
AFO coughed as he struggled to his knees, wheezing.
Chaos was erupting all around him, screams of terror, of fury, loud roars echoing throughout the battlefield. The Shoggoth had take to the skies, showering friend and foe alike in the decay goo.
Is this...the end?
He was missing an arm, in immense pain from the humiliating beat down Santana gave him...and he was pretty sure a few of his organs, besides his heart and failing lungs, had been destroyed by Santana's uranium form.
In fact...he felt something rolling around in the remains of his dress pants as he moved.
What could that be? I'm far too dignified to shit myself...wait...
AFO felt up his crotch, and gasped.
MY DICK FELL OFF!
Santana had mentioned that he was in complete control over which organs died...he had purposely killed AFO's dick.
THAT DOES IT!
He was All For One, the evil mastermind who had brought Japan to the brink of destruction, a god on Earth, with the strongest Quirk known to man. He had backup plans for his backup plans, all converging onto his goal to run the planet himself.
Now...he was missing an arm and a dick, sporting several broken bones, barely breathing...and his successor was no longer capable of thought. His entire master plan to take OFA, to live on through Tomura since his aging body wasn't as good as it once was, to disrupt the world economy...it was falling apart all around him.
Then, he began to smile.
Calm down...the Demon King has had his plans foiled in every comic book...and while I have suffered a worse defeat than the one dealt to me by All Might...there is no reason to lose my cool.
I'll simply make a new plan.
It's over, but that doesn't mean I'M over. There is always a new beginning waiting to happen.
AFO used his levitation Quirk, weakly and slowly flying away from the battle. Wheezing, He began to float above the battle, raising his remaining hand to the sky.
May as well leave a parting gift! That man...fighting my former successor...that's Jotaro Kujo, the Joestar who took out my competition. He's the father of Izuku Midoriya's childhood friend...
AFO's smile turned sadistic.
Just to let my little brother know that I'm still coming for him...I'll deal a blow to Johnny Kujo, so that Izuku Midoriya will be affected! I'm about to make his friend an orphan!
I gave some of these jobber villains extra Quirks...but they shouldn't have trusted my hand.
*BOOM!*
*BOOM!*
*BOOM!*
Several villains began detonating from the Quirk bombs he had put in them, and Potato was engulfed in the explosion. AFO grinned as he turned around to escape...
Only to find Jotaro above him.
"Well...aren't you a tricky one...?" AFO wheezed out. "I-"
"ORA!"
Star Platinum hit AFO back towards the ground without hesitation. The "Demon King" landed in the dirt, coughing out blood.
"If...you...really...think you can win..." AFO got back up, and turned his remaining fingers into rivets.
"STAR FINGER!"
The Stand's extended fingers cut through his rivets like butter.
"I-"
"ORA!"
AFO was sent sprawling on the ground once more.
"You re-"
"ORA!"
"Ha! You fell fo-"
"ORA!"
"Stop i-"
"ORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORA!"
AFO began hysterically laughing, unable to cope with what was happening to him. Star Platinum was taking it easy on him.
This can't be happening! This is a dream! A bad dream! I'll wake up and everything will be alright! There is no way this is happening right now, not to me!
This is all one big illusion! There's no way I could actually lose to a bunch of jobbers who don't have OFA! There's no way!
"Yare yare daze...know when you're beaten old man." Jotaro said with a huff, readjusting his hat. "Star Platinum could've kept up with you in your prime. Although...come with me."
Star Platinum grabbed ahold of AFO's wrinkly bald head, and began dragging the "Demon King" towards the Shoggoth.
"JOJOOOOOOOO!" Kars snarled as they came across the beach, where Joseph had gone headfirst into the water. He landed on the ground as Santana dove after him.
"I would normally dive after you without hesitation, but this is likely one of your tricks!" The ULF said, casting a menacing shadow over the beach. "So I'm going to offer you a deal, JoJo...if you do not resurface...I will hunt down everyone you have ever loved! The girl mentioned a great grandson...is it true that he is actually capable of killing me?!"
"I did not lie to you, Kars."
Kars looked up to see the drone flying above his head, and sneered. "You're still trying? Didn't you learn from what I did to your friends?"
"No...for once I didn't learn anything. I'm just making sure you don't get away with it!" Momo's voice spat out of the drone. "You're going to pay for what you did to them...it's my duty as their friend, and as a hero...TO HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE!"
Suddenly, the sand shifted all around him, and a net made of steel emerged, behind carried by several mini-drones. They all flew in separate directions, wrapping a furious Kars in the net, squeezing him tight.
Kars extended a bone blade, but the steel made it so he couldn't actually move his arm to cut, so he began transforming. "This is foolish-"
*ZAP!*
Electricity traveled down the net, brutally electrocuting Kars before he could fully transform, halting the process.
"GAH!"
"Electricity causes muscle spasms, no matter what creature you are! This is for my friends Kars!"
The drones began carrying Kars towards the ocean, and were about to drop him in...
"KAARS!"
When they suddenly threw him back towards Endeavor.
Momo had seen Endeavor coming through Exodus' city wide camera systems, and had used the number one hero to her advantage. very beginning...Joseph had distracted Kars long enough for Momo to set up the trap at the beach.
Two tactical minds working in unison, Momo and Joseph held all the cards.
Endeavor grabbed ahold of the net, and used his flames to propel himself into the air, dragging Kars and the drones up into the sky. However...
He had shifted the net, allowing Kars to cut his arm free.
A bone blade stabbed into Endeavor's gut, but he simply pushed through the pain, carrying Kars further into the sky. Away from civilization, with the air getting thinner...
Then, he grabbed onto the arm that was thrusting a blade into his stomach, and he began to heat up.
"PLUS ULTRA..."
"WAIT! WHA-"
"PROMINENCE BUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRNNNN!"
The entire sky lit up as Endeavor used his ultimate move. Kars screamed in agony as his flesh began burning away, recalling his time in the volcano...
Then, once the drones were melted by Endeavor's heat, he acted.
He used the very same armor he had used when Joseph and Stroheim had thrown him into said volcano, the crab shell covered with layers of air bubbles, acting as a cooling system.
Endeavor's eyes widened as Kars became instantly immune to his attack.
"Nice try, but this isn't the first time someone has tried to burn me...just like all of the pathetic attempts before, your luck has run out."
Jotaro dragged AFO over to Nagant, and she took a step back. "Why are you bringing him of all people?!"
"He can give us an opportunity to kill this thing. Tell me AFO...do you still have one of those Quirk Bombs left in your tank?"
"Yes..." The defeated villain wheezed out.
"Give it to Shigaraki."
Jotaro roughly threw AFO at the Shoggoth, and the "Demon King" looked up at the monster before him, the Quirk that was allowing him to "see" was going haywire thanks to his injuries.
All of his Quirks weren't working, thanks to the mask being broken...almost as if they were rebelling in his time of need...
"Why should I?"
AFO grinned.
"He is a monster I created after all...even if I cannot fight anymore...*wheeze*...the death and destruction he will cause...will...be credited...to me."
"Give him the fucking Quirk."
"No, I don't think I..."
*CRUNCH!*
"GYAGH!"
Himiko Toga had dug her heel into AFO's side, and began twisting.
"DO IT!" She snarled, taking revenge for what had happened to Compress. "DO IT NOW!
AFO gagged as he half-heartedly touched a part of the Shoggoth. She then begrudgingly dragged him away, knowing full well that Santana had a plan for him.
*BOOM!*
Explosions ripped the Shoggoth apart, and Star Platinum shot straight for it's head.
" ORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORA!"
While he was attacking the Shoggoth's skull, he saw flashes of Shigaraki's life. The abuse from his father...the unintentional massacre of his family...
His very intentional murder of said abusive father.
It reminded Jotaro of his own son, and the abuse he suffered at the hands of his witch of a mother. The torment of someone he held dear, that he failed to prevent.
I didn't save Johnny...Kyoka and Gyro did. I failed to save my own son...
Perhaps...this is my way of redeeming myself for that...by saving this boy from himself. From what AFO did to him...
Find peace...Tenko Shimura.
The skull desperately tried to reform itself, as the last remnants of Tomura's hatred attempted to crush Jotaro within, but Star Platinum increased the strength of his blows. Jotaro began pushing his Stand to the limit...
Heavy blows tore the skull of the Shoggoth to shreds while it was trying to regenerate from the explosion. The creature let out one final roar, before it's remains fell to the ground...
Dead.
Jotaro landed on the ground, collapsing from exhaustion. He was caught by Nagant, who draped his arm around her shoulder.
"Easy there JoJo..."
"I'm getting too old for this..." Jotaro responded, struggling to his feet. "Fuck...that hurt..."
Smoke eminated from the destroyed Shoggoths body, which slowly began to turn gold. The shape of a small child appeared before them, purged of any wrinkles, any hatred. His eye were shining with a light that Shigaraki lacked.
"All I ever wanted...was for someone to save me..." The spirit of Tenko Shimura said, tears of gratitude falling down his face. "I just wanted to be loved..."
The boy's face grew into a smile.
"Thank you! Thank you so much!"
Jotaro's eyes became soft as the little boy grinned at him, and he ended up smiling back.
"You're welcome."
The sun shone on the battlefield, and the clouds parted to reveal hands. Except unlike the hands that always held Tenko back, these were outstretched, and inviting.
His mother, sister, and his grandmother, Nana Shimura, were all extending their hands, smiling down at him, beckoning him to come with them.
The small boy took one last look at his heroes, waving, as he ascended towards his family. Nagant looked towards her old friend, and was surprised to find a genuinely happy expression on his face, replacing his earlier deadpan.
"JoJo?"
"Yes?"
"You good?"
Jotaro blinked a few times, and turned to her with a soft smirk.
"Yeah, I think I am."
Endeavor let go of the net, dropping Kars back towards the ground.
The ULF broke free of the net and his Anti-Heat armor. Suddenly, water began rising up all around him...
Santana had turned into a GIANT WATER KAIJU.
"KARS!"
Kars gasped as his former lackey grabbed him and began spinning around, turning himself into a whirlpool as he descended back down into the ocean. Joseph was looping around the whirlpool, extending Hermit Purple across it.
"THIS IS THE END! YOUR MASSACRE ENDS HERE!" Santana's giant face manifested from the waves. "I WILL CONTINUE TO GO DOWN MY OWN PATH!"
"Santana you fool! Let me go!" Kars screamed, and he began snarling in anger as he got tangled on purple vines. He couldn't see them, so he couldn't avoid them.
"No can do Kars! You're going for a nice long swim!" Joseph yelled.
"You're trying to pull and trap me under water?! That won't wo-"
A massive fist made of water pounded the ULF into the waves.
Damn it! I can't believe Santana is actually willing to work with JoJo against me! Am...
Am I really that big of a threat to him? Are his ideals...and his human pets...really worth teaming up with JoJo?!
Kars was truly hurt.
The boy he raised was not only rebelling against him, but was actively working with their worst enemy to do so. He couldn't help but think back to when Santana was a child...
*Thousands of years ago*
A small orange-haired boy sobbed as he knelt over a mangled racoon, caught in one of the primitives' traps.
The primitive himself was standing over the trap, confused as to why the small child was crying over his caught meal, when a shadow suddenly blanketed him.
The primitive turned to find Kars glaring at him with killing intent. Before the man could say or do anything, the leader of the Pillar Men angrily grabbed him by the throat.
"I don't tolerate you lower lifeforms already...but making Santana cry is where I draw the line."
"Ah-"
*SLICE!*
Several flashes of light, and the primitive was cubed. Kars adjusted his head wrappings, and sighed, kneeling besides the tearful child.
"Are you alright?"
"*sniff* no..."
"They killed your pet..."
"Yeah...I hate them!" Santana sobbed out, and Kars put a hand on his shoulder.
"Of course you do...USE that hatred Santana. Feel it burn within you. Let it aid you in our quest to achieve perfection. Burn our enemies with it."
The small child suddenly hugged him, and Kars blinked in surprise. The leader of the Pillar Men looked down at the vulnerable boy who currently had his arms wrapped around his waist, and a soft look came onto the genius' face.
He hugged the child back.
"I'm sorry Santana...I know the racoon was your friend."
"Thank you Lord Kars...I love you..."
Kars gritted his teeth in anger, and began to transform, until he had fins. His head had turned into a shark's.
Gliding through the water, and powering through Hermit Purple's vines, he made a beeline straight for Joseph, leaping out of the wated...
And biting a chunk out of Joseph's leg.
"YOOOW!" Joseph screamed, blood flowing from his thigh. Shark Kars angrily dove back into the water, using the trap to his advantage.
Kars began using Hamon, and the water began evaporating. Santana screamed in pain as his body was forcibly turning into steam.
"ENOUGH OF THIS!" Kars screamed, leaping out of the water to strike Joseph with his Hamon. Recognizing how deadly the strike would be, Joseph covered his arm with Hermit Purple, and flung Mars to the side, narrowly avoiding the blow.
A blade emerged from Kars' foot however, and he pulled Joseph into the water with him.
"I'LL BOIL YOU IN YOUR OWN TRAP!" Shark Kars cried under water, as Joseph struggled to both free himself and to hold his breath.
Already, the water was beginning to boil, and Joseph fought hard to keep himself from screaming. Finally, he wrenched his leg free, and burst out of the water, latching onto a drone that arrived to rescue him.
His skin was red and irritated, steam leaking off of him. If he had been in the water any longer, he might've passed out.
"Mr. Joestar!"
"So that's...what spaghetti feels like..." Joseph panted out, his wet hair blanketing his face. "Ow...everything stings..."
"Mr. Joestar, hold on!" Momo sounded desperate, and on the verge of tears. Her plan had failed...
Or had it?
Santana's five minutes were up, and the steam in the air reformed into the Pillar Man. Landing on Kars, he began transforming into something else...
"ENDEAVOR!" Santana roared, as he began to crystalize.
The burnt out number one hero weakly raised his head. "What?"
"Turns out you can be useful after all! Get JoJo and I into the sky!"
"What?"
"DO IT!"
Endeavor fought through his exhaustion, flying and snagging Joseph from the drone. He then pushed both Santana and Kars into the sky, taking them higher.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Kars yelled, his face turning into one of horror.
Santana was now a bright red. "My duty Kars. My duty..."
"Santana...you aren't..."
"I am! Hear me Kars! It does me no pleasure to do this, but I have my own dreams to accomplish, and you stand in my way! You always said I lacked the strength needed to be done, but YOU WERE WRONG!"
The three flew higher, and higher, until the sky began to turn a dark blue. Endeavor looked to be ready to faint, but he kept pushing them ever higher.
"I AM NO LONGER BOUND BY YOU!" Santana screamed. "I CHOOSE MY OWN PATH, MY OWN DESTINY!"
"Santana...think about what you're doing!" Kars pleaded.
"I have thought long, and hard...and this world is better off without you." Santana said, tears sliding down his glassy red mask.
"If you do this, you'll be alone!"
"No, I'll never be alone...not anymore! Kars...know that I still do not hate you...and I wish things could be different...but this is goodbye, for real this time."
Kars blinked, and his face shifted to one of sadness. "It appears...we both don't have much of a choice."
"No..."
"Santana..."
"Yes?"
"I was wrong...you DO have what it takes."
Santana made a noise as his chest began to glow, and the full extent of the combo attack was revealed.
Santana has turned into a Red Stone of Aja, and Joseph is transferring his Hamon into him. Kars thought to himself. He is a man-sized version of the stone, meaning he is far more powerful when amplifying light.
JoJo's hamon, when passing through Santana's body...will be equivalent to mine. Except Santana is holding the Hamon within himself, allowing it to build up...
It would come out all at once, top tier Hamon blasting him at full force.
There would be no escape from the blast, even if he attempted to fly away now. Santana had put him in checkmate.
Joseph gave him one last cocky grin as the remorseful Santana spread his arms wide.
"My ultimate move: SUPERNOVA!"
The sky erupted into rainbow light, it was both beautiful and devastating. The air was filled with so much color and light, that those who witnessed the event thought that the Northern Lights were in the sky.
The inevitable blast hit Kars square in the chest, blowing off a good portion of his torso as it sent him flying further into the stratosphere.
"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" The ULF screamed at the top of his lungs as he was flung from Earth's atmosphere once more, fading from everyone else's sight.
In Exodus' lab, Momo Yaoyorozu put her hands to her mouth, and dropped to her knees. A smile made it's way onto her face as tears of relief appeared in the corners of her eyes.
"It's over! It's finally over!"
Santana landed on the ground with a SLAM, and gently set Joseph down.
He then proceeded to roughly throw the wounded and battered Endeavor into the sand, but the number one hero was already unconscious.
Without a single word, Santana began walking away.
"Santana."
The Pillar Man stopped.
"What is it JoJo?"
"Are...you going to be okay?"
Santana snorted, his red armor shimmering as he turned to face his old enemy.
"Concerned for me?"
"Look, I know you and I haven't exactly seen eye to eye-"
"We tried to kill each other, twice."
"-but...he was kind of a father to you. I guess I...yeah, I'm a little concerned."
Santana's glowing red eyes pulsed, and the skull helmet tipped downwards in respect.
"Not at the moment. I initially retrieved Kars from space because I couldn't stand the thought of being alone in this world. Being the last of my kind...it made me fearful...bitter...irrational."
The Pillar Man lifted his head.
"Now...I know that I am far from alone. I have people I care for...a teenaged girl who relies on my guidance...a daughter of sorts. People willing to fight for a cause that I genuinely believe in...so no JoJo...I'm not alright at the moment...but I will be soon."
Joseph nodded, and then began to grin.
"JoJo, we are having a moment of respect, don't ruin it."
"We were such a good team!" Joseph said brightly, and began playfully poking at Santana's armor. "JoJo and Santana, the new dynamic duo!"
"No."
"We could kick ass, you and I! I see the beginnings of a beautiful friendship!" Joseph said, and Santana poked at his reddened skin. "OW! WHAT THE HELL YOU BASTARD!"
"Enough."
"You're just in denial, you like me now!"
"No I fucking don't."
"Alright, well I'll see you around bestie! Keep in touch!" Joseph teased, grabbing onto Momo's drone as it lifted him off. "Poker night is on Saturdays!"
"I'm not going to your poker night!"
Joseph blew a kiss as he flew out of sight, and Santana flinched.
"Fucking asshole..."
Santana turned to leave, only to hear the beating of a helicopter behind him. Turning around, he found a news crew pointing their camera at him, and the downed number one hero.
The Pillar Man hummed in thought.
I've already been caught on camera...why the hell not?
With a heave, he pointed his hammer to the sky.
"All for One has fallen, and the threat has been dealt with! I...am Santana! Leader of the League of Villains, and I have saved your city from destruction by aiding your heroes!"
The news reporter zoomed in with the camera.
It was live.
"Many would call me a terrorist, an extremist, but tell me...would a villain go out of their way to save lives? The truth of the matter is, I fight for a brighter future! If you have ever felt like an outcast, or as though you are being exploited, know that I fight in your honor."
Santana turned back to gold, exposing the hawk symbol on his chest.
"This symbol is the Jaguar, the Aztec symbol of power. However, this does not refer to my own power, but rather the power I wish to give those who have been mistreated! You are not worthless, no matter who you are or what you look like! YOU HAVE POWER! Even if the odds seem insurmountable, that does not mean you cannot fight them!"
Finally, Santana addressed the cameramen themselves.
"Do not censor this, for this is a message the WORLD needs to hear! A New Genesis is coming...a world without outcasts! As for those who wish to get in our way? May God give you mercy...because I won't."
With that, the Pillar Man turned to mist...leaving Endeavor behind.
Katsuki Bakugo limped out of his hospital room, despite the doctors telling him to stay still.
"Move it whitecoats!"
"Your wound is still unstable!"
"Don't care!"
"Mr. Bakugo-"
"FUCK OFF!"
He kicked in the door to another room, where Izuku was sitting. The greenette had been staring out the window before Katsuki's violent entrance, but as soon as he turned around...
He had the brightest smile you would ever see on him.
"Kacchan!"
"Deku, why the fuck did you get hurt too?! I was trying to prevent that you dumbass!" Katsuki yelled, before grunting, glancing at his side.
"You got hurt...I...wasn't thinking clearly." Izuku said, lowering his head. "I was just trying to tear Kars apart, which is pretty much an impossible task."
Katsuki stared at him for a while, angry that he had gotten hurt despite of his sacrifice...but...
Also touched.
"I'm...sorry."
"Don't be...you saved me Kacchan, I won't be forgetting tha-"
"Not just for that...for...everything..."
Izuku's eyes widened as he got what Katsuki was implying, and he turned to the window again with a sad smile. "Don't worry about it...it's water u-"
"NO! It isn't. Don't you go pretending that what I did to you was okay, cause it fucking wasn't! I...I was blind...to my own weakness. Everyone always told me that I would be strong...so when you, someone who was Quirkless, started trying to help me...it made me feel weak, like I wasn't good enough."
"Ka-"
"AND THAT AIN'T AN EXCUSE!" Katsuki cut him off. "I told you to fucking kill yourself, and somehow you still consider me a friend! Why?! I was not heroic at all!"
"I...always hoped for the best...I guess I just missed how we used to be..." Izuku said. "I was a lot more naive back then...but I didn't want to give up on you."
"It was when I started befriending Ears that I started to realize how fucked up I am. I realized that strength and power were two different things...you were always a better hero than me."
"Kacchan..."
"So I'm sorry...I'm really fucking sorry...but I know that alone ain't gonna make up for making your childhood hell. I...I guess I...I want to make it up to you. I want to try and move on, and be friends again."
"I...thought we already were friends."
"We are...but I'm going to try and make it up to you every fucking day, whether you like it or not!"
Izuku stared at his childhood bully for a while...and then tears started to form.
"Oh God...don't cry."
"I'm sorry...I...I can't help it...I accept your apology Kacchan. Let's move forward, together."
Katsuki grunted as he sat on Izuku 's bed, content.
"So...damage?"
"I think I should be asking you that first." Izuku retorted. "That blow was almost fatal."
"...my lung has a scorch mark on it. I...won't be able to breathe as well as I used to...and I'll get tired more easily." Katsuki admitted, pulling up his shirt to reveal a large dent in his side. "Kinda looks like All Might's...I've got a handicap now...your turn."
"I broke my arms beyond recovery."
"..."
"..."
"WHAT?!"
"I-I CAN STILL MOVE THEM!" Izuku protested, waving said arms, which were gloved, around. "Here..."
Izuku took off his gloves, revealing just how worn and scarred his arms were. They were a dark shade of reddish purple, and Katsuki's eyes widened in shock.
"Deku, what the fuck?!"
"I went all out on him, and he took Thriller's energy away. If Mr. Joestar hadn't nourished my arms with Hamon...I wouldn't be able to move them at all. However..."
Izuku tried to pick up a pen from the table next to him, only for his fingers to violently twitch, dropping it to the floor.
"I...can't use my hands very well..."
"How the hell are you gonna scribble shit down in your notebook?"
"...I can't."
Izuku had started crying again, but this was out of heartbreak.
"I can't."
"...we both got fucked up, huh?"
"Completely fucked up. Kars wiped the floor with us...and that isn't all. All For One is...no longer a problem. The first user came to me while I was out, and told me his brother had...fallen."
"Isn't that the whole reason your Quirk exists? What are you going to do now?"
"I'll give One For All a new destiny...a new meaning that isn't anchored down by All For One. I'm still going to be a hero!" Izuku clenched his mangled fist.
"Me too." Katsuki replied, popping off a few explosions.
"..."
"..."
"JoJo is going to go ape shit."
"Oh, he's gonna kick our asses all over again when he gets back."
*SLAM!*
"Wait...IS HE ALREADY HERE?!"
"RUN KACCHAN!"
"I CAN'T, MY FUCKING WOUND WILL FLARE UP!"
The door flew open, and a head of purple hair stuck itself in.
"OH GOD IT'S WORSE!"
"Kyoka wait, we can..." Izuku's eyes widened once he got a good look at their friend. "What...where...where are your...?"
"Compress died."
AFO, in his cell once more, grinned as Santana approached the glass. "Is that so?"
"He never woke up...but his last actions were to protect Himiko...and he died believing in our cause." Santana said, his face curled into a snarl. "You murdered my friend."
"Well, at least I did something to inconvenience you." AFO stated with his calm smile. "I believe you had a 'fate worse than death' planned for me? You're making a mistake Santana...leaving me alive..."
"Oh no...I want you alive. I want every single waking moment of the rest of your miserable life to be spent in misery for what you have done." Santana retorted. "I can't think of a better punishment than this...poetic justice in a way."
Santana entered the cell, and pulled something from his pocket.
"I worked with a man name Kai Chisaki before my cause took root, a man who viewed Quirks as a disease. He exploited a little girl by the name of Eri for some...experiments. I was initially interested in those experiments...until I found out the gruesome details. I destroyed his project myself...except for one dose..."
The Pillar Man suddenly jabbed something into AFO's shoulder, and AFO grunted in pain.
"What was that?! What is his experiment?!"
"That...was a Quirk Erasing Bullet."
AFO felt something break within him, and he looked down at the bullet in horror. "No...you're bluffing...you're BLUFFING!"
Santana freed AFO from his shackles.
"Go ahead then, you dickless bastard. Call my bluff."
AFO extended a hand towards Santana, only for it to do nothing. "No...NO! NONONONONONO!"
"Your empire has crumbled, your successor slain, and now the Quirk: All For One...no longer exists. You will spend the rest of your life as your true self. Not a Demon King...but a broken old man, ruined by his own twisted delusions."
There was silence as AFO stood there.
"Hello?"
Drool poured from the old man's mouth as he slumped back against the wall.
"Hmph...apparently you couldn't handle it. I guess I was right...you really are nothing without your Quirk. Mind snapped like a twig."
Santana left the cell, and later joined his comrades as they prepared a memorial for Compress. Himiko was kneeling beside his casket, her head hung low.
The Pillar Man put a comforting hand on her shoulder, and she turned around and hugged him, neither saying a word.
Victory had come at a cost...the cost of a friend.
As the stars passed in the night sky, however, the surrogate father and daughter couldn't help but observe them. It had been a long road to get to where they were now, with bumps and brusies, tears and smiles.
Somehow, the two knew that it would be worth it.
A meteorite floated just out of Earth's orbit...or rather...Kars had been sent back to space.
It was different this time.
There was no panic, no desperation...he had strangely come to peace with it. The meteorite floated with a smile...and it's last thought before going back into slumber was:
I'm proud of you, Santana.