Bearticguy7: Sounds like it could make for a fun fight!
Euphoria: That would be funny, but for the life of me I can't picture Johnny actually singing.
BryanV2: You're right on both accounts my friend!
SailorCityHunter: I couldn't help myself. One of my favorite bosses from the games.
DeathlyJazzHands55: I can't tell you how much I appreciate these reviews.
Monster King: Thanks!
Kasumi Kenshiro: Well, in this universe Hamon and Spin are connected, so Spin really is the next step once she masters Hamon. She won't be too powerful though...I made her powerful enough last chapter.
Death Omen Star: Warhead was the very definition of a corrupt hero.
Syrian Ken: I like it!
Kosaku Valentine: It really has been quite a fun journey.
Delrosario: His old vines, yes. I haven't really looked at his current stuff, although I know he cosplayed as Joseph once.
Jonat. Hernan962: I've heard good things about it, and I might give it a read, although I don't think anything from that is going to make it into this story.
Like Kars having a Stand for instance.
Dumpstertrashfire123: Thank you! I also have some official stats on the Barge next chapter, although the exact number of Stands was probably about 15. The rest were just ghosts.
TWO. FUCKING. YEARS.
Two whole years of writing A Legacy to Protect. I honestly thought I would have quit by now, I never expected this story to get where it is today.
It feels like I just wrote the ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY chapter, and now it's two.
Like before, I'm mostly just going to discuss the future of the story, and I'll include a few snippets here and there. There is also going to be a surprise at the end. Obviously, the epilogue to the DIO's calamity triology will be pushed to next chapter.
Bakugo:
The fandom does this man so dirty. Both his fans and his haters are just ANNOYING, and I don't understand why they go to such lengths.
Some are even claiming he isn't the deuteragonist of MHA, but Shigaraki is.
How do you...like, what else could Bakugo be? He was written as the deuteragonist! Shigaraki is the main antagonist! I don't understand how a middle school bully learning to accept his weakness, and becoming friends with his former victim, has to be so polarizing.
It's a huge mess.
Anyway, I want to give Katsuki some much needed attention in the upcoming arcs, and he might be getting a focus soon. I'm just going to ignore the MHA fandom while I do it.
Kars:
The highlight of the MVA arc, where the true main antagonist revealed himself. Bringing Kars back turned out to be a blast for me, both because I listened to Avalon while writing his scenes, but also because it was something I was building up to for a while.
Kars being the main antagonist was my plan from the beginning, as he is Santana's foil, more so than AFO and Shigaraki.
Another thing is that he wasn't just another antagonist. Yes, he was defeated, and no, he isn't coming back again...but his actions have impacted the future of this story, and have set up plotlines for the official ending.
Kars was VERY important.
Johnny Kujo and Gyro Zeppeli's Guide to Being a Gentleman:
"Okay Mineta, I've got a little test for you." Gyro said with his arms crossed. "You see that paddle?"
Mineta, tied to a chair by Spin-enhanced rope, nodded.
There was a paddle attached to a lever with a crank.
"This is designed to smack you where the sun don't shine after five cranks, I'm going to ask you five questions, and for every wrong answer, we pull this shit back until it annihilates your tiny little grape sack."
"W-why? Why are you doing this?! We're friends! Classmates!" Mineta cried out.
"This is for the comment you made about Kyoka's leggings." Johnny retorted, his arms crossed.
"All I said was that it made her legs look sex...it...it was a compli-"
"SHUT UP!" Johnny snarled, and Mineta went quiet. "You were about to say it was a 'compliment' right? News flash, that's just sexual harassment. You need to learn your goddamn manners!"
"I swear it was just a compliment! I swear!"
"Well, that's why we're here to teach you the difference. Now, first question! If a woman is being nice to you, that means she's into you...true or false." Gyro asked, holding a set of cards with an evil grin on his face.
"True, duh."
*crank*
"WAITWAITWAITWAIT-"
"FALSE! If a woman is being nice to you, she's just being nice. There's a difference between flirting and just being polite. Next question! If you have an opportunity to peak into the girl's locker room, do you?'
"I...I...I can't help it-"
*crank*
"Wait! Okay, okay!"
"Next question." Johnny said, getting rather close to Mineta, his green eyes punching holes right through Class 1A's resident pervert. "Is it okay to touch someone without their consent?"
"..."
"Well? Mineta?"
"...n...n...no..."
"Good boy." Johnny mockingly patted his classmate's cheek.
Gyro spoke up again. "Two more questions to go, this one counts for double cranks. If someone is wearing an outfit that you find attractive, but you aren't dating them, and they have no interest in you, do you say:
A. 'Damn, those legs are looking fine!'"
Johnny was shooting Mineta a glare that could make Hell freeze over.
"Or:
B. 'Hey, I like your outfit today!'
Only one is a compliment."
"The...t-the answer is B." Mineta said, sweating profusely.
"Look at that, you can be decent!" Gyro said with a grin, before he "accidentally" hit the crank with his elbow.
*WHACK!*
"EEEEEAAAAAAGH!"
"Oh...did I say five?" Gyro said with a grin. "I meant three cranks, my bad. I must have slipped..."
AFO:
He's truly done for.
I have no plans to bring him back, as I feel like I left him in the most fitting position for him. What's funny is that he was a red herring antagonist in my story...
Wouldn't it be funny if he turned out to be the red herring in canon as well? Heh.
All in all, part of the reason I took AFO put of the picture was not only so Santana could take his proper role, but also to put an end to the AFO vs OFA plotline. Only OFA exists now, which is going to play a role in Izuku's future development.
Shigaraki is the superior antagonist, as was Santana. Even Jotaro got to knock him around a bit. Speaking of Shigaraki...
Tomura/Tenko:
Why did I kill him off?
I wanted to give Tenko Shimura a happy ending, reunited with his family in Heaven. After all, he was the shred of good in Shigaraki's heart.
However, considering that he's the main antagonist of MHA, it would be somewhat disrespectful to the source material to not address Tomura's importance to this story as well.
I made him a Diavolo/Doppio situation for a reason...and there's a small detail about his death at the end of the MVA arc...
Kyoka:
Her recent victory over DIO was probably one of her biggest character moments in the story. I've decided to just bite the bullet and admit this...
She's officially the deuteragonist.
I had a rough time deciding between her and Gyro for quite a while, as they're both insanely important, but Kyoka has undoubtedly received more growth, and a bit more focus. I wanted her to be more than just a love interest character, and she turned into the deuteragonist.
Gyro is still the JoBro, and is Johnny's sworn partner, and this doesn't reduce his value in the story in any way. Kyoka has been the deuteragonist for a while, I just never realized I was writing her as one.
It's like a Polnareff and Kakyoin situation. Kakyoin is considered the JoBro, but Polnareff was the deuteragonist of the story, getting his own side plot and development.
Koichi and Okuyasu.
Anyway, yeah, she's pretty much the second protagonist in a way, with her own underdog story.
*3 AM*
"Kyoka..."
"mmmmmmmmph..."
"Kyoka, Kyoka hey...hey Kyoka-"
"What the fuck do you want?" Kyoka asked Gyro, lifting her head from her desk to give her friend a pointed glare.
"Hi."
"...you have five seconds to run."
"Wait! There's actually a point to this!" The Italian waved his hands in the air. "Come with me."
"It's three in the fucking morning Gyro..."
"I know, but you've got to see this, it's a once in a lifetime chance."
Gyro put his hands together, and gestured towards the window of Exodus. As soon as she put her tired face to the window, she was met with a strange sight.
Todoroki was on the porch of the treehouse, casually conversating with Mothman. They were eating soba together...
"Mothman redemption arc?"
Joseph:
He's going to be taking over as the JoJo again! That's right, Battle Tendency fans, Joseph Joestar is getting his own arc!
The arc in question will be setting up another plotline for the ending.
As for the story...this is subject to change, but we are moving into the Endeavor Agency Arc next...and...we don't have that much left of MHA to cover. I am going to do a spin on the third movie, and the War Arc itself will be pretty different from canon.
There will NOT be a Dark Deku arc. The Musketeers are a unit at this point of the story, so he won't be going off on his own. Especially with his recent encounter with Kars, he's already learned his lesson in trying to strike out on his own.
The story might actually end this year.
I'm still not done with the world I've created of course, I'm planning a JoJolion sequel, but the story of A Legacy to Protect is somewhat near it's end.
Just like JJBA...the most important deaths in the story will be coming up too, although like I said, it's more of a Part 4 scenario. I am planning on killing off some big characters in the final arc though.
However, just like MHA, I can promise a happy and hopeful ending. Maybe I won't complete it this year, maybe I will, who knows?
Now...onto the surprise.
A mysterious letter...brought to the Musketeers:
(Two weeks after the Calamity ended)
To those whom this letter is sent, I wish you all the best within your upcoming trials and tribulations, for they will truly test the will found within yourselves.
I suppose this is quite a strange letter to be receiving out of nowhere, though I do believe your world's Valentine can explain some of the more intricate specifications of what's going on that caused this letter to find itself within your hands. Though ask him after everyone has read what is written within.
I've seen you all progress thoroughly, and one could say it's even determined me to root for you all, mayhaps even pushing me to do better myself. Though because of the unknown help you've given to me, I wish to give you some help of my own. A sliver of the Cross of which Christ was crucified on.
It was also quite intriguing to see how you lost Jedidiah, though I suppose most don't know our middle name do they Funny? No matter that's unimportant. Do you remember how it felt? To transcend time, space, fate, reality, dimensions, the omniverse?
To see it all like a pebble, to view every single one of the infinite floors of reality. It's a beauty beyond description yet also terrifying. Because of that I do suppose you've also seen what's been going on in my floor Haven't you?
I apologize for my strange mentioning's to everyone else. Let me address floors quickly for all of those who don't understand reality like a user of D.4.C. There are floors to reality, normally stuck and confined to themselves every floor holds an infinite amount of infinite multiverses, I myself come from a floor more similar to your own though also quite dissimilar.
Every floor is connected in two ways that being that every floor shares the same being that watches over it, The Lord, simply put there is well and truly only one True God, and he is shared by every floor, present in them all at every second.
We share The Lord with every possible and impossible reality, timeline, dimension, etc. Whatever you may call them. If I should explain it in a more visual way, imagine that there is a stick and there are notches upon it, every notch is a floor and the stick itself is The Lord.
Thus far, that has never happened however. I doubt it will as well too unless something truly dire should happen to one of the floors.
I do wonder though about you Valentine, though it feels strange to speak my last name as though another owns it, although someone does. That being you.
From my recent battle I've found out that even a single strike of D.4.C. while the hearts power is awakened can completely shatter dozens of mountains as though they're nothing. When you come to the realization that a single piece of the corpse destroyed and created the entirety of the Appalachian Mountains, it isn't that surprising. A terrifying revelation that I hold that much strength within my stand I feel to any other that may read this besides myself.
I'm glad for you all that it hadn't been me that fought you, it would've been quite a different outcome I can assure you, especially with the knowledge that D.4.C. can move within Diego's stopped time easily.
Yes D.4.C. can move within stopped time, a little known fact is that my stand has an infinite amount of gravity constantly being produced inside of itself to allow it to move through dimensions with ease.
Though as you might know gravity and fate are one in the same it's quite intriguing isn't it.
On the topic of Christ's Corpse, that is the other thing that connects every floor, we all share the same exact one, it has the trait of being Omnipresent in every root world of every floor. The same explanation of the stick and notches can be applied to this as well too.
-:-
To young Midoriya, you've inspired me to try for as long as I can.
To young Kujo, you've shown me that I can never let another take my mission from me.
To young Zeppeli, you've shown me what I should strive to do as a leader and how to better myself as one.
To young Jirou, you've shown me that I can't give up, no matter how the battle may look or how at a disadvantage I might be, that there is always a chance to make my dream reality.
To young Yaoyorozu, you've shown me that I must use ingenuity and creativity in every scenario to truly make it out on top.
To young Uraraka, you've shown me that it is the truest form of love to protect those you love and care for as well as the things you cherish.
To young Bakugo, you've shown me that I must use my power and ferocity to fight for what I believe in no matter how it might look to others, for I will fight for what I believe in.
To the Joestar family, you're bonds have indeed been what's kept each other alive and well. This is true beyond a doubt, it's sad to see but you all could've had much worse realities to live with. I suggest you all to be happy for what you have, for your newest member Johnny could've truly been broken for most other worlds.
I'm not sorry to say that in almost every world I do kill Zeppeli.
Luckily for you all Zeppeli is very much alive, it seems he's broken the record of being associated with the Joestars and dying if you are of the Zeppeli bloodline. It's quite a nice change of pace for you all I'm sure.
-:-
To the rest of the Musketeers, I am sorry that I've not addressed everyone by name or what they've shown me but know this, not every thing gets acknowledged outright. It takes introspection and deduction to figure out at some points to truly find out what you've caused or done should it not be apparent.
As for your traitor, know that had I gotten a hold of you, though my stand can destroy mountains I can control how much power I output in a strike I'd make you understand what it means to betray one's oath. Lucky for you however I believe it better for everyone here to figure out who you are on their own..
I'll put you aside for now however as I should wrap this up. The way this letter got to you all can be guessed fairly easily, Christ himself decided to send it to you all. Though that was my final request of him before he truly stayed out of my battle, that you all recieve this letter..
To Bakugo, I envy you in quite a few ways young man. You have quite a few that won't give up on you, I didn't fully have that for most of my childhood. However you do, I wish to let you know a very important thing that someone recently imparted to me, "Though you may stumble on your path, make mistakes, the most important thing to do is to try, to try and do better and be better." And you're doing that every day. I truly know how hard it is to forgive yourself, though The Lord himself has forgiven me, I still haven't forgiven myself. Please try, if not for your sake, then for your friends sakes.
As well as my congratulations to everyone who has allied themselves to the Musketeers, you're all a group that truly can be admired. I'm glad you all have had such luck in life. However remember this luck is not the only thing that gets you over the finish line.
On another note though I don't have much time to write this note, I'll still write as much as possible, I'm glad that you took Christ's deal Funny, I'm afraid you might already know however I can't, the burdens that you shoulder, they can be given to me. You need not carry them anymore.
-:-
Another thing is that while Santana is your enemy, I almost find myself just as enthralled with his plan as I am with your journey, it is quite a radically unachievable plan for almost anyone, except for maybe him. Though anger and hate fill me as I see him playing at God. I have a gut wrenching feeling that his solution could very well be the most ethical and moral out of anyone in your world.
Though personally I'd love to kill him, I've already had enough of things playing at being 'God'. I'll give another bit of info as to why that Is. I've killed two beings that some might be familiar with, calling themselves Odin and Ra. It turns out that the old gods of legends very much do exist.
However with a caveat to them. They're Fallen Angel's, things that once served God only to decide they could do it better. Even the weakest of Angel's can change universal laws such as time and space with ease however many have chosen human hosts as they've lost the power they had from being worshipped a long time ago.
I do believe Josuke's friend Kishibe encountered one of them, the one that housed Hermes. Specifically the one's that are the figureheads of their pantheon. Odin and Ra's Avatars could create craters that went on for dozens upon dozens of kilometers on end. I only won easily due to the awakening of the Corpse's Heart granting me the full physical might of D.4.C.
I was on equal ground with them during the beginning of our fights but after the Heart awakened it was like they were nothing. Another of my reasoning as to why none of the villains can find even a single piece of the corpse, should they awaken it, it'll be horrible for any that attempts to fight them.
Had the Heart not awakened it would've taken much longer to murder those two damned bastards, if I could I'd personally pay Giorno to grant them Hell till kingdom come.
I, should very well quit thinking of those savages.
I'm sorry for having my anger seep through into this letter, it's not something I wished for. But even mentioning these beings seems to cause a supernatural amount of anger to consume my heart. I usually don't Express my feelings so I suppose I just needed to get some of these things off my chest.
You all deserve happiness in life, you are a crowd I'd be proud to call comrades. I however am not sure if you'd feel the same of me but regardless it is what my heart feels.
I refuse to let other versions of myself to carry on our roles. No matter how many other versions of myself must die to keep me alive, so be it. I'll save my floor of reality. Should you ever ask it of me or require it of me, I'll carry that burden for you all too. If I can save any of you from the fates I've seen you endure, I'll do whatever I can within my power to take ahold of those chances of those fates coming to be and cast them into the void outside of existence.
Truly yours,
Funny Jedidiah Valentine.
February 21st 1891.
-:-
"To any of my children who read this, I love you all and can guarantee hardships are on there way like Valentine had said. I cannot interfere, I refuse to take away the free will of those who put their actions into this world. Even should they use it for evil they deserve the gift I gave all. However should you ever truly require help, Valentine may be available to be called on. Only do so should you truly need it, he has inner demons that consume his every rage... it fuels him... more than even Samson's. He's a last resort for you all. However for his floor... he is it's guardian."
"To those that have questions for me I can offer answers to the two questions I anticipate you shall ask. Evil exists because of Free Will, I shan't strip life of the gift of free will for it is what truly makes life truly real, even should others use it for evil."
"As for why Evil exists, it's because humanity chose it, I can't remove Evil for that'll remove the effect of Free Will. In every world Free Will is required, the most important piece of life and it's purpose is true love. I can't force you to love me or others for that wouldn't be love, free will exists so you can experience True Love. No matter how you look at anything, it comes with a cost, Free Will comes with the knowledge and capability to commit Evil."
Yours truly,
The Son of Man.
"So...that's quite a letter." Gyro said, reading it over again.. "He really put a lot of work into this, it's hand written."
"About the gods thing...does that actually exist in our multiverse?" Johnny asked.
Funny Valentine shifted his weight, putting a finger to his chin. Their former enemy had not only received news about the Calamity, but this letter on top of it. He had delivered it to them upon reading it himself.
"Yes and no. The gods of old are not actually fallen angels in our world, but Stands. Stands that mascaraded as gods, such as the Anubis Stand that met a rusty end in Egypt. The logic between our floor of reality and his is quite different. His Corpse works differently to go along with that logic."
"Your middle name is Jedidiah?" Kyoka asked, completely changing the subject.
"Well...yes-"
"You're Jebby now."
"What? No, Jedidiah doesn't even have a 'b'."
"Yup, I'm calling you Jebby."
Johnny gave his girlfriend a look. "Kyoka, leave Jebby alone."
"Thank yo...God damn you Johnny!" Jebby snapped, annoyed. He stood up and went to the window, pondering. "What he said about the heart fascinates me. It doesn't necessarily exist in our floor, as D4C came from the power of the Corpse's heart...but like I said, our worlds have a different logic to them...and yet some key similarities. As for Love Train giving me a look into the Omniverse, he is correct, but I really only caught a glimpse."
"Worlds with different logic...it's like they're stories with different writing choices." Momo observed. "Well Mr. Valentine...what shall we do with this?"
"He went through the trouble to get you this piece of the Cross, take it. Keep it safe...it may ward off a future Calamity...but keep in mind it can't repel ALL misfortune like the Saint's Corpse can." Valentine said, and stuffed his hands into his pockets. "I would only use it in an emergency."
"Thanks Jebby."
"Jiro...I swear to god..."
"Hey Kyoka, cut the guy some slack." Gyro scolded his friend. "He clearly doesn't like the nickname."
"You're about to come up with something worse, aren't you?" Valentine said with a knowing look.
"You know me so well!"
The former president narrowed his eyes at Gyro, and gave him the 'I'm watching you' gesture, before sitting down. "I've never been contacted by another version of myself before, one that wields his own version of D4C anyway. I find it interesting that he can move in stopped time...as far as I'm aware...I'm not immune to that. His D4C might be different, perhaps even more powerful."
The group looked at the small piece of wood that was given to them, and back at Valentine. Momo slowly picked it up.
"Then we should keep this safe...if the other Valentine wanted for us to have it so badly. Who knows, it might come in handy..."
The piece of the Cross was tossed into their safe, and was taken note of. You never know when you need a bit of luck.
A gift from another Valentine...
This Valentine in question is from my friend Kosaku Valentine's story, Bunker Hill. As his universe operates in a different way to mine, his D4C was able to send some aid to this one with some help from Jeezy C.
The Fallen Angel plotline is in his story, but Stands based on gods could very well pop up.
The letter was written by Kosaku Valentine as well, I encourage you to read his story, it's pretty good.
Alright! Next chapter will be the epilogue to the trilogy!
The Cross Piece will be important.
With another year gone by...I can't help but thank you all enough for the love this story has been given. It really has been a wild ride, and for those who have supported me, I have nothing but gratitude for all of you!