Euphoria: Well, I won't say who lives and who dies, but there is some major foreshadowing for Jojolion in this chapter.
Spaghetti Sauce: I'm sad too, I've been writing this for so long, and soon I'm moving onto a new JoJo and a new cast, although the old cast will definitely still show up.
Ivory Insanity: Well, it turns out I may have been on the money with him. Kars is going to leave a permanent mark on the plot, he basically set up parts of the final arc.
Delrosario: You have given me an idea, both in the Batman thing...and a Q & A would be pretty fun!
Guest: I have been! That's why I added the little "heh" at the end. I'm so glad that happened!
BryanV2: No, thank YOU. I say go for it, write your heart out! (Once you're up to it of course).
Dumpstertrashfire123: Thanks! Also, Scarlet Valentine is actually still alive in this continuity. She simply left him before the events of the Steel Ball Run, since she wasn't really interested. It was a political marriage, not a loving one.
Bearticguy7: It sounds really fun!
Jpx0999: Yes. The 'floors of reality' concept is not only to bring the Cross Piece into the story, but also a subtle way to technically make any story somewhat canon within mine. Different floors of reality have different logic, and even different power systems altogether.
BreadConnoissuer: Right in the middle of the Paradise City arc. I'm glad you've enjoyed it!
Zeon Paralysis Crystal: Thanks! You're 100% allowed to dislike him. I personally used to think he was annoying, but upon rereading and rewatching, I've grown fond of him, but I'm not going to be one of those guys who crams him down your throat. Thanks for reading!
I'm a KFP Customer: You and me both...
Final Little Nitpicks, written by Momo:
My friends did a nice job recounting the events that led to us discovering the power of Calamity, but...I may as well fill in some details.
1. The Barge was 278.2 meters long, 45 meters tall, and 32 meters wide. It was slightly bigger than the R.M.S Titanic, and could hold a capacity of up to 565 prisoners, and had a crew of 988 crewmates.
Before DIO staged a massive jailbreak, and it resulted in murder on a massive scale. Obviously he didn't kill EVERYONE, but his jailbreak made it so the prisoners did the work for him. Eventually...those hands who survived starved to death...
Except for one prisoner who didn't have to eat...truly horrifying.
2. Kyoka's Quirk Awakening. While nobody realized it at the time, the purple spirals of light on the cords of her jacks are in fact the engravings of vines.
It is not Hermit Purple, just to be clear. At least, it's not a Stand. Her jacks simply evolved to emulate the Stand. Earphone Jacks that were built for Hamon usage...imitating a Stand that can do the same thing.
It's curious, how evolution works.
(She has none of Mr. Joestar's other abilities by the way. It just seems like in order to effectively channel Hamon, they needed to take a similar form.)
3. The Jaguar, not the cat, but the Aztec symbol, is what Santana has adopted as his flag. It is a hawk, in the center of a circle. It represents strength and power...but Santana claims his interpretation represents giving power to those who have none.
He gave a speech following Kars' defeat...and people heard it loud and clear. It was likely unintentional, knowing Santana's code of honor...but he benefited from the massacre. He was getting support from villains...
But now, he may be getting support from some of the public.
4. Mr. Hirose reported that a female sniper aided them when they stopped those heroes from blowing up our friends. It's strange, we don't really have any allies that fit that description...but most of them were silenced, and Warhead disappeared.
Whoever she was...she left no witnesses.
Warhead ripped off his helmet, staggering into the dark alleyway.
He had waited to escape once the coast was clear, and now he was slowly making his way to the HPSC headquarters.
I can't die...not while I'm so close to retirement!
Damn it all, I can't believe this. Humiliated by a dumbass and his short friend...and that sniper, I have to watch the rooftops, she could still be around.
From the shadows, he could see things clearly.
A Speedwagon Foundation helicopter had touched down, and agents emerged, draping a blanket over...
Y2K.
What are they doing?! They're helping that monster escape?!
"Easy there buddy...we're here to help you. We're going to take you somewhere where you can heal." One of the agents said.
"...thank you. Is Jiro nearby?" Y2K asked. "I...have to thank her...I need to thank her."
"She passed out, and is being carried home by Jolyne Kujo...who was also on the verge of passing out. In fact, everyone looked it like they were running on fumes." An agent said, scratching her head.
"She gave it her all to try and overcome DIO and I...everything she had...so I could see the light..." Y2K said, still sniffling. "I want to...I want to pay her back."
"I'm sure you'll get a chance someday." The Speedwagon Agent said with a smile.
Warhead gritted his teeth in anger, and began arming his cannon.
Oh no you don't! Those idiotic snowflakes are really trying to rehabilitate that creature! Do they not understand how dangerous he is?!
I can still complete my mission. A rocket to the head will kill him, and the explosion will kill those Speedwagon goons! Then...I can report all of those fools for interfering with government orders.
Then I can retire in peace, having made the world a better place.
*SHIKT!*
Warhead coughed out blood as the blade of a katana punched through his back and out of his chest.
It had pierced straight through his heart.
The blade was yanked out of him in a flash, and he fell to the ground, clawing at the air in an attempt to escape.
He only managed to get a look at his killer, who was sheathing their sword, their cold eyes burning into him with murderous intent.
A...prison...uniform?
Then...it all went black.
*One Week Later*
Japan was healing...slowly.
The incidents with Kars and The Forest had destroyed lives, and it was one of the biggest shake ups Hero Society had experienced for a very long time, almost as big as the incident with All For One in the Kamino Incident.
Despite that, the Detective still had questions.
As a ghost, it was even easier for him to blend in than it was when he was alive, most people didn't even realize that he was there, only getting a passing chill as they passed by him on the street. Thus, Kira could do his detective work undetected by most.
Except for the occasional Stand User or two, maybe another ghost if he was really unfortunate.
Kira came to a stop in front of an old warehouse, which now had a Jaguar painted on the side of it, and went in.
One of Santana's safehouses.
I wonder if one of his Stand Users is guarding the place...
With Santana's rise in popularity, it became apparent that he was now the "top dog" of the villain world, although to call him a straight up villain would be incorrect.
A criminal, yes, a villain?
He wasn't a serial killer silently murdering Morioh's female population after all.
Still, while the Calamity part of this incident is pretty straightforward...the Shigarakipart is not. What turned him into a Lovecraftian horror? What could be capable of removing his humanity in such a way?
More importantly...what happened to it?
After the Shoggoth was killed, it's body mysteriously decayed away, leaving nothing left.
So, Kira did what he does best: stalking.
He had been casing the warehouse for the whole week, watching as Santana carried what looked to be a potted plant into it, and specifically heard the revolutionary say: "Kars gave us a demonstration of this...equivalent exchange...we can't afford to let anyone else get their hands on such a dangerous power."
An equivalent exchange?
If this was the power that turned Shigaraki into the Shoggoth, then Santana was right about keeping it safe...but should it really be in his hands?
Kira snuck past a guard, who was clearly a Quirk User with his monkey-esque features, and came to a small door to what looked to be a greenhouse.
Locked.
"Santana has gotten access to some good technology. He really has become a force to be reckoned with." Kira commented to himself, and outstretched his hand towards the lock.
"Killer Queen."
His Stand fully emerged from behind him, finally showing more than just an arm. It was roughly the same as what it used to look like...it had almost fully reformed along with the memories of his past life...but it was different now.
A crack had formed across it's chest, from when it was torn to pieces in the ghost alleyway, but it was slowly fading. Killer Queen was different, just like it's user...an entirely new Stand made from the remains of an old one.
It now produced bubbles, and it had lost it's ability to turn things into bombs, instead making the bubbles the bombs.
A small pink bubble appeared at it's fingertip, and it went into the keypad with a small POP!
Destroying it, and opening the door without making too much noise.
Kira and Killer Queen slowly opened the door to the greenhouse, and sure enough, the potted plant was right in front of them.
A...fig tree? This is what Santana thought was so dangerous? What is it's hidden power?
Kira's hand reached for one of the fruits...and the moment he did...
"Tell...my...tell them I'm sorry..."
A young man's voice echoed all around him.
An image of a gravestone marked Yoshikage Kira flashed before his eyes. His gravestone.
"My life has been over for a while, yours has only begun...Jo..."
His own voice, comforting the dying young man...what was happening right now?
More images flashed before the frightened Detective.
A baby crying.
The fruit.
A young man with some sort of afro.
Blood soaking his grave.
A woman wrapped in bandages, laying on a hospital bed, barely clinging onto life.
A hand breaking free from his grave, followed by a scream.
Finally, a pair of eyes staring back at him...half blue, half purple...
"GUH!"
Kira took a step back, hyperventilating as he grabbed onto the door frame to keep himself from falling over. The former serial killer couldn't believe what had just happened...but in the back of his mind, he already knew:
This fruit was tied to his destiny. That was some kind of vision of the future.
With this in mind, he pulled out a journal, and he handed it and a ghost pen to Killer Queen, and his Stand began rapidly sketching it.
This fruit is somehow connected to the future, and it's power is likely the cause of Tomura Shigaraki's transformation as well! Should I take a sample? No, too dangerous, Santana would know...
"Hey! There's a Stand in the greenhouse!"
...shit. Quirk Users can still see my Stand.
"Children were hurt, how can UA continue to say that it's the safest place for our children after that incident?" A reporter asked, her eyes narrowing as she grilled into the mouse/bear/thing on the stage.
"I believe Dr. Kujo can answer that best." Nedzu said, gesturing towards the tired Joestar in question. "After all, he was near several incidents, trying to protect our students."
The reporter shut her mouth as soon as Jotaro stood up. He was still recovering from exhaustion, and his arm was in a sling. His eyes gave off a tired, but nonetheless steely look.
"This was an incident that nobody could have prevented." Jotaro said. "There were forces at play that could've killed All Might. Like it or not, we're human, we don't have all the answers, and nobody ever will. UA isn't flawless, but they're better off with us than anywhere else."
"Have you talked to the parents of those two boys?" Another reporter asked.
"Yes, pulling those two out of school would only be to their detriment. Like it or not, the threat was something that no amount of advanced technology, no HUMAN, could handle without consequences, so UA remains one of the safest places in the country." Jotaro replied, sitting down. "It could have been much, much worse."
*BOOM!*
Needless to say, that particular goon didn't last very long.
Kira was a special case, as his Stand had fully formed after his death, unlike DIO's. However, since the Stand was visible to Quirk Users, he had to be careful for when he brought it out, similar to when he was killing people when he was alive.
"Apologies, but this fruit has caught my interest. It's connected to the events that have transpired...and that strange vision...I cannot just leave it alone." Kira said to the smoking corpse of the guard. "The secret of this fruit...I have to know what it does."
Is there notes nearby? Or maybe Santana himself doesn't know, and he only wishes to prevent another Shoggoth.
No...he has to have conducted a few experiments on it.
That's when a hand grabbed ahold of Killer Queen's wrist.
A Stand was emerging from the plant, it's mechanical hand had the insignia of a frowning face. The Stand had red lenses for eyes, and no mouth, and was a bright green in color.
"You have touched an object under my protection! Feel the weight of your sins!"
Killer Queen's hand was flattened like paper, blood spewing everywhere.
"GYAAGH!"
Stand Name: Pressure
Stand User: ?
-:-
Ability: Pressure is an automatic Stand that can be placed in an object, which it will then guard until the object is touched.
It will attack the offender, it's touch allowing it to turn it's targets sins into actual weight. It will continue to chase it's target until the target is approximately 50 meters away from the object it was protecting, or the target is crushed to death.
Or, of course, the death of it's user.
-:-
Stats:
-Power: C
-Speed: A
-Range: A
-Durability: A
-Precision: B
-Potential: E
Kyoka missed Johnny.
That's a shocker to be sure, but in all seriousness, with every life threatening experience she went through, she appreciated all of the blessings in her life even more.
Her experience at the Barge had been harrowing, horrifying, and was her at her lowest. Devoid of hope, watching as DIO frolicked in their despair, in her body. So to find Johnny with his arms open as always...she felt like she could never let go again.
To find her parents fussing over her, it made her smile.
Her friends back together after such a horrifying series of events, it really was something to cherish.
"...I love you."
Johnny, trapped in a hug, smirked. "I love you too, but what's with the mushiness?"
"I just...needed to say it."
They were in the Kujo household, now somewhat empty for Jotaro since Jolyne moved out with Narciso, and for the moment UA was closed, so Johnny was staying in his old room. They were waiting for Jotaro to come back from a press conference.
Johnny was silent for a moment, and closed his eyes, sighing.
"You know...I didn't think you could get any more amazing...and then you went and kicked DIO's ass. A badass Quirk Awakening to boot, and here I thought my life was nothing but bad luck."
"Stop that."
"I seriously won the fucking jackpot."
"Dude, you're embarrassing me!"
"I'm 100% serious, I don't think I have ever been more proud."
Kyoka hid her face in his chest. "Stooooooop! I get it!"
Johnny chuckled, and ruffled her hair. "Hey...if I do something drastic, would you be mad?"
Kyoka immediately lifted her head, and gave him a narrowed, 'what the fuck does drastic mean?' look.
"Now hold on-"
"Is it the funny drastic, or the bullshit drastic?"
"Neither."
Kyoka got extremely close, until they were nose to nose, still giving him a skeptical look. "Neither? Sounds like it's leaning towards bullshit...but I'll hear you out."
"Yare yare daze...I want to dye my hair."
"Huh?" Kyoka sat back, an eyebrow raised in confusion. "Dye your hair? I mean...that's not exactly a drastic thing to do, your sister does that. Why would you want to though?"
Johnny shifted his weight to look out of his window, scratching his chin. "My fight with the Rake, and hearing about your fight with DIO, and Jolyne killing our shit mom a second time...it got me thinking. DIO is someone who is stuck in the past, he's defined by it, and Jolyne overcame it."
The brown-haired Joestar took his girlfriend's hand.
"The Rake reminded me that...we're still children, y'know? We're still going to make mistakes, we're going to carry trauma for the rest of our lives, but after hearing about what happened with you guys, I suppose I should try and mix things up a bit." Johnny said, "It won't do us any good to be stuck in the past, not with that bright future you were promising DIO."
Kyoka's eyes widened slightly, and then she smiled.
"In that case...I'll be happy to help you pick out a color."
"It's a date then?"
"Yup...how about bright green?"
"Absolutely not." Johnny replied, internally groaning. She had that look in her eye again, she really couldn't resist teasing him to save her life.
"Pink?"
"No!"
"Blue is your favorite color, how about blue? Oh! You can be purple like me, we can be twinsies!"
"Nuh uh, I don't want to be one of those creepy couples that look and dress the same, we'll start finishing each other's sentences."
"Bright neon orange, take it or leave it Jouta."
"Kyo-GRAAGH! DAMMIT!"
"Still think I'm a jackpot?"
Kira grunted in pain, while Killer Queen had a surprised look on it's face.
Of course there was some sort of protective measure placed on the fruit, Santana isn't stupid...shit, I was careless!
Pressure kept it's iron grip, and the flattening of his arm was spreading towards his shoulder. If he didn't break free, he would be fucked in seconds.
"KILLER QUEEN!"
The cat-like Stand raised a fist, and hurled it at it's attacker.
"SHIBOBOBOBOBOBOBOBOBOBOBOBOBOBOBOBOBOBOBOBOBOBOBOBOBOBOBOBOBOBOBOBOBOBOBOBOBOBOBOBOBOBOBOBOBOBOBOBOBO!"
Pressure dodged some of them with some difficulty, but the third to last blow managed to catch it on the chin. The other two punches landed, allowing Killer Queen to pry it's arm free.
The arm swelled back to it's normal size.
I see, the effect wears off once it lets go. At least for a ghost...if this was a living person their arm would be done for.
The weight of my sins...
He had lived a life full of sin, so he was especially susceptible to the Stand.
It's an automatic Stand, since the user is nowhere to be found. Even if I defeat it, the user likely won't be affected. My best option right now...
Is to escape.
Pressure took a swipe at him, but Kira used Killer Queen to jump through the glass ceiling of the greenhouse.
Killer Queen proceeded to leave a series of bubble bombs behind, and the Detective booked it, gritting his teeth.
There is no need to risk myself now, not until I can be sure the fruit poses some sort of threat.
"You were flattened almost instantly."
The green Stand emerged from the greenhouse, and began giving chase, leaping over the bombs just as Kira detonated them. Pressure started to pick up the pace, deeming it's target as a serious threat.
"The fact that it was so quick...you are utterly wicked! You are what Lord Santana wishes to defend the fruit from! Your sins are too great to ignore!"
The guardian Stand was gaining on him, so in order to escape, Kira decided to pull a risky move...
He began climbing the warehouse, Pressure following closely.
*BOOM!*
A bubble bomb detonated around Pressure's hand as it was climbing, causing it to slide down the building.
"I know that better than anyone. However, I'm already serving my time, I have no need for further judgement." The Detective said with a glare.
I can't just run though...Santana is sure to know about this disturbance. He'll undoubtedly have the fruit moved, and I'll lose sight of it again! I need to know what power it holds at the very least!
Not only to get information on Shigaraki, but to find answers to that vision!
Killer Queen raised it's fists, several explosive bubbles surrounding it. It's ghostly user took off his bowler hat, tossing it to the side.
It was only blocking his vision.
He fastened his skull patterned tie, and prepared for a fight.
"It appears as though I will have to put an end to you."
Izuku stood on the roof of Exodus, punching the air. His arms were now covered in what looked to be gold wrappings, a new version of Melissa Shield's Full Gauntlet.
Except it was painstakingly created by Momo, using Melissa's blueprints.
Katsuki was also on the roof, now wearing a mask over his face. Painted orange and black, this mask had tubes connecting to his chestplate.
A respirator for combat.
Kyoka had managed to turn it into a joke by calling Katsuki Darth Boom Boom, which luckily got a chuckle out of everyone, but nonetheless the mood was still somber.
Momo in particular was definitely down in the dumps. The Doctor, Ulric Stewart, died not too long ago, and she had slowly been recovering from the loss...when Kars put the fear of God into her a few weeks later, covering her in the blood of a dying teammate, and revealing that he was The Stranger, and that she had met him before.
*BOOM!*
Katsuki began using his explosions to fly around in the air, testing his breathing apparatus to see how it handled exercise. He could breathe without it, but he tuckered out a bit faster when he wasn't wearing it.
Izuku heard footsteps behind him, and found that Gyro was there too, watching them. The Italian wasn't really saying anything, just observing.
"Gyro?"
"Hm? Ah, just seeing how you guys are recovering. It's best to have a doctor around when you're doing stuff like this, just in case something gets reopened."
"I'm fine Meatball!" Katsuki landed on the roof, taking off his respirator. "More than fine, so quit worrying about me already!"
"You're right, I think we're all tired of worrying at this point." Gyro said, turning his attention to the horizon.
Katsuki wrinkled his nose, and sat down, letting out a bemused huff.
"So...this Calamity business is the reason Kars showed up?"
"Well, he was plotting for a while by the looks of things, considering The Stranger was active for a month or two...but the reason he attacked around the same time as everything else was the Calamity, yes." Gyro said. "Before...bad luck was just a concept, and expression...but now it's all frighteningly real."
"It's what Dr. Stewart was talking about."
The three turned to see Momo emerging from the cockpit, looking tired. It was painfully clear to everyone present that she hadn't been getting sleep since the incident, and the fact that she was still working hard for them all...
"I thought I told you to take it easy." Gyro said with a stern expression.
"I will." Momo assured him. "There will always be another war, another famine, another plague...there was a fundamental truth to Dr. Stewart's ideals, and that was because he was referring to this Calamity. It's part of the logic of this world...a truth that can never be ignored. Dr. Stewart sought to take humanity away from it...but that truly is an impossible task, because even in his Elysium, Calamity exists."
"And DIO found a way to weaponize that shit." Katsuki said. "He was able to fucking control LOGIC."
"No, he had no control. If he had control over it then we would have been dead when it started. The Calamity is just disaster, and the Necronomicon page was only a suggestion. It simply made disasters more likely to happen." Momo replied, shaking her head. "It affected the probability of it, nothing more, nothing less. If there ever was a power to cause Calamity..."
Momo shuddered, the thought scaring her.
"I can't think of anything in existence that could stop it."
The group was silent, taking it all in.
"We still overcame it though." Izuku said after a while, standing up. "We were bent, but we aren't broken, not yet. We will overcome the odds, and we'll continue to fight against whatever the logic of the world throws our way...that's what heroes do."
"Glad to see that your optimism isn't as fucked as your arms." Johnny said from behind them.
"Very funny, Jo...WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK?!"
"What?"
"WHY ARE YOU BLOND?!"
A blond Johnny raised an eyebrow in response.
"I've always been blond, what are you talking about?"
"No! Nononono! You were NOT!" Izuku pointed at him.
"Izuku, he's been blond the whole time." Kyoka said, climbing out from the cockpit. "Did Kars knock a few screws loose?"
"You're gaslighting me! You're both gaslighting me!"
"Deku, he's been blond since we were kids." Katsuki had decided to join in on the fun, despite being surprised himself. "He and I always had the same shade."
"Kacchan I will kick you!"
"I think I'd know if my boyfriend was blond or not, Izuku." Kyoka said with her arms crossed.
"W-w-what?! I've known him longer than you! You're messing with me, I know that you are!" Izuku poked Johnny in the forehead.
"Oi!"
"Oooh, I get it! You're getting back at me for scaring you, aren't you?" Izuku began poking and prodding his childhood friend, and Johnny eventually smiled. "I knew it! You asshole!"
"I couldn't resist."
"I think you were jealous, and wanted my luscious locks." Gyro said with a grin, flipping his hair.
"Actually, I initially wanted it to be black like my father's, but apparently a 'California Raisin' came in and bought out their whole stock." Johnny replied. "But...Kyoka said I would be sexy as a blond so-"
"Don't say that in front of our friends!" Kyoka snapped, red with embarrassment as she punched him in the shoulder.
"I agree, I...actually think the blond works for you better than the brown did." Gyro complimented. "Sexy as hell."
"Can it Meatball!" The purplette jabbed a finger in his direction.
"What?! I said no lies!"
Izuku huffed and crossed his arms, but when he turned to look in the other direction, he saw Momo smiling for the first time since the Kars incident.
The group's dynamic had withstood the Calamity...Kyoka and Gyro were still bickering as always, Johnny was his usual self, even with his change in appearance. Katsuki was laughing along, finally part of a group that accepted him and his faults, and had taken more steps towards becoming a better hero, and person.
Despite the horrors each of them faced, the revelations they had, and the brutality they endured, Quirk Awakenings, they were all still up to their usual antics.
It made Izuku smile too.
Kira launched a bubble at Pressure's face, and detonated it, blowing the surprisingly durable Stand off of the building.
The attack still left a crack though, meaning that it was by no means invincible.
"An automatic Stand, it functions similarly to Sheer Heart Attack, but with a trigger." Kira observed. "That trigger being touching the fruit. The question is...how to avoid it? I can't just stay up here firing at it all day."
One touch, and thanks to his past self's crimes, he'd be a pancake.
It was no longer chasing him, only staring. Without a word, Pressure began walking back towards the plant.
"A set range..."
He was roughly 60 meters above the ground, indicating he had to be at least that far away for the Stand to give up it's pursuit.
How could he use that to his advantage?
If he touched the fruit, the Stand would pursue again...but if he didn't...
He could enter the room without resistance.
Pressure entered the greenhouse, and began squeezing itself into a ball, burying itself in the plant. The strange spiked fruit shaking as it did so.
That's when Kira had an idea.
"Killer Queen...carefully..."
A bubble appeared at his Stand's fingertip, and Killer Queen narrowed it's eyes as it began guiding said bubble down 60 meters. As long as it had visual contact, the bomb would be steady.
The bomb stopped at the plant, and began moving towards it, carefully approaching the stem of one of the strange fig-like fruits.
If a human or a Stand attempted to pluck the fruit free, this Stand would activate. However, if precise attack should sever the fruit from the branches...
*pop*
A single sample of the plant popped off, and the fruit fell to the floor, undisturbed.
Then the Stand will not activate, and if I pick up that fruit, the Stand should not attack, since it is no longer part of the object it is guarding...
Still, just to be safe.
"Sheer Heart Attack..."
A tiny version of his Sub-Stand fell into the greehouse, and softly clamped it's teeth around the fruit, as to not break the skin. It began wheeling backwards, and up the wall, slowly extracting the fruit from the greenhouse.
That's it...nice and slow. Patience is key.
Pressure suddenly popped from the plant and made a mad dash for the small tank-like Sub-Stand. Kira cursed under his breath, and Sheer Heart Attack began quickly flying up the wall, Pressure right on it's tail.
This thing is relentless!
Killer Queen aimed a kick at Pressure's head, but the Stand caught his leg, flattening it instantly.
"FEEL THE WEIGHT OF YOUR SINS!"
"With pleasure."
Kira waited until most of his body was flattened, and then squeezed through the roof.
"I had Killer Queen make a small crack in the roof. Your ability requires you to chase me if I'm less than 50 or 60 meters away, and I made an escape route that you can't fit through! I wanted you to use your ability on me!"
It was just big enough for his head, he had planned ahead just in case.
Killer Queen used a bubble bomb on Pressure's hand, blowing off two fingers and allowing him to wrench his leg free.
"NO!"
"Too bad for you. Looks like I was one step ahead." Kira said with a smirk. "I'll be taking that fruit now."
The ghost detective landed on his feet, 60 meters below Pressure. The Stand up above was forced to reset itself, growling in frustration. It went back into the plant, and went dormant once more.
Quite the effective guard. Had it made contact with a living opponent, it would have at the very least crippled them for life. Being a ghost with my Stand Ability intact really does have some advantages...but prolonged contact would have definitely been the end of me.
Sheer Heart Attack spat out half of the fruit, much to Kira's dismay.
"Half? Damn it all!"
Killer Queen held up the piece of fruit, sharing a glance with it's user.
Better than nothing.
All that effort for half of one...what does it do? Perhaps...I should plant this somewhere secret, there is still seeds inside...I'll need a pot.
He was going to study it's effects. If it could turn Shigaraki into a giant fleshy rage monster, and with that vision...it was clear the fruit was holding untold power.
Perhaps finding it was fate.
"So...we've got fans." Himiko Toga said, sitting next to her surrogate father. "I never thought so many people would like me..."
Santana was at his desk, looking at Kars' abandoned shell. "You're a wonderful girl Himiko...people are finally starting to see that. I...imagine Compress would have liked the attention."
"Heheheh...he'd be doing magic tricks." Himiko replied, grinning sadly. "He's proud of us...I know he is."
Santana nodded, a smirk coming across his handsome features. "Indeed. I wonder Himiko...if we use that fruit...could we bring back your eye? We'd have to exchange something for it...but just imagine the medical capabilities it has."
"I...guess we could. That would be really nice actually, but what would we exchange?"
"Doesn't have to be something from us, we could use one of Tomura's remaining goons and have it take something from them. If Tomura could trade his eyes in exchange for a fraction of the Ultimate Lifeform's power...we could certainly do something for you."
Santana furrowed his brow.
"I wonder...where did this mystery fruit come from? What gave it this power?"
"Maybe it always was a thing, and we've only just discovered it." Himiko suggested. "I'm still wondering how Kars knew about it."
"Simple. He's the Ultimate Lifeform, and plants are living things. He knew about it's genetic makeup and abilities as soon as he touched it. He might have been able to create his own version of the fruit...although replicating it's supernatural power might not be possible."
"True...so...what now? We have the fruit, AFO is defeated...there really isn't anyone but the heroes standing in our way."
"We act."
Santana glanced out the window, a determined look in his eye.
"Compress did not sacrifice himself for nothing. We are stronger than we have ever been before, and I really don't think we should call ourselves villains anymore. We are more than that, that label no longer defines us, we aren't your Saturday morning mustache twirlers, we want acceptance."
"What are we then?"
"We are a new dawn..."
At the remains of the battle with the Shoggoth, work crews were cleaning up the absolute mess that was left behind...
Removing what remained of Thirteen's body, looking for survivors, etc.
One of the workmen noticed something on the ground, and leaned over to pick it up. It was a mask...a mask carved to look smooth, with one part of it shattered.
"Huh...neat. Might keep this as a souvenir-"
He stopped as something began rising from beneath a rock. A tall dark figure with piercing red eyes that looked like they could kill with a glance. It was about 8ft in height, and was making a series of raspy noises, only it's eyes and teeth being visible. The figure said nothing, it merely started walking toward him, reaching for him.
"No...stay away! STAY AWA-"
The figure grabbed him by the face and yanked him behind a rock, and a loud CRACK was heard. Putting on a set of rags, this thing slowly put the mask over it's face.
The new Stranger dashed out of sight, and into the darkness.
Fun Facts (Forgot to include this last chapter):
1. The Stranger's name was more than just "oooh spooky mysterious guy", but was actually a reference to the Billy Joel song of the same name, which is all about how people have hidden sides to them.
It was both to include a musical reference for Kars' guise, but was also a hint that Kars actually had a soft spot for Santana deep down.
The new one is the same, a hidden nature undetected.
2. A special thanks to Madvertise for suggesting Johnny should go blond. While it's been suggested before, it ended up perfectly fitting the theme of the arc. Plus...drawing him blond for the cover just felt right.
3. Speaking of the new cover, there's actually little details that aren't really visible thanks to this website's limitations. I wish I could just post images or share them with people on here, but unfortunately not.
Maybe I'll create a Discord or something, I don't know. Might be nice for a group of people to come together to share designs and art for the story.
Anyway, here's a few things that I put into the designs of the characters:
*Kyoka's jacket has anchors on the shoulders, inspired by Josuke of course. ( ;-) ) Also, I drew her new jacks, but the details aren't visible other than the glowing parts, it's wrapped around her arm.
*Johnny and Gyro both have numbers hidden on their outfits. The blue on Johnny's outfit was designed with a 7 in mind, and Gyro has the Roman Number for three on his shirt. The seventh JoJo and the third Zeppeli.
4. This is the first time I finally drew Johnny's body type correctly. He's a bit more muscular in this universe than he is in canon, although he's nowhere near his father, and DEFINITELY not his namesake.