"Stand?" Jonathan sat on the cold floor of the ballroom, looking up Dio. His grin was enough to make anyone shudder, even Jojo.

"You've met my stand, haven't you? The World?" Dio flicked his wrist. His stand hovered behind him. He was solemn. Stoic.

"So, he's a stand -"

"-My stand. Everyone has their own. Even you. I'm sure you do."

Jonathan picked himself up off the dulled floor. It would've been extravagant if it hadn't been for lack of lighting, even with the curtains open, and years of decay.

"Or it may be that your pesky Hamon is stopping it from arising." Dio's excitement was clearly taking hold. His exquisite, refined poses and posture. The way those fangs always shone through a disturbing smile. His gaze never shifting from the source of his glee.

"My Hamon. I haven't tried using it."

"Why don't you?"

The World grabbed Jojo's wrist and shook his head. Scared? Or maybe dubious? The grip didn't hurt. It didn't linger as Dio grabbed his stand's wrist and flung it away.

"What are you afraid of? Didn't I, Dio, teach you not to fear? Fear makes no progress." He turned from the stand to Jonathan. "Well?"

"I don't think you should treat him like that."

"How so? It's my stand. I can do whatever I want with it. A mere part of a bigger goal."

"Am I just that as well? You brought me back to life to just be a smaller part of a larger scheme of yours?"

"Jojo. You are-"

"I'm what? Just your plaything? I care about you Dio. But I can't sit idly by while you abuse the other people in your life."

The echoing emptiness of the ballroom brought chills through the open curtains. Howling winds outside crept through the gaps keeping the wall and the window together.

"I have an idea. You look after my stand for a day. And see just how much pf an idiot it can be."

"Very well. Only if leave us alone that day."

"That shouldn't be too hard of a request to fulfil?" Dio pondered. He realised. Every day since he had taken Jojo from death, he'd always tried to spend time with him. Even if at first it was begrudgingly. He'd grown too fond of a human. But was Jojo even human? With a body like that?

Jojo closed his eyes and took deep breaths. His mind brought him back to his training sessions under the warm sun with Zeppeli. The sweet moment of meeting Erina again. The fond slow days spent reading in the sun. With Danny. His mind kept going. His will. His drive. It came.

Through his slowly waving arms, trickles of Hamon ran down his fingers. But was soon stopped. A fraction of what it used to be. Of what he used to be.

"You still have some left."

"Took a lot to summon it. Maybe over time it'll get better? So, while we're here we might as well train or? -"

"Do you know what powers a vampire can hold? Since you are partly one now?" Dio 's glee had surly left as soon as it had arrived. His arms where crossed, heels dug deep into his shoes, into the floor. He made sure to stay a sharp distance away from Jojo. Not being fond of his will rearing it's head.

"Only the ones you've demonstrated." Jojo's voice lowered.

"Jojo. I may have just had another idea."

Jojo looked up from studying his hands. The various scars and out of place, sudden colour patches.

"Now that you are a vampire. You have the power to re attach desired body parts like me."

Jojo just kept looking at Dio's body rather than his head. Unnerved enough to not look at his fiery eyes filled with twisted truth

"Why don't you choose your own body parts? Make a body you want?"

But Jojo looked to the window. He couldn't say anything.

"Don't you want a better body than can handle Hamon? Get rid of some of that pesky vampire filth in your veins?"

"Tell me one thing. Did you make this body for me out of love? Or a need to control? Did you make this body with a genuine desire to have me here? Or to just be another toy."

Jojo looked down at his hands again then back up at Dio. He had left, without a word. Leaving Jojo in the hollow ballroom. With The World by his side.

Dio stayed put in the library. Sinking deeper in his chair. But never sinking into the books he chose. A pile had formed behind him. Book after book he'd thrown away without care. None giving pleasure.

"Get me that one-" Dio pointed up at the blue book above him. He stopped and lowered his hand. His stand was not with him, was he? He'd forgotten already.

Dio grumbled under his breath as he climbed the stairs to reach the upper floors. He'd rarely ever had to do this by himself. Anyone passing by was asked to get a book. Told to get a book for him. He might as well make use of his suburbanites, right? Especially if they weren't out trying to stop Jotaro.

He took the book from the shelf with ease. Such a steady hand. A soft hand. It fell into his palm.

"I'm sure this is-" He stopped at the first few pages. This wasn't what he wanted to read. A Picture of two young boys stood by the sides of a middle-aged man. Who smiled. Dio looked down at the picture for moments on end. He flipped the pages with out meaning to. His mind wanted to put it back but his hands kept turning the pages, his eyes fixed on the drawings, colour, words. Jojo.

Jojo decided to take a walk around the castle with his new companion. With every step The World gulped slightly or shook a little. What orders would Jonathan give him? What would he have me do? The World thought endlessly as they kept walking.

"This place is really run down. Don't you think?" Jojo turned to the stand who forcefully nodded. If he didn't agree who knows what could happen.

"Do you think we should try and fix it up a little? Maybe there'd be no point though."

The World looked around at the shabby wallpaper and ripping carpets below their feet. The tables in need of upkeep and the various golden décor needing a good polish.

That was merely one corridor though. Or was it the second one they'd walked through? They blended together so well while each still having their own unique definition of drab.

"Are you alright?" Jojo turned to the stand again. A small smile on his weary face.

The stand nodded again.

"Are you sure? You seem a little tense."

The stand nodded instantly.

"I hope you're alright."

Jojo began wandering down the corridor. His footsteps surprisingly light for someone with such a strong build. The world looked to the rose at the far end of the hall. It withered and weltered in it's vase. He hurriedly grabbed it before Jojo could get there.

"What are you doing?" Jojo stepped back the World had nudged past him. He held the vase with the rose up to Jonathan.

"What about it?" Jonathan took the rose out of the vase and held it delicately in his hands.

The World made signs with his hands. Clapping? No. A flower blooming? Jojo's sudden gasp of realisation channelled Hamon straight into the rose. Residue from his fingers.

The rose bloomed. Reversing the withering and wilting.

The World looked at him in awe. He quickly tried to hide it though.

"Would you look at that." Jojo gave a small chuckle of relief.

"Here. Why don't you put it back in the vase? I'll go get some water for it."

The stand slipped the rose into his soft grasp and held it there for what seemed like moments. Entranced at how easy Jojo had brought life back to the dying. He looked to the vase.

And knocked it onto the hard wooden boards revealed by moth eaten carpet. It smashed.

The World looked back at the rose. Then to the hallway. Jojo had gone too far to hear the smash. It was exhilarating to smash the ornament. Without command. Without Dio's prying eyes watching him.

The stand flew to find Jonathan. Rose still in hand. Curiosity rising.