CoolK: A beach episode, huh? Every anime has one, so...
TheCommonCold: Considering how powerful Santana is, having someone like Kars running around might make things impossible for the heroes. Kars awakening is something that's probably not going to happen, unless someone has an idea that could work.
Kosaku Valentine: Thank you so much! You have been amazing to me, and I can't express how grateful I am for your help and encouragement.
Now...let's meet the Detective, shall we?
...
"Excuse me."
Valentine raised an eyebrow, confused. Could someone see him? He thought that only stand users could do so. He had recently been able to walk around in the mortal world, although he was now bound to Johnny and Gyro.
He turned to see a strange man in a suit and a bowler hat. The man's blue eyes have him a piercing, unsettling stare from beneath the brim. He slowly took of his hat, revealing a head of well-groomed blonde hair. He looked to be in his early thirties...he was probably that age when he died. There was no denying it, this man was a ghost like him.
"You're Funny Valentine...correct?"
"Perhaps, who are you?"
"I don't know."
Valentine was taken aback. "You don't know?"
"I have no memory of my former life. I know that I did...bad things. Probably much worse than what you did. However, in death, I am a spirit detective."
"What do I call you?"
"Detective is fine. I hear that you may have some...insights into the upcoming events in the living world. Some deceased relatives are anxious to learn whether their living families will be okay. Do you min-"
"I'm sorry, I'm not allowed to disclose any information."
The Detective lowered his gaze, meeting Valentine's with the eyes of an experienced killer. "I'm looking for answers, Valentine, and I take my job VERY seriously. It would be wise to...comply."
"Get lost, Detective. I have no time to answer a dead man's questions."
Detective glared at Valentine, and began to back up slowly. "We'll be in touch, Valentine." The ghost detective walked away, pausing at a group of women, a hungry look in his eyes, before he put his head down and left Valentine's line of sight.
"Bad things...interesting." Valentine muttered to himself as he continued his stroll.
...
"Wow...you're In TROUBLE?!" Johnny mockingly put his hands to his cheeks. "It's almost like you have a history of being untrustworthy or something!" Gyro chuckled.
They were in Johnny's dorm room. This was the first time Valentine had appeared before Gyro, and he had just finished telling them about the Detective. The former president glared at them. "Dear God, you actually think you're funny."
"Well, he has a pretty good point Valentine. You're kind of a bastard." Gyro retorted. "I mean, world domination isn't something you can just brush off. That's on your record."
"Okay, the two of you have made your point." Valentine said, annoyed. "But I can't help but feel uneasy about that encounter. The way he looked at those women, as if he WANTED them...he just radiated evil. Now, he might start chasing me for answers."
"Huh, it must feel pretty scary, being HUNTED." Johnny said. Valentine looked his nemesis in the eye. "We can't work together if you keep antagonizing me, Kujo."
"Sorry...just appreciating the irony, that's all."
"So, what are we gonna do about this Detective guy? We can't kill him again." Gyro asked. "Even if we could, he is just trying to get some answers for some anxious ghosts."
"He's evil. I could tell. Just being in his presence went chills down my spine...and I'm already dead! What do I have to fear?! He could prove to be hindrance in stopping Santana."
"Or, an ally."
"No way, I don't trust him."
Johnny sighed. "Whatever."
...
"Okay...JoJo...no, Johnny. We've been friends for...a while now, huh?"
"Yeah, we have. What are you getting at Kyoka?"
"Look, after everything we've been through...you've helped me become a better hero, but you also made me a better person. Hell, I wouldn't even be here today if it weren't for you. You're...you're amazing, and I just can't hide this anymore. I-I'm in love with you. I-I understand if you don't feel the same way, I'm not really the most attractive girl out there after all, but I had to say it. D-do you f-feel the same way?"
"No."
"Oh come on Mr. Josuke, it couldn't have been that bad!" Kyoka pouted. Her mentor ran a comb through his pompedeur, grinning. "Well it was definitely better than running up and shouting: 'I'M IN LIKE WITH YOU!'"
"That was one time! UGH!" Kyoka kicked the dirt in frustration. "Why can't I just say how I feel without sounding awkward!"
Josuke laughed. "You ARE awkward Kyoka. It's part of your charm. You failed because you shat on yourself again." Koichi, who was busy training his new arm, nodded. "You have to believe that you can do it, otherwise you'll fail."
"But..." Kyoka sighed. "I just can't see myself with him. All I see is some pretty blonde in my place." Josuke frowned. I really have to work on her confidence issues. Well, hopefully Johnny saying yes will help with that.
"Listen." Josuke put his hands on her shoulders. "You are an incredibly beautiful, remarkable young woman. You have faced down psychotic villains, evil mothers, and a whole lot of Joestar family baggage, and you did it all with a smile. You are already a hero in your own right, and if Johnny doesn't like you back...then I will shave my hair."
Both Kyoka and Koichi stared at Josuke, slackjawed. "You guys heard me! I am so confident that my nephew is as infatuated with you as you are him, that I will shave my precious hair if I'm wrong. I will go BALD."
"Holy shit, you're serious." Kyoka muttered.
"I am. I'm VERY serious, the most serious I've ever been."
Kyoka looked down. "Well...I know better than to doubt you. I'm not ready to make any serious moves yet...any ideas?"
"Well, hero studies are coming up. You're still going to work with me, right?"
"Of course!"
Josuke leaned over. "Johnny is too. He needs to make up the internship he owes me. And I can insure that you two will get as much alone time as you need."
Kyoka felt her heart flutter a bit. She and Johnny, alone. Together. Well, Josuke would be there, but he was in her corner. I...I might actually be able to do this...
"Okay...thank you Mr. Josuke...for helping me out and all."
"Hey, you are the best student I've ever had."
"I'm...the only student you've ever had."
"Yeah, and you set the bar pretty damn high."
Kyoka blushed at his praise and looked away, trying to maintain her composure. I really need to learn how to take compliments.
"Hey Koichi, tell her how you and Yukako got together."
"That is not a good example! Don't do what she did, DEFINITELY don't do what she did!"
"It worked on you, didn't it?"
"Only after she settled down!"
"I think you're just into stuff like that Koichi."
"No, I'm not!"
...
The Detective watched the scene below with a curious expression. He had discovered Valentine's connection to Johnny Kujo, and decided to observe one of the Joestar's friends.
The girl was trying to ask Kujo out, apparently. Normally, the Detective would've just looked the other way...
But the two men with her just looked so damn familiar. Why did he feel like he knew them? And why does the name Kujo give him goosebumps?
"Look at her...look at them all."
The Detective turned to see a woman standing next to him, her brown hair blowing behind her. "She's actually thinks she has a chance. Well, Johnny never had any class, so maybe she does. God, I hate looking at her."
"May I help you Ma'am?"
The woman shook her head. "Sorry, just venting. Why is she suddenly the golden girl of the family? What makes someone so...plain, seem so special? Why her? Why Johnny? Why..."
The woman fell to her knees, and broke down into tears. "Why is she taking my place? Why has my family abandoned me?"
The Detective frowned. "Ma'am, it sounds like you're going through a lot...but I don't know you. Shouldn't you vent to someone who understands you, rather than some stranger in the street?"
"I-I'm sorry, I probably sound crazy to you. I...I made a friend recently, someone who can help me get my family back..."
Apparently she's also deaf.
"...his name is Kai Chisaki, he has this big organization that will change the world, and he invited me to be a part of it. He said he could take care of everything as long as I lend my talents to his cause... "
I want her...to stop talking. She is incredibly annoying, I never asked for this conversation.
"...that stupid emo looking bitch. She beat me up you know, is that purple hair even natural? Is there anyway I can tell? Who's responsible for raising such a useless brat anyway? I bet they're a bunch of fu-"
Die, die, die, die, die, die, die, die, die, die, die.
God shits in my dinner once again.
...
"Lord Kars?"
Santana sat across from his catatonic master, his morale being sucked from him with every second of silence.
"Lord Kars, it's me, Santana. I have returned to save you."
No response, just silence.
"Lord Kars...please respond to me...I don't want to be the only one left...please." Tears began to stream down Santana's face. He was alone, truly alone. He was the last of his species, and there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it.
He felt so alone, surrounded by nothing but livestock. This was all Joseph Joestar's fault, he is the cause of his loneliness. The Joestars ruin EVERYTHING.
He turned his attention to a cage on the far side of the room, where Shigaraki was lying, chained and starved. He slowly made his way over to the cage.
"Crying is...a...good look for you... " Shigaraki rasped out. Santana slammed his fist against the side of the cage. "I would say starved is a good look for you...but I honestly don't see a change from before."
"Heh heh...Master is gonna...kill you...when he finds out..."
Santana brought his face to meet his prisoner's. "I'M the master now, got it? Your master...is a potato...with asthma, who was bested by a fucking toothpick. He is weak, frail, and despite his long life, he is just a human with a God complex. I AM THE GOD HERE! I have lived for thousands of years, and I will live for thousands more. I will outlast humanity, and your pathetic human society. The only reason...I keep you alive...is because All For One seems to NEED you...I have LEVERAGE now."
"Master...won't...let you. He will KILL you...and I will laugh."
"All For One will be OUTMATCHED. Do you know how I demolished your League? Genesis...is remarkably similar to my master's ability. When he was...mobile, and he achieved his transformation into the ultimate lifeform, he had the the ability to transform into any living organism he could think of.
My stand, is actually the exact opposite. I can shape and mold the armor into any INORGANIC material I can think of. When you tried to touch me, I merely turned Genesis into air. I made those guards at N.A.S.A die slow, painful deaths, by turning my arm into uranium."
Santana summoned his hammer, and Shigaraki's eyes slowly widened as the weapon turned to solid gold right in front of him. Then it began to crystallize.
"I can be as hard as a diamond..."
The hammer turned into a mist, and yet Santana was still holding it.
"Or as soft as a cloud..."
Santana's face was filled with fury as the armor materialized into his body. "Genesis, allows me to be made of anything I want. Combined with my immortality, and my regeneration, so you really think All For One would stand a chance? Even at his best? All I would have to do to kill him, is pull a fucking plug."
Santana's armor turned into molten lava, and he reached into the cage and grabbed onto Shigaraki's leg. The former leader of the League of Villains howeled in pain as Santana removed his hand, leaving a nasty burn on Shigaraki's ankle.
"Let the inevitable scar be a reminder: I'M THE MASTER, not him."
Santana left Shigaraki moaning pitifully in the cage, and returned to his master. "I will save you, Lord Kars...I refuse to be the last of us."
And no one, not even the Joestars, were going to get in his way.
