Bearticguy7: I guarantee, that won't be the only thing to make Guraki sweat.
DeathlyJazzHands55: I know I've thanked you already, but I'm gonna do it again.
Jpx0999: No, he isn't going to meet Nana in Elysium. Yes, Polnareff might actually get a few chapters.
Guest: This is a much more detective-oriented arc, and Toshi getting abducted has a set reason, just as everything else Ulric does. As for Elysium...
Not sure if this is the same person, but I honestly forgot all about John Constantine and his origin. Of course, Johnny isn't as much of a bastard as Constantine is...but I did make the JLA reference, yes.
Also, Momo is sort of Batman...but far less broody.
Well, you've figured everything else out, and you're pretty close once more.
Kyeo307: The predecessors will be playing a role, but not in Elysium.
Euphoria: This isn't a typical hero vs. villain conflict, I can tell you that. It's a bit more tragic.
dumpstertrashfire123: The Doctor is someone who does everything with a purpose, if he does kill someone, it will be for the pursuit of his goals. As for Shizuka...
boy: Young Joseph is still there.
Sorry, quick clarification. Paradise City does not actually have all nine OFA users. One, Izuku is the ninth, and two, he was referring to their collective power within One For All itself, not the users themselves. Not to say they won't show up, but that's the reality. The Doctor will give a bit if an explanation as to why he wants the quirk to Momo in this chapter.
"So...this guy literally put on an old lady costume?" Gyro said, and Momo furrowed her brow.
"I think? She sounded just like him, and the note could only have been placed there just before I got there..."
"A master of disguise, huh?" Kyoka said, crossing her arms. "Bring me next time, heartbeats can't lie."
"I hate to shut that idea down, but you'd have to focus in order to tell, right?" Johnny said. "Do you really want to focus on every single person YaoMomo talks to?"
"...maybe people she feels are suspicious? We could use Morse...nah, he probably knows it."
"He can imitate people we haven't met, there's no way he could ever mimic someone we know, and he knows that." Momo said. "Suddenly, just talking with an old lady on the street feels like a trap."
"And he's gonna be at this Gala." Johnny said, looking around the limousine. "Our enemy could be anyone or anywhere."
Kyoka sighed and adjusted the flower in her hair. "And here I thought Santana was smart...well, I guess he still is, but this guy might have him beat."
"He said he wouldn't attack us...but...he wants to talk to you alone, Momo. I don't know if I feel comfortable with that." Gyro said, but Momo waved him off.
"It's my duty. If he wants to negotiate, then we negotiate...although I have a feeling these negotiations will fall short..."
The four fell into silence. They were there in the guise of a double date, when in reality the sole purpose of them even going to the Gala was to find and identify this user. Izuku would not be coming, for obvious reasons, so Ochako and Katsuki elected to remain back with him, that way if the doctor ever broke his promise, Izuku wouldn't be fighting the stand alone.
"You know...before everything went to shit on I-Island, I was gonna ask you to dance." Johnny told Kyoka, who raised an eyebrow.
"Er...how would that have worked exactly? I wheel you around in a circle? Not that I would've said no."
"I'm sure we would've found a way. I just thought of that because I noticed you were wearing the same dress."
"It's the only dress I have, JoJo." Kyoka said.
"And you look really good in it."
"Are...we all just wearing the same stuff we wore on I-Island?" Momo asked, and the quartet all looked down.
"No, my tie has steel balls on it this time." Gyro said.
"You're still dressed like the Joker."
"Purple and green are not exclusive to him! Besides...I wear it better, Nyo ho!"
"This dress is a darker shade of green." Momo said, sighing. "But you two are exactly the same."
Kyoka and Johnny both looked at each other, and Kyoka smiled. "Except this time a certain someone actually has legs to dance with...I suppose we might just get a redo as long as this doctor doesn't go berserk."
"Knowing our luck, he might."
"Whoever he is, he's the rational type. He won't go berserk...but he may be angered. The last time I tried to negotiate..." Momo looked down, and Gyro grabbed her hand.
"None of what Santana did was your fault."
"I'm afraid I'm going to set him off, just like before. Santana is pretty rational too, and he's sane. This man is not...and my parents are going to be there, so the pressure is definitely on me tonight."
"Oh boy, meeting the parents..." Gyro said, grinning. "What're they gonna think of the Italian cowboy wearing grills? Kyoka, knock my teeth out again!"
"...I just might, Gyro Zeppeli."
"My parents have probably heard of your family, Gyro, and they've definitely heard of yours JoJo."
"Imagine they disapprove of me and tell you to go for Johnny."
"In that case, I don't care how much your friendship means to me, Momo, I'm kicking your parent's asses." Kyoka stated, and Momo snorted.
"I can assure you both, my parents aren't like that. Even if they don't approve of Gyro...it's my decision. The most they'd do is try to talk me out of it, which is not happening."
The limo pulled up, and the four got out. A big, fancy looking building stood tall above them, spotlights over casting a warm yellow glow over it.
But the group felt anything but warm...
Their newest adversary was waiting for them inside.
Izuku was looking over Momo's notes on Paradise City, including the newest ones, and sighed. "Yep, everything she discovered checks out...this guy has been doing this for a very long time."
Ochako frowned, leaning back in her seat, while Katuski was currently building something at his desk. Katsuki turned around and tossed an object at Izuku, and Izuku caught it in his hand...
It was a grenade.
"I hope this isn't live, Kacchan."
"Don't worry, I'm not going to kill you yet." Katsuki said. "It's just in case that bastard catches you alone."
"As if he's gonna be alone." Ochako replied. "There's no way I'm letting you out of my sight, Deku, not with a mastermind after you."
"Why do I just have this weird feeling that we're playing right into this fucker's hands?" Katsuki looked at the map that Momo drew of the disappearances, and the cross-like shape that seemed almost menacing, despite what the symbol meant. "Is it a stretch to think he drew Ponytail away from you on purpose?"
"I'm not alone right now, and I trust you guys." Izuku said, but shook his head. "Still, you're probably right."
"Of course I'm right!"
"If that's the case...what's to stop him from just getting rid of us?" Ochako asked. "He's definitely the type of guy that plans ahead, he could have a strategy in mind to beat all three of us."
"Tch, he can try."
"And if he fails...he'll try again." Izuku flipped through the notes. "This doesn't sound like someone who gives up, whatever his grand plan is, he's been working on it for centuries. It would take something big to divert him away from this path."
"Then the three of us have to be ready if YaoMomo negotiations fail..."
"Four."
The group looked around, confused, and suddenly a young woman popped into existence on the main table, sipping on a Starbucks drink.
"WHAT THE FUCK?!/HOLY SHIT!/HUH?!"
She had a head of black hair tied in a ponytail, and a pair of sunglasses. She was dressed in a simple hoodie, but had a green and yellow scarf wrapped around her neck. A soft, playful smile graced her lips as she pulled the sunglasses down. "Pleasure finally meeting you all."
"WHO THE ACTUAL FUCK ARE YOU?!" Katsuki stepped forward.
"Katsuki Bakugo, right? Johnny's childhood friend turned rival turned friend again?" The young woman said, amused. "The description I heard of you was quite accurate."
"How did you get here?! The tree house is secret!" Ochako said, horrified.
"I snuck up here after hearing where it was of course. Climbing took a while, but if I started the elevator you might've mistaken me for the enemy."
"And how do we know you aren't an enemy?!" Katsuki popped a few crackles from his palms. "You can't just sneak up here and expect us not to be a little on edge!"
"Careful of that edge, you don't want to cut yourself." The woman booped Katsuki on the nose, and he bristled.
"THAT'S IT, I'M GONNA KILL YOU!"
"Oooooh, scary!"
"Hold it...we didn't see or hear you come in...can you...turn invisible?" Izuku asked, and the woman turned and smiled at him.
"Izuku Midoriya, Johnny often gushes about how smart you are."
"It's nice to finally meet you!"
Izuku walked over and shook the woman's hand, and Katsuki looked confused. "Deku, what the hell, you know this chick?"
"She's Shizuka Joestar, Mr. Joestar's adopted daughter, and JoJo's aunt."
Shizuka grinned, a very mischievous grin, not unlike her father. "I had to screw with you guys a little bit, and this guy's reaction was priceless!"
"What the hell?"
"Oh! JoJo said that you were in America, studying to take over Mr. Joestar's realty business!"
"Yeah...well, looks like the old man...or er...young man? Whatever...he'll be able to run it for a little while longer now. I'll have to have a successor of my own by the time I take over!" Shizuka joked. "Anyway, I couldn't help but hear about this Paradise City guy, and well...I figured that this guy doesn't know about me yet. Could be a possible advantage."
"Well yes, since you can turn invisible...you'd be a wild card! This is actually really good!" Izuku said with a grin.
"I can turn you invisible too, if it comes down to it."
"Hold it, you just come in here and say you're a part of this?! Also, if you're JoJo's aunt, why do you look our age?!" Katsuki demanded.
"I'm...adopted, didn't you hear Izuku say that? I'm actually two years younger than you." Shizuka said, tilting her head.
*A/N: Just in case some of you are confused, Jolyne was six around the time of DIU, which means that Johnny would've been three, so Shizuka, despite technically being their aunt, is younger than them, being a baby at the time.
"...your family tree is all fucked up."
"Well, I'm not a Joestar by blood, only in spirit." Shizuka replied. "But blood isn't what defines family, Susan Cummings was living proof of that. Er...dead proof now. So, what do you guys do up here anyway? Hang out? Teenaged make-out sessions?"
"W-what?! No!" Ochako yelled, turning red.
"Well, when JoJo and Ears are up here alone, probably." Katsuki muttered. "Right now what we're trying to figure out is what this bastard's next move is."
"You have such a way with words...I think I'm charmed." Shizuka said, grinning as Katsuki began sputtering out curses. "It's always the angry ones that get flustered the most, guess I just have that effect on people."
"I DON'T LIKE YOU! DIE IN A HOLE!" Katsuki snapped, but Shizuka continued to smile in amusement. Angrily, Katsuki stomped off.
"He'll warm up to you eventually." Izuku said.
"Oh I'm sure."
"Momo! There's my darling daughter, so glad you could make it!" Akari Yaoyorozu kissed her daughter on the forehead.
"I almost didn't even know about it." Momo said, and if her mother detected the slight bitterness in her voice, she didn't hear it.
"And who is this?" Akari nodded towards Gyro, who was standing off to the side with his arms crossed.
"Gyro Zeppeli, ma'am."
"Zeppeli...ah yes, your family is quite important to the Italian government. I'm surprised you're here, studying to become a hero?"
"Yep, I know my family usually pumps out doctors and executioners, but I'm a bit unorthodox."
"I'm sure your talents will be welcome to the hero community." Akari said kindly, noting Gyro's almost protective stance towards her daughter. "And...perhaps, Momo?"
"You read my body language and made an educated guess, smart."
"The fact that you picked up on that makes you quite intelligent yourself."
Gyro gave her a small smile. "I can see where your daughter gets it from."
Momo stood frozen, unsure what to say next. To her, the air felt cold. She loved her mother, she truly did, and she knew that Akari loved her just as much, but her mother finding out about her boyfriend...
For some reason, it felt off, like a stranger was prying into her business.
Not to mention that the look her mother was giving Gyro, while it wasn't one of disapproval, was at least one of discomfort.
Of course it was, Momo never told her that she was dating the son of an executioner, but her parents never told her they were coming, so really, neither side was in the right.
Akari shifted her gaze from Gyro, to Johnny and Kyoka, who were off kind of doing their own thing. "Classmates?"
"Lifelong friends. They are both quite dear to me. The girl is Kyoka Jiro, my first friend my age, and also my best friend, and Johnny Kujo, a youngest member of the Joestar lineage." Momo felt bad, but something within her felt the need to add that little statement.
Meanwhile, Johnny and Kyoka were both keeping an eye out for their potential enemy, Kyoka's jacks were out and ready, focusing on the crowd, keeping an ear out for any suspicious conversations.
"I feel so out of place here..." Kyoka said.
"So do I."
"Your family is wealthy, you haven't been to any fancy parties?"
"Not my thing."
"Well duh, I just thought you might've been forced to at some point."
"Not until today."
"You're so simple, it's one of the things I love about you." Kyoka said, her eyes still shifting through the crowd. "Hold on..."
"You hear something?"
"Yes...dance with me."
"Uh-"
"So we don't look suspicious...your body can cover my jacks from this guy..."
Johnny wrapped his arm around his waist, and Kyoka put a hand on his arm and pulled her body close. Her jack was in between the two of them, only the end exposed, in such a way that the only way someone would see the jack would be if they were looking for it.
"Not the dance I had in mind...who's the guy you noticed?"
"Wide hat, grey hair, pointy beard, handlebar mustache, brown or hazel eyes, too far to tell...holding a cane."
Sure enough, a man fitting Kyoka's description was currently walking through the crowd, his brown eyes steely in his gaze. He certainly looked like a man on a mission. His skin was almost a sickly shade of grey, but he appeared to be in perfect health...too healthy.
"I caught his footsteps first." Kyoka said, her eyes narrowed. "Two feet, and then the cane tapping on the ground, but it didn't sound right. His feet sounded fine, and his cane only tapped after he had already taken a step, so...he isn't carrying that cane because he needs it..."
Johnny could only stare at the man, watching his feet. "Great observation, Kyoka. He doesn't need the cane at all...and his eyes are giving me a bad feeling..."
"Like he's looking for something? Yeah, I got that too, that's why I need you to bring us in closer."
So Johnny did just that, subtly angling their entwined bodies so that Kyoka could get a better listen on the man, but the man began walking towards the speakers playing the music, soon, they lost him in the crowd.
"Smart bastard...he must've saw us and went closer to the music, he knew it would mask his footsteps from my quirk."
"Which means he knows about your quirk."
"That's definitely our man."
"He was heading towards Gyro's position, did you beep him?"
"Yep...sent him a message in Morse, told him what the guy looked like and everything."
Kyoka looked back in response, noticing that Gyro had beeped back a response. Her eyes shifted back and forth as she deciphered the message, and frowned. "Our guy is talking with YaoMomo's dad."
"You don't think he's gonna pull a Necromancer and do something to her parents, right?"
"Momo said he seems like he isn't the type to do something like that...manipulating them? Could be a possibility."
Johnny squinched up his face in thought. "We leave it to Gyro. Tell him to let us know if he needs us closer...after we finish our dance, we should...disappear."
Kyoka's cheeks went pink. "I know what you meant by that, but you should've worded that better."
"I disagree. Now...until the situation suggests otherwise...I believe I owe you a dance."
"Johnny Kujo, never in my life would I have thought you'd be the gentleman. Do you even know how to dance properly?"
"Do you?"
"I'm a socially repressed punk girl who's only recently begun putting herself out there, of course I don't know how to properly dance."
"We wing it?"
Kyoka smiled. "Just like everything else."
Then, her watch beeped again, and Kyoka groaned upon deciphering Gyro's newest message. "Looks like that dance will have to wait...our guy just made contact with Momo."
Johnny signed. "Yare yare daze...I'll bust open a grate so you can listen in from the vents."
"Don't make too much noise, we're guests after all."
"Tusk can be quiet."
"That big fucking pink fridge?"
"Try Act 1." Johnny said, summoning said version of his stand. Tusk Act 1 chirped enthusiastically and followed the couple to a vent cover located around a corner.
Kyoka extended her jacks, listening to see if they were being followed, and gave Johnny a thumbs up, indicating they had retreated unnoticed. Act 1 inserted it's pointy nose into the screws, and began spinning around in circles, detaching each one until the cover was loose.
Meanwhile, Kyoka had already inserted a jack into the security camera recording the area, preventing it from catching footage of what they were doing. Turning around, she began to crawl inside of the now open vent.
"Don't look up my dress."
"You mistake me for Mineta."
"You're still a hormonal teenage boy, so I must reiterate, don't look up my dress..."
"..."
"...you already did."
"I swear it was an accident."
"When I get out of this vent, I'm hitting you."
"I figured."
Johnny placed the vent cover back on and used Act 1 to screw it back on, just to prevent any suspicion of a break in. Then, he shot the ground, and retreated into a wormhole.
It was a shame too, he owed his girlfriend a dance...but work, and more importantly discovering the identity and goals of this mysterious new foe, was their top priority.
"MOMO!"
Momo gasped as her father picked her up, cheerfully laughing and spinning her around. "Father!"
Riku Yaoyorozu was a very cheerful man, in contrast to her calm and composed mother, you could barely tell that he was one of the most wealthiest men in Japan. Despite her initial bitterness towards the fact that her parents hadn't let her know they were coming, she had to smile.
He was always so happy to see her, and she knew it killed him to be away from his daughter for so long. She knew it killed her mother too, but Akari was much harder to read.
"Look at you! I saw the news yesterday! Taking out villains already!" Riku almost seemed to be in tears. "You're growing up..."
"Er...Father?"
"S-sorry, I'm getting emotional."
"You always do." Akari said, amused.
Momo hugged her father, and felt Riku sigh.
"Well, I'm glad you could make it, it's been too long! I was worried you didn't get the invite we sent you when you didn't respond!"
Oh...thank goodness, they did try to let me know...
Why didn't I get it? Unless a certain someone intercepted my mail so he could invite me himself...
Momo lifted her eyes, and her expression changed upon seeing a man standing behind her father, waiting patiently. A wide brimmed hat, pointed beard and a handle bar mustache...
The same man Kyoka had warned them to be wary of.
Her eyes met his, and the man lowered his head, his eyes telling her everything she needed to know.
It was him.
The pointed beard is a fashion typically worn by men back in Elizabethan England. Momo thought to herself. He definitely would've been alive at that point in time...
Unless this is another disguise...
Riku noticed the man standing behind them and grinned, separating from the hug. "Oh, this is my friend, Dr. Ulric Stewart. He did an operation on me after I got into an accident in the States."
Father...was hurt?! Why wasn't I told?!
They probably didn't want to distract me from my studies...but...
The user of Paradise City may have saved my father's life...I'm not sure how to feel about this.
Momo stiffly held out her hand to shake, and Ulric took it. "Your father gushes about you quite often...his little prodigy." The doctor said in the same accent she had come to recognize so well.
"One glad to hear it." The only thing Momo could do was look into the man's eyes. They brushed with an intensity that Paradise City so often exuded. His eyes were so intense, that Mono almost felt the urge to look away, but found that she physically couldn't.
"Do you mind if I borrow your daughter for a bit? I'm curious as to what life in UA is like." Ulric said, his eyes never leaving hers. Even now, he was studying her, analyzing her. To her parents, this was an innocent question asked by a friendly doctor...
But Momo knew the truth, and all she could feel was a growing sense of dread. This was it, she was finally meeting her enemy face-to-face, after hours and hours of investigation.
"Of course!" Riku said, enthusiastically.
"Sure, Dr. Stewart...let's talk."
Ulric led Momo towards the balcony, his cane tapping against the ground. Just then, he paused.
"One of the taps felt...different. There wouldn't happen to be anyone in the vents, would there?"
That's why he brought the cane...to search the vents embedded within the floor, he was tapping the floor in the exact spots where the vents were located, waiting until they weren't hollow...he just found Kyoka. Momo thought to herself, knowing that her best friend was probably panicking within the floor.
"Possibly...but I have no control over my friend's actions...you can't blame them for being concerned." Momo said, finally dropping the polite and friendly facade once they got out to the balcony.
"No...I suppose not. Unless she intervenes, she's fine."
"How do you know it's a she?"
"Because Zeppeli was in the room, and Kujo would've used a wormhole. Therefore, it has to be Jiro." Ulric surmised. "I made a promise, Paradise City will not attack anyone today."
"Is Ulric Stewart your real name?"
"It is, and I can assure you, this is my real face. I said we would talk face-to-face, and that means we simply talk as our true selves." Ulric sat on the railing, absentmindedly twirling his cane. "I have no qualms about you knowing my name and face, since I can disguise myself pretty well, as evidenced by our encounter in the library."
"Unfortunately, you made me all the more paranoid."
"That, my dear, was the goal."
"To intimidate me?"
"In a way...I mostly wanted to show you what kind of an enemy you would make if you continue to get in my way." Ulric shifted his weight. "I possess quite a multitude of skills...but I must implore you to understand, I do not want that."
"You're hunting my friend."
"Hunting? That is a strong word, that would imply that I mean him harm."
"Despite my investigation, I still know very little about you."
"Then, ask me anything, I will try to be as forthcoming as possible."
Momo was taken aback. "R-really?"
"Well, obviously I can't tell you everything, otherwise I would put my whole plan in jeopardy...but if I can give you information that will convince you to abandon your pursuit of me, and to assure you that my intentions with One For All are not dangerous...then I will be happy to."
Momo thought about it for a moment, as Ulric waited patiently.
"What is Elysium?"
"I'm afraid that is one of the things I can't tell you. However, I can assure you that it isn't dangerous."
"I was afraid of that...why are you seemingly immortal? From my research, your point of origin appears to be in the middle of Medieval Europe, during the Bubonic Plague..."
"Your deductive skills are excellent, you are correct." Ulric complimented, and Momo was struck to hear that the tone of his voice suggested the compliment was genuine. "That is a question I can answer. My longevity is a result of Elysium. You see, my life span is directly correlated to it's population."
"Population? You mean the more people that are captured, the longer you live?"
"Yes. Of course, I don't actually feed off of them, only their presence is enough. The number of years they add to my life also depends on the individual's strength. Normal, powerless or near powerless people only add one year, people with moderate power add ten, and people with great power..."
"Add one hundred, if we're going off of powers of ten." Momo finished.
"Precisely, that is why I need One For All. I only have fifty years left, and that quirk has the combined power of nine people..."
"You would add a whole nine hundred years to your life. All you need is to move Izuku to wherever this Elysium place is, he wouldn't actually be harmed..."
"All I would be doing is giving him a new home."
"So you can achieve eternal life?"
"My actions are not out of greed, I can assure you. I need to live for a long time...so that my final goal can be achieved."
"And this final goal? It seems pretty important if you are willing to separate our friend from us for the rest of our lives."
Ulric narrowed his eyes. "I will not tell you that, of course, but I will tell you my reasoning. I am a man who does everything with a purpose, and my actions have a...big one. I suppose it all comes back to the plague...while I am aware that current medical technology is more than equipped to deal with it...there will always be another one."
Momo blinked as Ulric began pacing. "Excuse me?"
"What's to prevent another plague? Another war? Another famine? Who's to say that this cruel world won't beat us down further? Don't you see, Yaoyorozu? I want to change things. This world will always have another problem, another tragedy. It is fundamentally flawed, and my plan will fix that. However, I need to be alive to do so, and most people only have a limited time on this Earth...hence, One For All is essential."
Momo could only stare at her adversary, and there was one thing that stood out, one thing that scared her beyond compare.
He was making a little too much sense...she almost agreed with him.
"Earth is diseased, rotten to the core. My experience as a doctor during the plague taught me that, and future events only strengthened my beliefs. The World Wars, the Cold War, the Spanish Flu, Chernobyl...Earth likes to kick people while they are down. Why must we go through Hell, to get to Heaven? Why must humanity continue to suffer?" Ulric turned to Momo, and there was a haunted look in his eyes, but also determination. "When I became a doctor, I vowed to help all that I can...and Paradise City allows me to help in ways I couldn't during the plague...do you now understand why I do what I do? Why I must have One For All?"
"I do...I do understand you, but...I just can't let you take my friend...you'd be doing damage, when your purpose is to prevent it. His mother, us, All Might, everyone who cares for him would be impacted, not to mention the absence of OFA could lead to All For One getting a second wind..."
"What are your ideals, Yaoyorozu?"
"Ideals?"
"Surely, you must have some sort of concrete goal that drives your actions? Why do you do what you do?" Ulric was inquisitive.
"I...want to save people."
"Do you? Isn't that Midoriya's mantra?"
Momo froze as Ulric immediately picked her apart.
"I...want to...I..."
"Make people smile, Jiro. Saving people is also Zeppeli's thing too...could it be, that you were so dead set on continuing your parent's legacy, that you never quite asked yourself why you were doing so?"
Momo sat there, frozen, and Ulric sighed.
"Sorry, but I had to inquire. You see, your intelligence is practically on par with mine, as is your resilience. However, without ideals to back up those two admirable traits...you will never have the confidence to match. That is the difference between you, and me. Ideals."
"I...I will protect my friends, Dr. Stewart. You will not break me."
"I wasn't trying to. I was giving you advice." Ulric said. "Until you truly believe in something, until you have a set goal for yourself, I can gurantee you will lose this duel of the minds."
Momo stood up. "That remains to be seen...I...I...I just won't let you take him."
Ulric stood there, and his intense gaze pierced into her very soul. "Are you sure you want to do this? I'm giving you the option to walk away."
"I will not give up, no matter how uncertain I am...you've opened my eyes to a glaring flaw in my psyche, yes, but if there is one ideal that I know I have...it's that I will fight tooth and nail for my friends, because they are my world."
"...I will fight as well, and...you should know, I'm not above killing someone if you push me too far."
Momo stood her ground. "I. Will. Not. Yield."
She and Ulric were now nose-to-nose, and Ulric scanned her from head to toe.
"Sweat, the shakes, and a tightened jaw, all fear responses..."
"I've made myself clear."
"...then may this feud end in the most peaceful way possible...just remember one thing, should you prove to be too much of a hinderance..."
Ulric's eyes bore holes in her as he gave her his final warning.
"Should you wish destruction upon me...I shall do the same to you."
With that, Ulric walked away from the balcony, and disappeared back into the crowd. Almost immediately, a vent cover popped free from the floor, and Kyoka frantically crawled out. "YAOMOMO!"
Momo was still frozen as Kyoka took her by the arms. She slowly angled her head towards her best friend, and pressed her lips together. "He isn't going to quit..."
"I know...I heard all of it."
"He knew you would. He's been one step ahead of me this whole time...he was right, almost about everything..."
"He's a madman." Kyoka put a hand to Momo's cheek. "You're sweating buckets...we should leave."
"Yeah..."
Kyoka took Momo by the arm and led her towards Johnny, who had emerged from a wormhole to help. Johnny put a hand on Momo's shoulder, and gave her a look that she didn't immediately recognize.
"I know what it's like...to question yourself. After my injury...I was questioning why I even put in the effort, I still considered myself worthless. I don't...disagree with what he said, but I can say it better:
You are a hero, YaoMomo, the fact that he shattered your worldview and you still stood up to him proves that...the only thing you need to do is ask yourself why. Don't question that you are one, only the reason."
Johnny's logic made sense too.
He's right, I'm a hero. Perhaps it is by nature, but something is fueling my desire to help people. I never really thought about it before...
What am I fighting for? Clearly, I have a reason that I'm just not aware of yet...
Thanks Dr. Stewart, JoJo...you've given me something to think about...
Ulric's advice was sound, she had no hope of beating him until she found her reason for fighting.
One thing is pretty clear: I won't be giving up.
"Dude, how do you have bigger tits than me?" Shizuka asked, shocked. "I'm a girl!"
"SHUT UP!" Katsuki barked, putting his arms over his not-tits.
"I mean...she isn't wrong." Izuku muttered, and Ochako snorted.
"I'm still not used to sassy Deku."
"WHAT DID HE SAY?!"
The elevator caught everyone's attention, and Momo sluggishly trodded into the room, sat at her desk, and immediately passed out, still wearing a dress.
"Uhh..."
"She had a long, emotional night." Gyro said, taking off his jacket and draping it over the sleeping Creation user. "Let her re-who the fuck?!"
"Shizuka?!" Johnny came in next, and his aunt ran up and threw her arms around him.
"JOHNNY! OH MY GOD! Look at you, dressed all spiffy! Did you grow your hair out?! How's life at UA?! How are you feeli-"
"One question at a time, holy shit!" Johnny said with a smile. "I missed you too."
Kyoka came in next. "Shizuka Joestar?"
"That's me! You?"
"I'm Kyoka Jiro...uh...Johnny's...uh...girlfriend."
"Nah, she's joking right Johnny? You, a girlfriend?!"
"She isn't."
Shizuka's mouth dropped open. "Seriously? You actually gave someone a chance?!"
"I've given her a little more than a chance...I couldn't really see myself with anyone else."
Shizuka turned to Kyoka and grabbed her face, examining the other girl.
"Uh..."
"What are you? An alien? A succubus?"
"N-no...I'm just someone that loves him."
"...hot damn, it finally happened. You must be one of a kind."
"You aren't wrong Shizuka, she's just as much of an asshole as he is." Gyro said with a grin.
"You must be Gyro Zeppeli!"
"She's heard of him but not me?" Kyoka muttered.
Izuku took a look at Momo, and sighed. "Judging from her reaction...I assume the negotiations failed?"
"He's gonna get you if it's the last thing he does." Johnny said, pulling out the notebook he got as a going-away present from Izuku, just before the Steel Ball Run. "I wrote down the conversation so you could analyze it...YaoMomo has a bit of a crisis to work through."
"She was already going through a crisis with how she couldn't fight Paradise City..." Ochako said, frowning.
"It's safe to say the pressure from going up against this man is getting to her, but we got something good out of tonight...a name, and a motive." Johnny said, pointing to the parts of the conversation so Izuku could see. "It's crucial information that we can use against him in the future."
"Ulric Stewart..." Izuku said, and frowned when he read further into the conversation. "She still doesn't realize how much she helps us...how much she brings to the table..."
Johnny looked at the sleeping girl, with a look of understanding. "As I told her, I know what it's like, to not know who you are. She'll figure out her worth...someday, and someday soon."
Ulric once again put on his doctor's mask, it's long beak-like front providing him comfort.
I really don't need the mask anymore, haven't needed it since the plague...although I suppose I didn't need it during the plague either...considering how useless it was in hindsight.
It just made him feel comfortable, not to mention it was a reminder of why he did what he did.
Ulric went into a dark alleyway, the goggles on his mask hiding his eyes as he went into the darkness.
He had truly hoped that he got through to Momo, at least a little bit. Her lack of a clear motive was the only thing preventing her from becoming his equal, and he wanted to fix that.
Not to mention, if she agreed with him...
He knew she would never sacrifice her friend, but if she understood that the world was cruel and unforgiving, perhaps she could understand him to a point where she could at the very least accept his decision.
He, truthfully, had developed a sort of liking to his antagonist. He saw a bit of himself in her, a well-meaning genius who wanted to devote their lives to helping people.
If only she had ideals of her own, it truly was the only thing holding her back.
Perhaps, during the battle for One For All, he could also take the opportunity to assist her. At least from a philosophical standpoint, not in his own defeat.
Ulric yanked on the handle of his cane, drawing a hidden blade, and examined it.
It was a surgical blade of his own design, one that he called The Amputator. It did as it's name implied, amputate, in the event that a limb couldn't be saved, or to stop an infection. It also, with his near perfect precision, did wonders for making clean incisions.
It could be used for simple surgery, and for serious cases.
Ulric flipped a switch, and the blade began to vibrate.
It produces a series of sonic pulses that keep the titanium-gold alloy constantly vibrating...it could cut through just about anything...
Even a person, even brick.
Which was exactly what Ulric was doing, right now.
He carved a clean circle in the brick wall beside him, and slowly moved the circle of brick away, careful not to make any noise.
Paradise City would've made too much noise, so I had to come here myself.
Ulric came into what appeared to be a secret lab, and looked around.
To his left, Dr. Ujiko was sleeping peacefully.
The sonic pulse that the Amputator emits also tampered with Ujiko's hearing aids, which he acquired after a brief spat with Santana. Apparently a shockwave damaged his eardrums.
In otherwords, further proof that the Amputator is my greatest invention yet.
Ulric walked over to a set of pods, each containing Nomu in different stages of growth.
Disgusting abominations. You're a fool, Ujiko, if you believe you can play God with these sickly things.
Outside, Paradise City finished disabling the alarm system, and Ulric began ripping out each of the batteries, stuffing them in his bag. Without another word, he exited the "secret" facility, making off with his loot.
Under normal circumstances, thievery is a sin.
But stealing from a man as disgusting as Ujiko, that can't be a sin. If there was any man I regret doing business for, it's him.
I also need a viable source of energy.
Ulric retreated into the night, while Paradise City watched his back.
With the added bonus of screwing over a fiend, his plan was coming together quite nicely.
