Bearticguy7: Another fun idea! Once this arc is over, we can get settled into the new norm, and this Stand might be perfect for that.
Euphoria: Yeah, I wanted to flesh out Ball Breaker a bit more, especially since we don't really know it's full capabilities in canon. Also...I'm not spoiling a thing.
Guest: Correctamundo, and he's playing a MASSIVE role in this arc.
BryanTF2: He is...just not the only one.
Monster King: Will do!
Jpx0999: That actually isn't true. It's true that Pucci couldn't avoid his fate, but characters have avoided it in the past in JJBA. The main cast of Part 6 had their fates altered significantly.
(A common misconception is that Irene isn't Jolyne, but she is, she has Jolyne's soul, just different memories, the scene where Emporio sees her Joestar birthmark confirms it.)
Giorno was supposed to be killed by Diavolo at the end of Part 5, but awakened GER instead. He actively changed fate during that fight. As Emporio says in the final fight with Pucci: "True fate sides with those who walk the path of justice."
Stone Ocean has a much happier ending than some people realize. (Also, Parts 1-5 still happened, the Ireneverse is just a world without Pucci.)
Kasumi Kenshiro: The end of one arc, the beginning of another.
Ivory Insanity: :)
Bread Connoisseur: Perhaps...
Dumpstertrashfire123: You're right on the nose with calamity. The Necronomicon simply uses it, it doesn't create it.
Kyeo307: I'm glad you liked it!
Delrosario: Well, Giorno's healing is actually less effective than Josuke's, since he only fills in the wounds, they don't necessarily go away.
Kyoka's lyric book/journal:
What makes someone special?
I have plenty of people who I think are special...but are they to everyone else? There is always going to be someone better, smarter, and more powerful than you. No one can ever truly sit on top.
I've written about the Joestar Family in this journal a lot. Hell, I even wrote a few lyrics down to express how I feel about them. Their...golden spirit...it just screams heroism to me. I have studied their history, their greatest battles, their greatest losses.
Of course I did...I'm going to be part of the family one day, if I'm not already.
But not everyone believes what I do. Some people hate their guts, and believed DIO was special. My admiration isn't shared by everyone else, and I shouldn't expect it to be.
During the Barge incident, when all hope seemed lost, when we were unknowingly in the middle of a weakened calamity...I thought about this...what makes them so special? What makes certain people better than others?
Nothing. Being "special" is simply in the eye of the beholder.
This is a story...a tragedy...of someone who was supposed to be special, but his life was ruined by bastards who falsely believed they were. The tragedy of a poor, abused soul that I helped set free...someone who wanted the same thing I do...to make people smile...
It began in 1985.
*Florida, 1985*
A young man with a bright smile ran to the top of the hill, carrying a rather heavy looking computer. He had a full head of jet black hair, tied into a ponytail, and large, friendly looking brown eyes. He had a darker shade of skin, with a jacket that had numerical code imprinted along the sleeves.
Thomas Praxton was having a good day.
He had just been accepted into his favorite hero school, so now his dream could finally see reality.
After all these years, finally! I can be a hero!
Thomas, or Tom as he preferred, carried his computer into his local library, and plugged it into an outlet. Grunting, a cord emerged from his head, with a USB for a tip.
His Quirk, Download, allowed him to link up with technology, as well as download information into his brain. Such an ability was great for espionage and infiltration missions, especially with the rising popularity of computers.
"Ah...I see this spot is occupied."
Tom turned to see a man in a suit standing behind him, wearing a fedora. The hat cast a shadow over the man's face, but he had a smile.
"No worries! They let me come in here to train my Quirk, I'll be done in a few minutes." Todd reassured the man, his USB plugging into the computer.
The man lifted his head slightly, and Tom was struck by his eyes. They were red, and looked rather sharp. Taking off his hat, the man had a head of white hair, cut short.
A rather handsome guy, now that Tom thought about it.
"Ah yes...they mentioned you. A local prodigy right? The son of a pair of metalheads, and a computing genius."
"Oh stop it!" Tom said with a blush. "Still not used to the praise..."
The man continued to grin, laying his hat on a nearby desk. "Studying to be a hero right? I'm a...talent scout from Japan you see, and I heard of you. They told me I'd find you here."
"Oh...so...you were looking for me?"
"Yes! Your Quirk is deceptively useful! We could use someone like you over there, especially with All For One running around." The man said.
"I...appreciate the offer, but I want to help the people of Orlando with my ability."
"Really? Why, may I ask? I'm just curious."
Tom looked at the computer, wistfully imagining his future.
"I want to make people smile. Everyone...especially those who can't right now. I can't necessarily explain why, but bringing smiles to people...it makes me feel right, y'know?"
The man nodded, and patted Tom on the head. "I do."
Right then, Tom felt a splitting headache. Squinting his eyes, he clutched at his head. "Ow...ugh..."
"Are you alright?! You look sick!" The man said, grabbing Tom's shoulder to keep him steady.
"Yeah...some kind of headache...I'm okay, I just probably forgot to hydrate today." Tom waved the man off. "Thank you for your interest, it means a lot, but I wish to stay."
The man nodded, and put his hat back on, his grin never fading. At this rate...it was almost creepy. "Of course. Here's my card...if you ever change your mind."
The man tossed a small card to Tom, and began to walk out of the library. Unbeknownst to the aspiring hero, the man's grin began turning sinister.
All For One glanced back at Tom, still grinning.
You wish to help the people here, do you? Let's see if they help you.
Kyoka stepped onto the deck of the Barge, shuddering. Here she was, on the haunted boat she dreaded setting foot on...
Heroes face their fear though, and Kyoka was no coward.
Rust was everywhere, and the structures on board were corroded and worn away. The tattered remains of a guard outfit, as well as an unusable old machine gun, were lying just across the way.
"Yare yare dawa...I'm getting tetanus just from looking at this." Jolyne remarked, huffing. "Everybody have gloves? Or at the very least vaccinations?"
Everyone there nodded in confirmation.
"Okay! So...we need to figure out what the fuck DIO was up to on this boat, since he's the reason why it was abandoned...I just wonder how it connects to his wider plan of attaining Heaven..." Jolyne said, putting a finger to her chin in thought.
"Besides sleeping with a teenaged priest?" Narciso quipped.
"Hard to believe that my family's most evil nemesis was a Bi disaster."
"The only thing DIO and I have in common..." Kyoka muttered, and started heading towards a stairway, leading into a dark hallway. Spiderwebs were lining almost every inch. "Great...and spiders too. I fucking hate spiders..."
"You know, if spiders didn't exist, we'd actually be worse off." Tokoyami chimed in. "Spiders eat bugs that can be much deadlier to us than they are, such as mosquitoes. They're just a natural part of the food chain."
"That makes me feel so much better Tokoyami."
"Hey...Jolyne...they said investigators came to this place, right?" Narciso asked, leaning over one of the guardrails. "Did...they come back?"
"What?"
Jolyne stood beside her husband, her eyes narrowing upon seeing this issue at hand.
There were boats in the water, floating innocently with the waves. Each of them were empty, but in great condition...if they were abandoned, it was recently.
"They were positioned behind the Barge so we wouldn't see them." Jolyne theorized, gritted her teeth. "We may have some company..."
A spider crawled onto Kyoka's foot.
"EEP!"
The purplette kicked out and threw it off, shuddering. "Great...just great...spiders, potential enemies...anything else to make this more of a fucking hellhole than it already is?" She muttered to herself, stressed.
I hope the others are okay. Johnny and Ochako shouldn't have too much trouble with the Rake right? Things are fine over at UA too...
You need to stop overthinking Kyoka, focus on the task at hand.
Kyoka's eyes shifted from left to right, analysing the situation, as she plugged a jack into the deck of the ship. Then, they widened in terror.
"Oh no."
"Kyoka, you hearing something?" Jolyne asked, and extended a string to listen in too. The 6th JoJo's mouth fell open, and then her gaze became hardened.."The spiders..."
"Are we already under attack?" Narciso asked, bringing out Diver Down.
"There's millions of them, crawling around the place. If I didn't know any better, I'd say that's our enemy's way of attacking us!" Kyoka yelled, placing her hands on the deck.
"EVERYONE, HOLD ON!"
Jolyne summoned Stone Free and spread her Stand out in all directions, grabbing onto support beams. The strings carried the others up into the air, just as spiders started coming up from the floor.
"EW! UGH, THAT'S SO GROSS!"
"Not even a day on the team, and I'm already the victim of a Stand attack." Tokoyami remarked, and Dark Shadow appeared behind him. "Dark Shadow, clear these pests!"
"Got it, Fumikage!" The sentient Quirk yelled, coming out from his cloak to land a blow on the spiders. Several of them formed a fist, and grabbed Dark Shadow, and began trying to pull Tokoyami out of Jolyne's string.
Not good! Tokoyamithought to himself, gritting his teeth. Those spiders aren't normal, they're a Stand! Since Dark Shadow is in the light, it's severely weakened!
An earphone jack wrapped around his wrist just as he slipped free from Jolyne's string. Kyoka sent her other jack so Tokoyami could grab on, and she began trying to pull him back. Her face was pained, but...
Her jacks were strong enough.
A gasp of surprise was heard as Dark Shadow was wrenched free from the Stand, and Kyoka let out a grunt as she heaved her classmate back to safety.
"Thanks!"
"No problem...holy balls that hurt."
"How on Earth did you do that?!" A voice called out from above.
The group turned their gaze upwards to find a woman suspended by spiderwebs. She was covered in the stuff...in fact...it was all she was wearing.
The spiderwebs were tailored into rather fashionable clothing, a scarf, and a designer dress. Her red hair blew in the wind as she readjusted her sunglasses.
"Pardon me, allow me to properly introduce myself, I am Ariana, and you've already been acquainted with my Stand, Arachne, named after the woman that the goddess Athena transformed into the first spider. I was quite surprised to see the strength of those ears of yours, Kyoka Jiro."
"I've been working out." Kyoka said with a glare. "What's the big deal?"
"Apprentice to Josuke Higashikata, the protector of Morioh, and the fourth hero in the Joestar bloodline." Ariana continued to list off facts about Kyoka. "Guess it makes sense you'd be stronger than you first appear, having a mentor like that. My Stand has a B in power, meaning if your jacks were a Stand, they'd be roughly equal in strength, if not slightly higher."
"I repeat, what's the big fucking deal?"
"Ah...well, I'm not here to kill you per say...you know, not many people can pull off the 'punk' look, but it truly suits you. You're quite fashionable!"
"She's talking in circles, careful." Jolyne muttered. "Who are you working for?"
"Jolyne Kujo, I've been meaning to challenge you for a while. I heard your Stone Free can weave it's way out of any situation, and as a master weaver myself, I wish to put our Stands to the test. Can you weave a better tapestry than Arachne?"
"You aren't gonna give us a straight answer, huh? Yare yare dawa..."
The spiders formed into a solid Stand, which could only be described as a humanoid Black Widow. Arachne snapped it's mandibles, and four legs popped out of it's back.
Stone Free's hand manifested next to Jolyne's face, and Jolyne simply glared back at their opponent.
"I'll take that bet. Let's see who has the sturdier web."
Stand Name: Arachne
Stand Master: Ariana
Stats:
-:-
Power: B
Speed: A
Durability: F (when separate) A (when fully formed)
Precision: A
Range: C
Potential: E
-:-
Description: A Colony-type Stand, Arachne manifests as millions of spiders, but can also combine into a singular form. It's spiderwebs are just as durable as Stone Free's string. When separate, the spiders can weave at a crazy amount of speed.
It's eight limbs also give it an extra edge in hand-to-hand, but it is harmless when separate.
"ORA!"
Stone Free launched an attack at Arachne, clipping the other Stand's chin. Ariana, surprised when blood shot out of her chin, began running along a strand of web.
"Spiderwebs are actually quite durable you know! The only reason we can break them is because they're small! The power of spiders is nothing to scoff at!"
The enemy Stand user adopted a seductive pose.
"They even give me some bombshell clothes, which also function as body armor! So attacking me directly will be more difficult than you think!"
"Is that so?" Narciso said as Stone Free let all of them go. "I'm afraid you haven't been acquainted with my Diver Down!"
The Stand emerged from his back, diving into the floor while grabbing Kyoka by the back of her jacket, yanking her with him. Kyoka yelped as they traveled up a support beam.
"What are you doing you maniac?!"
"Simple Future-sister-in-law Kyoko! I'm using you to stun this bitch!" Narciso said with with a smirk, and Diver Down tossed a screaming Kyoka at Ariana.
"THAT'S NOT MY FUUCKING NAAAAAAME!"
"You threw an ally at me?!"
Ariana took a step back as Kyoka inserted a jack into a wrist amplifer, and used a sound blast to knock the enemy off of the web.
Arachne separated before Stone Free could land another blow, and a wave of spiders washed over to catch Ariana before she fell.
"I'm afraid my Stand is quite fast, you-"
Diver Down emerged from the spiders, having dove through them. Ariana watched in horror as the Stand raised a fist. Narciso had anticipated it and had planned accordingly, using the spiders to mask his attack.
His Stand is unharmed! I need to defend myself somehow, but if it can just phase through it...
Ariana was suddenly yanked upward, and Narciso looked up in shock.
"Nice strategy! However, my Arachne already had attached a string to my back! As I mentioned, my clothes are made of spiderwebs! I can move myself along my own weave!"
The spiders reformed into a singular being, and Arachne grabbed the piece of string sent it's way by Stone Free. Webs began traveling down the sting, and Stone Free cried out as webs began wrapping it from the inside out.
Jolyne seethed, her movement severely impaired, as Arachne's eight legs prepared to launch a beatdown.
Except Dark Shadow slammed into it.
"Adriana has made contact with Jolyne Kujo's group, I take it?"
On the wall was a man suspended by cables, skinny, to the point of being frail. His skin lacked any pigmentation, and on his bald head was a metal plate.
His jaw was replaced by a speaker, which he proceeded to speak out of.
"Yes, she has engaged them in combat. Analysis indicates she is winning, although the female that goes by Kyoka Jiro is preparing a counterattack."
"Ah, is that so? Keep an eye on her Y2K, I want to see what makes her so special." The shadow in the corner said with a nonchalant smirk. "As for our resident Nomu...you'll get what's yours."
The creature in the corner made a noise, before standing to it's full height, snarling.
"Patience...you're lucky I managed to restore your free will, but keep in mind you no longer possess a human soul." The shadow said, holding up a hand to restrain the Nomu. "A Nomu retaining a soul isn't impossible of course, if the individual has the will to persist, but they are simply Frankenstein monsters."
"Why did you convince that Shigaraki guy to send that Nomu over here anyway?" Another individual asked, adjusting a purple beanie.
"Because The Banshee retained it's original self's hatred, and it's the perfect psychological weapon. Ariana will lose the fight...but winning was never her goal. As long as she fulfills her intended purpose...then all will be right."
The man in the purple beanie grinned. "Then it's my turn, right Father?"
"Yes...Jolyne Kujo doesn't realize it, but she has delivered Kyoka Jiro to us on a silver platter."
Kyoka narrowed her eyes, trying to find the best time to leap into battle. She was hanging from one of Ariana's threads, ready to drop on the enemy at any moment.
The attack feels almost unprovoked...could this have to do with my enemy? The one that knows my name?
No...she challenged Jolyne, unless it was with the intent to-
Kyoka's eyes widened as a pattern in the spiders began to present itself. The Stand always reformed itself to combat Jolyne, but it separated from the other two...
Yet, it wasn't touching Kyoka herself.
That's when she got an idea.
This spider asshole is ignoring me, which means they must have something planned for me. I'm her real target, she's just keeping the others busy until I make my move! I see her game now!
Kyoka's grip tightened on the strand of web keeping her aloft above the spider swarmed deck, and she began to regulate her breathing.
You said it yourself when you were taunting Narciso...you are connected to this web. Your clothes are connected to this web, and a spiderweb has to be connected to itself in order to stay up.
In other words, I'm actually the one who holds all the cards in this fight!
Hamon traveled through the webbing, causing it to loosen around Jolyne, and tighten around Ariana.
"YAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"
The enemy's clothes began tightening around her, cutting off her air flow. Ariana began gagging, clutching at her clothes, just as Jolyne broke herself free.
"By charging one hand with positive Hamon, and one with negative Hamon, I can manipulate your web how I please!" Kyoka said with a grin. "Which was why I was able to...'free' Stone Free, and trap you!"
"You...I...underestimated...I...!" Ariana choked out, her clothes tightening even more.
"Shouldn't have let it slip that your clothes were part of the web!" Kyoka yelled, and Ariana's eyes formed a glare.
"You..."
*RIP!*
A butt naked Ariana landed on the deck in front of a beet red Tokoyami, and kicked the blushing hero student in the face. There was a look of insanity on the enemy's face now.
"HOW DARE YOU! DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD I WORKED ON THAT DRESS?! YOU LITTLE SNARKY BITCH, HOW DARE YOU RUIN MY DESIGNER DRESS! I'LL RIP YOUR FUCKING THROAT OUT!"
Kyoka was avoiding making any sort of glance at the enemy, her cheeks a light shade of pink. "Hurry up and put on something that's actually decent."
"IT WAS DECENT! IT WAS MY BEST WORK!" The spiders instantly wove a new, much tackier dress over their user. "LOOK AT WHAT YOU MADE ME DO, WEARING SUCH PLAIN CLOTHES! I'LL TEAR OUT YOUR EYEBALLS AND FASHION THEM INTO A NECKLACE!"
"Yare yare dawa, this lady is nuts." Jolyne commented.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I apologize!" Kyoka mockingly bowed her head after dropping down from the web, standing in front of the Stand User. "I mean, hey...I honestly think I was doing you a favor, that dress really didn't suit you."
"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!"
Ariana summoned a livid Arachne, and the giant spider began weaving a web all around Kyoka, and Kyoka only. It was so fast, the others didn't have time to react.
"KYOKA!" Jolyne screamed, trying to punch through the webbing.
"IT'S NO USE!" Ariana screamed...also crawling along the webbing like a creepy goblin. "SPIDER SILK IS INCREDIBLY STRONG! I ALREADY CREATED SEVERAL LAYERS!"
Yes! I have you trapped in a cocoon Kyoka Jiro! There is no way you can escape! I don't care what my orders are, I'll make myself a new stylish red dress...WITH YOUR BLOOD!
Kyoka watched as the walls of the cocoon got narrower and narrrower, covering up the top and blocking out the sun. Arachne peeled through the web, along with Ariana, slowly advancing upon her.
"Nowhere to run Jiro...you never should have destroyed my precious dress! You never should have even come to this boat, but for some reason my master wanted you here! Well, I don't care what he thinks anymore...any last words before I tear you apart?"
"Yeah, plug your ears."
"Huh?!"
*BOOM!*
The entire cocoon began to glow, Kyoka had her toe on the wall of it, and now was transferring Hamon from it and into the cocoon itself. She formed an 'X' with her arms, and began firing off Hamon-infused sound blasts.
"ACOUSTIC OVERDRIVE! This was based off of Mr. Joestar's Hamon Hair Attack, but with my personal flair! Since my jacks are able to combine the sound of my heartbeat with Hamon, I used your cocoon to create an ECHO CHAMBER!"
*BOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOMBOOM!*
Kyoka repeatedly fired off sound attacks, her headphones keeping her from being exposed to the cacophony of noise being unleashed, but Ariana wasn't so lucky. Sound blasts hit her from all sides, the Hamon attacks leaving sizzling ripple marks on her flesh.
The webs shook and unraveled, and Kyoka stood triumphant as Ariana fell to her knees, covered in ripple-shaped burns.
"That takes care of you. Alright...is everyone oka-"
Kyoka paused, her eyes widening in disbelief.
I'm...in a completely different place! It's so dark down here...am I on the lower levels?!
"Hehehe...my...spiders...carried you away from your friends...I...did my part." A smoking Ariana said with a shaky smile, her tired, ripple-marked face seeming relaxed. "You're...finished you fucking tramp...what he has planned for you..."
"Where did you take me?! Who has a plan for me?!"
"I can't hear you...you blew...out my eardrums with that echo chamber technique..."
Ariana struggled to her feet, Arachne forming behind her.
"But...as my final act of servitude...I may as well make it easier for him!"
"DORARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARAAAAAAAAAAH!"
Kyoka's jacks lashed Ariana to the ground, knocking her out for good this time. There was a chill in the air, and it was only growing colder.
I'm...alone.
In a haunted ship...
Fear began to take root in Kyoka's heart as the full weight of what had just happened came rushing to her like a bullet train. Already, she thought she could see figures moving in the darkness, already, she was looking for something lurking in the old doorways.
Kyoka:
I'm afraid of ghosts.
Funny Valentine gave me the fucking creeps when he was dead, and that may have contributed to my grudge against him.
Well, besides the fact that he tried to murder the love of my life and the brother I never had in cold blood.
Still, I fucking hate ghosts. Just knowing that something could be watching me without me very hearing or seeing them, something that could be evil too...it really freaks me out. I hate horror stuff with a burning passion.
I know I act tough...but...I hold a lot of fear.
Fear of ghosts, fear of the enemy...
Fear that...my friends and I might not get the bright future we so desperately want. What if our dreams die before we ever realize them? What if we won't even live past 17?
When I met Patch, the alternate version of me that lost everything...her (my?) story scared me more than anything else...because it could happen. It DID happen.
The Barge...especially what happened next, put my fear to the test.
Kyoka stepped into the dark hallway, keeping a lid on her anxiety as she attempted to find some sort of light source. She passed by cell blocks, isolation cells by the looks of them, until she came upon a staircase.
Right then, she was struck with a paralyzing wave of fear. Sweat rolled down her face as her pupils shrank to the size of pins, and her breath caught in her throat.
This...feeling...it feels like...I...I can't move!
What is this?! Why am I breaking out in goosebumps?! It...
It feels like someone stuck an icicle up my ass!
Kyoka felt around in her jacket, and slowly pulled out the Hand of Glory. There was no imminent danger in sight, which could only mean it wasn't something a Quirk user couldn't see with the naked eye.
Shakily pulling out a lighter, she brought it to the candle in the mummified hand, and lit it.
A figure was standing on the staricase, watching her.
Tears formed in her eyes as the figure let out a chuckle, orange/red eyes gleaming in amusement. Blond hair and a red cape blew behind him, and he was wearing a black jacket, with orange patterns on it, with black roses lining the sleeves.
"Kyoka Jiro, we finally meet." DIO said with his confident smirk, stepping into the light. "Let's have a chat, shall we?"
"KYOKAAA!" Jolyne yelled into the hallways, concern written all over her face. Running into the cell blocks, she could only search in a panic.
"Jolyne! Stop it, the enemy could still be nearby!" Narciso hissed.
"That bitch took her away! I'm not losing track of her!" Jolyne snapped.
"I get it, your brother loves her-"
"I love her too!"
Narciso blinked, and then narrowed his eyes. "What? Why?"
"WHY?! Do you know how much that girl has done for my family?!"
She remembered it well, when she had a bit of a meltdown over telling Johnny she was getting married, and she busted up her hands punching her mother's grave...
Kyoka treated her wounds, took her by the hand, and told her she'd watch over Johnny. The sincerity in the musician's eyes, the resolve, and the love...Jolyne couldn't help but find a bit of love for her.
It was as though Kyoka was already her sister.
"I'm not resting until I know she's safe! I-"
Jolyne's jaw dropped, followed by a blank look of fear.
"No...this presence..."
"Jolyne?!"
"It's like I'm feeling the priest again...no...something worse than the priest...oh my God...DIO! IT'S DIO!" Jolyne yelled, punching the wall. "Of fucking course! He infiltrated this place when he was alive, why wouldn't he be involved with it's fucking reappearance?! We...oh...oh..."
The puzzle pieces began fitting together in Jolyne's mind as she began realizing what DIO's plan was.
"A bunch of bad things...happening all at once...the Rake, the page...this...it's...it's all him! The recording where Kyoka's last name was heard...SHE'S HIS TARGET! WE FELL RIGHT FOR HIS TRAP!"
"Now that we have finally met, I'm curious...what do you think is the best way to achieve happiness?" DIO asked, calmly. "A bright future where all of your friends are happy too, I'd imagine? Does imagining such a fairy tale ending bring you pleasure to cope with your reality?"
Kyoka was unable to move.
"Relax! I simply want to talk." DIO said with a smirk, strolling down the stairs. "You should be thankful you ran into me, and not the Banshee. That Nomu has an agenda of it's own."
A NOMU?!
"Heheheheh...ah, the look of terror on your face, go ahead and speak! Let's have a conversation! I'm sure you have plenty to ask me." DIO said, spreading his arms wide. "Tell me, what is your definition of happiness? I genuinely want to know."
"Why...would my opinion matter to you?" Kyoka asked slowly, her eyes never leaving the ghost. The Hand of Glory was shaking, along with her own hand.
"Because...the Joestars love you. You were welcomed into their family with open arms, so I want to see what they see in you. Come now, I won't bite."
"Coming from a vampire?"
"Ah yes, I heard you have quite the mouth on you."
Kyoka fumbled for the right words to say, as the Joestar Family's sworn enemy, someone far worse than AFO could ever hope to be, almost seemed to be toying with her.
"I...think that happiness is something you earn after going through hardship, it's an achievement. Why the hell are you asking me this?!"
DIO simply shrugged, and began pacing around her.
"Well, in reality Jiro...people are only happy when they attain peace of mind. Only when there are no worries can someone be content with their lives. Every action one can take pertains to this simple fact. Seeking fame, power, fortune...justice...all of it is simply to attain peace of mind."
Kyoka's jacks picked up the sound of approaching footsteps...
Behind her, boxing her in.
Am I being surrounded?
"You see Jiro...you came to this boat, because you wanted peace of mind. Hearing your name on that tape must've been stressful for you, was it not?"
"You..you kn-"
"I know? Jiro, I set the whole thing up!" DIO said with a sadistic smile, taking pleasure in her fear. "Did you really think I would actually let people have evidence that I was here in 1988, if I had not wanted someone to see it?"
Kyoka heard more footsteps, and her knees began wobbling. She was truly terrified.
"Yes...I made sure Hawks found it! I made sure that those investigators escaped with a recording, because I knew your name was captured on it! I knew it would draw you here, because you wanted peace of mind!"
"But...WHY ME?!" Kyoka screamed, panicking.
"I said it before, the Joestars love you. You're family to them...they value you quite a bit. Which...is why you are the crowning jewel, the cherry on top, of my overall plan."
DIO stood up to his full height, towering over her with a sinister aura like no other.
"A calamity has struck the land, all according to my design! Your friends are suffering as we speak, and when they finally see you again, you won't be you."
"WHAT?! I-"
Super Mario appeared in front of her at that instant. Kyoka was so disoriented, she almost didn't register that a Nintendo character had suddenly shown up.
"M-Mario?! What the hell?! What is all of..."
The purplette's breath caught in her throat as she saw her own body lying lifeless on the ground, the candle on the Hand of Glory flickering out.
Then, she began to get up.
"You see Jiro...you aren't anything special. You're a dime a dozen ally of the Joestars, destined for the water tower." The other Kyoka said with a grin, her eyes briefly flashing red. "However, thanks to my son, Ungalo, and his Stand Bohemian Rhapsody, YOUR BODY IS NOW MINE!"
:)
