Dumpstertrashfire123: Yeah, there was a lawsuit over that, wasn't there?
Delrosario: Yup!
Brendeandelagarza: It's insane honestly.
Monster King: Thanks!
Bearticguy7: That would be funny, but the meteorite is actually not in Japan at all. It could happen in a different plot though.
KuJo Stories: Shit.
Euphoria: An interesting idea, but I'm not sure if that could happen with what I have planned for them. I'll see what I can do though.
Jpx0999: A valid reaction.
BryanV2: Don't worry, I'll be sure to leave plenty of clues. The meteorite plot is going to be interesting,...let's just say it'll include some worldbuilding.
Kasumi Kenshiro: The flow of Calamity is weakened...but not done.
Ali The Pliers: Yes, but I'm planning to do a bit more with him, hence why I introduced him a bit earlier.
So, I've decided to call this the Work Study Arc,because while it IS the Endeavor Agency Arc's equivalent, I will be exploring different agencies, especially the Morioh Agency so we can see more about how Josuke mentors Johnny and , as well as some much needed appearances from Part 4...and possibly Part 8 characters.
Both Endeavor and Shoto will be major players, and Kira will be making an appearance or two.
Running alongside it will be the Lost Meteorite Arc, which will be Joseph's turn in the spotlight. There will be a main antagonist for this one, but not for the Work Study Arc. I'm taking some inspiration from Indiana Jones for this one.
*Side Note: Not an action-heavy chapter, but it is still important.
Revenge is a dish best served cold.
The man in the shadows believed that wholeheartedly, and he sure as hell wanted it. He was wronged, humiliated, TWICE.
However, he had a plan, and that was to head over to Morioh. There...two of the kids that humiliated him will be interning with Josuke Higashikata...and then he could strike.
He was sure Lord DIO would enjoy that, he had heard that the girl, Kyoka Jiro, was responsible for ruining the poltergeist's grand Calamity Plan, how her victory had started a chain reaction that broke the plan apart, allowing Gyro Zeppeli to deal the finishing blow.
In a way, he was taking revenge for his master too.
However, truth be told he didn't care if DIO wanted her dead or alive, he was doing this for himself. He would make them cry in despair, begging him for mercy, as he stomped all over their little faces.
Picking up a sharpened axe, the villain opened the door, adjusting his half-moon glasses. Stepping out into the light, Alessi adjusted his pigtails, and smiled...overjoyed at what was to come.
"Very good!"
"So, what we have here, is a meteorite that is just like the one that the Stand Arrows are made from." Joseph said, circling the photograph with red marker. He was using the whiteboard in 1A's classrom. "Which means that at least...20 more Stand Arrows could be made from this thing, and that is a VERY rough estimate."
Toshinori Yagi cleared his throat, disturbed. "In other words, we need to find that thing before those potential arrows can be made."
"It's worse." Jotaro said. "You can make more than just arrows...try bullets, pocket knives, small razor blades...you could hide that shit in a kid's candy on Halloween to create Stand Users. At least with the arrows, they're big enough to track."
"The fact that Hermit Purple gave me this photograph means that it's something we'll have to worry about. It means that someone other than us is aware of it, and likely doesn't have noble intentions with it." Joseph added, scratching his newly grown beard. "I wonder if it's that new guy that has taken Kars' mantle..."
The new Stranger was concerning to say the least. His goals were unknown, his identity was a mystery just like the original, and his abilities were also a matter of question. If the Stranger's goal was to get his hands on the meteorite, that could spell trouble, since it was very clear that he was brimming with malice.
Stand Arrows in the Stranger's hands...could be catastrophic.
"Young Midoriya said that the Stranger felt familiar...but, most of the kids' enemies are either dead, catatonic, or reformed. Santana is the only one who could potentially be behind this...but that just doesn't seem in character for him." Tohisnori said, narrowing his eyes. "Could one of them...have faked their death in some way? Or were they somehow resurrected like Valentine?"
"As far as we know, no power is truly capable of resurrecting the dead. Most of them have been considered dead for a while...and Valentine was a special case due to his D4C." Jotaro responded.
"Didn't you bring Mr. Joestar back to life in Egypt?"
"My body had only been dead for a few minutes. I got a blood transfusion and CPR in the nick of time, so I was able to come back." Joseph explained. "...and, I only came back because I had the resolve to do so."
"Everyone I know who came back from the dead is the same way. Gramps, Okuyasu, Johnny...and recently Kyoka, their body wasn't beyond saving...and they all had the strength of will needed to return." Jotaro added. "If one of their enemies came back from the dead...they were healed in some way, and they have a lot of resolve."
Toshinori nodded, feeling a pang of guilt in his chest. Hearing names of two of his students that, while temporarily, had died...it reminded him of how powerless he was to prevent it. His retirement had hurt him, truth be told. Of course, he knew that his time was over, and the personal glory of being the number one hero was never what he wanted.
He wasn't All For One, someone who was obsessed with his glory days and reliving them...he had complete faith in the next generation. OFA was Izuku's Quirk now, his to wield, and Toshinori accepted that wholeheartedly.
The problem was that he couldn't help. He was basically Quirkless now, with a very, VERY small portion of OFA's remnants still in his frail body. It was the only reason he could still somewhat see Stands, but they were growing fainter by the day...
It was his duty to prepare his successor...no, the whole group surrounding him as well, for the future. To protect them until they become a light of hope, even brighter than him. He was no longer capable of doing that now...he could only offer advice, guidance...
It sucked.
"I suppose...this Stranger could be anyone." He said after a while, deciding not to focus on his dilemma. There were more important matters to discuss. "They have a...a student on their side too..."
Jotaro winced, and sat down at his desk. The grim reality of a student with ill intent couldn't be ignored.
"Yare yare daze...even with DIO's plan being toast...it appears as though Calamity isn't quite done with us yet. The flow...is still dipping towards negative."
"Hold up...Johnny, what the fuck are you thinking?" Gyro asked, confused.
"I said Izuku and Katsuki should go with Endeavor, like Todoroki just suggested."
"Do you remember what Santana said?! He isn't the type of guy to give us a warning like that for no reason!" The Italian said, poking his best friend in the shoulder. "Something is happening with that guy, and it could backfire on US."
"Johnny, I'm sure you have a valid reason...you always do." Kyoka had taken a much gentler approach. "But from the bits and pieces of what Todoroki is willing to share...I'm...a bit confused on why you would want anything to do with that man."
Johnny nodded. It was clear to almost everyone who knew Todoroki, that his father was abusive. Hell, Todoroki was the result of a Quirk Marriage, which was basically a form of selective breeding, and could be considered a human rights violation. It was understandable why his friends were confused about his motive, considering his own past with abuse.
"Don't worry, I'm being rational about this. It's part of a strategy I came up with...I don't intend for us to work with Endeavor...I intend to use him."
Gyro lowered his eyebrows, and rested his face in the palm of his hand. "Alright...that's a little more callous than I expected, but it's understandable. We're using him, huh? What for?"
"You guys know chess, right?"
Gyro and Kyoka both nodded, and Johnny adjusted his weight to face them.
"Endeavor is the knight on our chess board. Knights move in a distinct 'L' shape, and when used correctly, we can use them to get behind enemy lines, opening path to our opponent's king. Endeavor has an incredibly high status in our society, and we can use that to our advantage."
"I...think I understand." Kyoka said, and met her boyfriend's eyes. "You're using Endeavor to circumvent the traitor."
"Exactly. With someone like Endeavor close by, the traitor will be more afraid to act. Endeavor could have every hero in Japan looking for them on a dime. This will force the Stranger to use other methods, that could expose his identity." Johnny explained. "We maneuver our knight around the pawn, forcing the opposing king into a potential checkmate."
"The question is, what other pieces does The Stranger have? Does he have any that could block the knight?" Gyro asked. "It's a solid plan Johnny, but there's so much about this situation that we just don't know. We don't know the traitor's motive or intentions, and forcing them into a corner could lead to the Stranger unveiling himself...but it could also provide the traitor with a way to escape detection."
"That's also true..." Kyoka muttered, leaning back into her chair. They were in the Teacher's Lounge with Jotaro's permission, after helping him dry it off with newspapers and fans. Astronaut In The Ocean had done some damage to to integrity of the building, the water damage was a nightmare. "We're caught between a rock and a hard place, pursue The Stranger...or the traitor..."
"Well, Izuku and Katsuki already took the internship." Johnny replied. "...but that doesn't mean the rest of us can't make ourselves useful."
"So how do we go about exposing them?" Gyro asked. "Go up to each classmate that isn't in the loop and ask: 'Hey, have you worked with All For One recently? How about other strange masked men?'"
"Simple, we gaslightthem." Kyoka replied.
"Says the queen of gaslighting."
"Wrong, I'm the queen of sarcasm, Setsuna Tokage is the queen of gaslighting...herself anyway." The purplette retorted with a smirk. "But...if we start making them believe we're onto them, or even better, we feed them false info, the traitor would behave irrationally right? If we make them believe their cover is about to be blown..."
"They'll blow their cover for real." Johnny finished, grinning. "You're wonderfully devious sometimes Kyoka."
"What can I say? I've got talent."
"It looks like we've got a plan then." Gyro said, juggling a steel ball. "Great, I'll let Momo know and see what she thinks, she'll probably iron out any details we've missed."
"Speaking of plans...we should probably head over to our own work studies, Josuke may be a casual guy, but he'll kill us if we're late." Kyoka said, standing up and stretching. "He wants to help me train my new jacks as much as possible, so we're likely in for a rough one today."
"He takes our growth seriously...have you noticed anything...off about him lately?" Her boyfriend asked, as the question had been lingering in the back of his mind for a while now.
"...yeah, he seems a bit nervous about something."
Kyoka couldn't help but wonder if it had anything to do with what went down when DIO possessed her. From what Jotaro was willing to share...DIO had a little too much fun tormenting Josuke with her body. Something like that would be traumatic for just about anyone...
"I hope he's okay."
"I AM NOT OKAY!"
"Josuke, calm down." Giorno said.
"The kid is due soon dammit! Only a few months! I don't know if I can do this, do I even have what it takes to BE a father?!" Josuke slammed his head against the front door of the Morioh Protection Agency, groaning. "I'm so nervous...I haven't even told the rest of the family yet..."
"...have you talked with the mother?"
"Yes! She...really is nice, she completely understands my point of view. Honestly, I think I'm genuinely falling for her a bit." Josuke said with a nervous grin. "It's just...I've dedicated my life to protecting Morioh...and now I have a family to worry about, and I didn't necessarily have a father to learn from."
"She and I are on the same page...but Josuke, it's okay to tell the family." Giorno replied, putting a hand on his...nephew's (?) shoulder.
"I...I don't want to seem like I am making the same mistake my father did. Don't get me wrong, I don't hold it against the old man anymore...but..."
"If I understand, they will too, and they'll offer you support. That's what family is for." Giorno explained. "We stick together, for the first time in over a century...the Joestars are a united front. We are no longer scattered...so why not take advantage of that?"
"I...don't want to do this with handouts. I know you all would help, and I love each and every one of you for that." Josuke replied, gripping Giorno's arm. "...but I want to do this with my own sweat and blood too...for my child to get all the love that my father didn't have the opportunity to give me."
*BAM!*
"OI JOSUKE! YOU AIN'T GONNA BELIEVE THIS!"
Okuyasu Nijimura ran into the room, out of breath. Josuke waited for his best friend to regain his footing before he posed his question. "Alright Okuyasu, what is it?"
"I...ugh...I found something lying in the street!"
"Wow Okuyasu...congratulations, you're doing your duty as a hero, one piece of litter at a time." Josuke said with a sarcastic dig at his friend.
"Oh come on, don't be an asshole! Look! It's a wallet!"
"Ooookay, and? Why are you coming to me with it?" Josuke asked, crossing his arms. "Seems like a pretty simple job, finding the owner of a lost wallet, don't you think? It's not like it's a Stand Battle-"
"It IS a Stand Battle!" His friend burst into tears. "I just keep getting more and more money, and I can't even spend any of it, I just get more! Picking up this wallet was some sort of trigger!"
"Oh..."
"Look! Look at all this!" Okuyasu began clearing out his pockets, throwing money every which way. "Every time I try and spend some, something happens and I get more back! At this rate I'm gonna starve!"
"...stay here, I'll have Johnny and Kyoka look into it with me when they get here." Josuke said, kneeling down and patting his right hand man on the shoulder. "Giorno, can you let me know if something suspicious happens with him? I'm going off to meet them."
"Yes, of course. Come on Okuyasu, there must be something for you to eat in the break room." Giorno kindly gestured forward, and Okuyasu gratefully scampered after him. "Be careful not to get wrapped up in whatever this is Josuke...I have a bad feeling about this one."
"Don't worry, how bad could it be?"
Curses.
Throughout history, within many mythological or historical accounts there have been reports of curses. Curses are supernatural afflictions that occur as a result of actions, or simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
The Wendigo is a prime example of such a legend, being a curse that affects those who succumb to greed or hunger. Gyro and Hawks had encountered one in The Forest, and almost died to it. It occurs when one cannibalizes on sacred ground, in North America. With The Forest existing in multiple places at once, one was able to appear.
Calamity itself is not a curse, simply a function of the universe, although curses more or less are a part of it.
They exist for one very simple and explainable reason:
They are Stands, 9 times out of 10 with posthumous activation.
Cheap Trick is a more recent example of a Cursed Stand, hopping from user to user, killing the user once someone gazes upon their back. If not for the quick thinking of Rohan Kishibe, it would have claimed victims forever, dooming all who dared to look.
Okuyasu hadn't realized it until it was too late, but he had just fallen under one of these curses.
"HERMIT PURPLE!"
Joseph sent his Stand to wrap around his television, all while Toshinori was staring at the picture of the meteorite.
"You know, if the wrong people got their hands on this...not only would the amount of Stand Users increase...this could cause an international incident...maybe even an Arms Race of sorts. Everyone would want a piece of rock for themselves."
The TV flickered to life, and for the briefest moment there was a snippet of blond hair, before it began buzzing.
"I couldn't agree more...hey, why are you following me around anyway?" Joseph asked, raising an eyebrow at the former OFA user.
"Oh! Uh...emotional support?"
"...okay?"
"..."
"..."
"...I'm bored, alright?"
Joseph turned back towards the TV, and watched closely. There had to be a clue about the meteorite, they couldn't start looking for it without some sort of clue. They needed a starting point, and Joseph could only hope his Stand could give it to him.
"You..."
"Do you think there could be a-"
"SHHHHHHHHHH!"
The TV crackled, and began cycling through channels, forming a single word:
"Ever-"
"-est."
"...you're shitting me right?"
The TV switched to a rerun of Revenge of the Sith.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
"It's on...Everest? The mountain?" Toshinori asked, sweatdropping.
"No, the insurance company, YES THE MOUNTAIN!" Joseph exclaimed, easing his hands up in the air. "How the hell are we supposed to climb Everest for this?! Please tell me it isn't far up...Hermit Purple, is it far up?"
"Top."
"...yep, that checks out. Definitely not putting the kids through that...it'll have to be yours truly."
Joseph began dialing a number in his phone, and held it up to his ear. He was calling the Speedwagon Foundation to let them know of the discovery, and to hopefully get a ride and some supplies for what was sure to be a grueling climb.
Of all the locations, it was the tallest mountain in the world.
It made sense, why it was never found until a Stand capable of such a thing did it's magic...who would suspect that an ancient meteor holding untold power would be hiding somewhere beneath Everest's peaks?
Whoever was after said meteor, apparently.
"Mr. Joestar, what can we do for you?"
"Is there anybody crazy enough to follow me up Mount Everest?"
"...I...uh...I suppose I should have expected a response like that, hold on for one moment."
"What do you mean you won't take the wallet back?" Kyoka demanded, gesturing with said wallet. "It's your Stand, right? This thing is a pain in the neck for us."
An old homeless man, the original owner of said wallet, shook his head.
"I'm not a Stand User...I just have a Quirk that can create marbles from my snot, see?"
The old man blew a snot rocket, and tossed a marble at her. Kyoka squeaked and narrowly avoided said marble, and then glared at him.
"Okay, so why target Okuyasu with this thing?"
"In all honesty, I didn't really target anyone. I just dropped it, hoping someone wouldn't return it. It's a curse, you just keep earning more and more money, no matter what you do." The old man stated. "I used to have a job, a loving wife...I've shouldered this burden for so long, trying to get someone to take it from me...but everyone in this side of the neighborhood has gotten wise to it."
"Dude...how long have you had this?"
"Three weeks."
"You lost your job and your wife in three weeks?"
"...well, no. The reason I got the curse was because I was desperate...and I swiped that wallet from the guy that was previously carrying this burden. I should've known he wanted me to do it...but I was punished for my greed."
Kyoka shared a look with her boyfriend, who in turn looked at Josuke. Their mentor scratched the side of his head, humming in thought.
"Well, this stinks. We can't just force the curse onto this guy again, that would just be cruel."
"Well-"
"Jonathan." Kyoka said, giving Johnny a brief glare.
"Joking."
"Excuse me Miss...you dropped this." A sweet old lady said, suddenly appearing behind Kyoka and pressing some money into her palm. She then tottered off without a word, leaving Kyoka at a loss for words.
"I never carry money in my hero costume...shit, the curse passed onto me because I took the wallet from Okuyasu!"
"Now you have to pass it on to someone else in order to get rid of it, that's simply the way it works." The old man said with a sympathetic look.
Kyoka looked at the wallet with an annoyed expression...
"Johnny, Josuke...hot potato."
"Wha-? Kyoka!"
Kyoka chucked the wallet at her boyfriend, and he caught it, and threw it to Josuke. His uncle made a sound as he juggled the wallet, and then managed to smack it back towards Kyoka.
The old man watched them with a confused expression, as they fought over who was going to take on the curse.
"I can't take this shit! I have a meeting in an hour!" Josuke protested, tossing the wallet.
"Well, don't you think it's selfish to force a curse onto children?!" Johnny retorted, backhanding the wallet towards Kyoka.
"Huh, some gentleman you are Johnny Kujo!"
"You started this!"
Crazy Diamond snatched the wallet, and Josuke held a hand up, silencing his two interns.
"Alright, clearly this isn't going anywhere. We need to find somewhere to dump this wallet, so this curse won't affect anyone else. No...we need to find someone...otherwise it would just make it's way back to us with even more useless cash."
"Well who? I don't feel comfortable giving it to anyone who isn't a massive piece of shit." Kyoka said with a huff. "So as funny as it would be, we shouldn't give it to Rohan."
"Shit, she read my mind..."
"CONGRATULATIONS!"
"Huh?" Josuke went pale as some guy in a suit handed him a large check. "HUH?!"
"You have been selected, out of everyone in this crowd, for our 500 million yen cash prize! Aren't you lucky!"
"...yaaaay...so luckyyyy..." Josuke said, biting his lower lip. The curse that was afflicting them just shouldered him with 500 million yen, all of which he could have to push onto someone to escape it.
"We...are so fucked." Kyoka muttered, while the old man shrugged and began walking off.
Behind Josuke, a figure appeared. An orange/beige-colored Stand with a hole through it's head, and triangular patterns across it's body held the check along with Josuke...the Stand that was the source of this curse.
It lacked any defining facial features, but it exuded an aura of bitterness and hatred. It was malicious by it's very nature, and just from being near it, Josuke could tell that it had a bloody history...
Yeah, they were in deep shit.
"Well, that's not good. The previous owner was a victim you say?" Momo asked, and Gyro could hear Johnny's grumbling over the phone. "How much money are you being...oh dear...it keeps piling up, it's almost as if the money is duplicating...be careful you three, I'll look into it."
"We can't leave those nincompoops alone for even a second."
"True...but they're our nincompoops." Momo responded with a smile.
"Heh, true. Hey, where are you interning anyway?" Gyro asked.
"Oh! With Majestic...although it's a bit of a slog to be honest." Momo admitted. "He's not exactly keen on letting me do things...and his other intern is someone I'm not particularly fond of."
"Who?"
"Tokage."
"Ah...working with your best friend's rival would be a little awkward..." Gyro said, grimacing. "Has she pestered you at all?"
"No, she's very friendly with me." Momo said with a frown. "She isn't trying to compensate for being mean to Kyoka either, other than that whole situation...she seems to be genuinely pleasant, which is very puzzling for me."
"What is it about Kyoka, other than being interested in her boyfriend, that sets Tokage off then?"
"My guess is pride." Momo responded. "She's...actually a bit timid nowadays, I think her fight with Kyoka legitimately shattered her confidence. With Kyoka sporting new jacks on top of that...she's been knocked down quite a few pegs. My guess is...deep down, she didn't want to lose to Kyoka, so she used circumstantial evidence to justify those feelings."
"I see...well, the why doesn't really matter at the end of the day, she deserved it." Gyro said, crossing his arms.
He had already heard from Kendo that Setsuna had fallen into a depressive slump after her defeat, the look on her face after Kyoka bashed her face in also made that clear. To hear that the previously confident and somewhat flirtatious hero student was now a bit timid...
He felt bad for 1B, but not for her. She was a pillar for their class, and she was knocked down. It probably had a ripple effect on their moods, and likely also strengthened the rivalry between classes.
However, Setsuna had it coming, and it really couldn't have been avoided. It needed to happen, she needed to be toppled by Kyoka, because otherwise whatever the hell her grudge was about would have only gotten stronger. She would have only grown more sure of herself.
"Ah! There's a report about this!"
"Hm?"
"The curse. Apparently, a young woman had accumulated quite a bit of wealth in such a short time...people were wondering how she did it. Apparently she 'destroyed a bill', and they were duplicating, I was right!" Momo scrolled through the article on her laptop, using Exodus' systems to dig through the evidence. "However, she...she died. This thing actually killed her a few weeks later...it piled up so much money that she suffocated in it..."
"Shit..."
"They say it is a rogue Automatic Stand, and the legend has it that an arms dealer went insane after losing his entire fortune...and killed his entire family in a housefire, and then himself...the only thing remaining being a single bill with the serial number '13R.' It's an urban legend in Morioh, recent too...they call it the Milagro Man. It seems as though, if the legend is true...this Stand was created by the slaughter and his suicide, and punishes those for their greed."
"Yep...a modern day curse. Does the article say how to get rid of it?"
"Well, it's a forum post by PinkDarkBoyLover99...so I'm not entirely sure it's accurate, but it says to trick someone into taking a damaged bill, and all the money will be transferred over to them." Momo said, and forwarded the post to Kyoka. "I'm asking them to check the serial numbers...just to be sure that I found the right thing."
Kyoka soon messaged her back.
Ears: All '13R', you're right on the money.
"Nyo ho! 'Right on the money!' That's a good one!" Gyro said with a smirk.
Kyoka dragged the big pile of money, grunting as she stopped to take a breath. She had taken off her jacket to carry it, as there was too much to carry by hand.
"This is getting fucking ridiculous."
"You know, I could try erasing it." Okuyasu offered, having come back to help once he calmed down. "The Hand can get rid of anything, I'm sure-"
"More money would just take it's place...fuck you Milagro Man, just fuck you."
"What's weird is that we've never heard of this thing before. It's been around for at least a while, maybe a few months, considering it has an urban legend status...you'd think we'd know about it since we know the town like the back of our hands." Josuke said, stewing.
"Well...Morioh isn't as small as it was in 1999, the town border has expanded quite a bit, especially since it's local hero is the best healer in Japan." Johnny replied, taking the jacket from Kyoka to take on the burden of the curse, much to her gratitide. "It might even be considered a city soon."
"Yeah...still, this Milagro Man is a very dangerous Stand in the long term, it's user is also long dead...so killing the Stand is out of the question, especially since we see it's ability more than the Stand itself." Josuke said with a grimace. "So why weren't we notified by its victims, or bystanders?"
That's when a masked man appeared around the corner, and stopped to look at them with wide eyes. He was holding two bags...a duffle bag, and a clear plastic bag filled with a familiar white powder.
"Why hello there...Mr. Drug Dealer...kids, get him."
The man squealed and tossed the duffle bag at them, but a jack struck the bag, ripping it in half. Tusk shot through the torn fabric and grabbed the man by the back of his neck, forcing him to the ground.
"Wow...they're fast." Okuyasu commented.
"They're my babies." Josuke replied, proudly grinning.
Money spilled to the ground...the duffle bag was full of it.
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"What?" The drug dealer asked from the ground, confused. Milagro Man appeared in front of them, the hole in it's face rendering any form of expression or speech impossible...but they knew what it was saying:
"You can't escape me."
It then disappeared, leaving them all glaring at it. They had to find a way to divert it's curse onto someone else, someone who deserved it...before it's curse crushed them under its endless wealth.
"...fuck you Milagro Man." Kyoka muttered.
Izuku examined the massive scar on his chest, grimacing. Kars had almost sliced him down the middle...and now he had more blemishes on his body to add to the collection. This was the only one that wasn't self-inflicted though.
His reddened arms had scars that almost looked like a flame, traveling down to his fingertips. They still twinged once and a while, and his fingers occasionally twitched, but he was slowly recovering.
That's what happens when you do a 100% United States of Smash on an unkillable god when your body isn't ready for that yet.
He couldn't get his mother's reaction out of his head. The way she burst into tears...and not in the normal way. These were the tears of a mother who's child had just been mauled, every scar hurt her more than it hurt him. They were ugly, a permanent reminder of failing to control his heart, like the 5th user had instructed him to do.
So, Izuku had finally çome to the conclusion that he was a complete moron.
He zipped up the top half of his hero costume, and pressed a button, the gold wrappings of Mid-Gauntlet curling around his scars, hiding them from the world once more.
'...I can't help but wonder...Kacchan once called OFA a curse. Did he mean that because the Quirk itself is dangerous...or did he mean it's USERS?
There's almost this obsession with duty that each of us had, duty over ourselves, fighting to put down one of the biggest villains to ever exist. While that's part of being a hero...I rushed away from my friends because I thought AFO was attacking...and I ran into someone that no Quirk could ever compete with, and I paid the price.'
Why was such a burden always only carried by one person? Even the name, One For All, suggested solitude...and while All Might and the other users had allies, they almost always fought AFO alone.
Which was probably the main reason AFO won 7/8 of those fights.
Izuku understood the fear that came with the Quirk, he truly did. Nana Shimura attempted to have a family, but AFO immediately targeted her husband...which led to the creation of Tomura Shigaraki in the long run. That fear...led to her grandson becoming one of the nastiest villains in Japan, in line to succeed AFO...although Izuku had a feeling someone as selfish as AFO didn't really want to be succeeded...he wanted something much darker than that.
Just like every other user of OFA before him, he had the nasty habit of facing the villain alone. Muscular, Santana (briefly), Nine, and now Kars. How many times would he make this mistake before he was killed?
'Doing the same thing over and over again while expecting a different result...the definition of insanity. I need to stop trying to do everything on my own, I have a whole team of people that formed to help me with my Quirk...but it's become MORE than that.
All For One lost his Quirk, along with whatever sanity he once had...I don't think he even has motor functions anymore. I absolutely despise those Quirk-Erasing bullets...but I don't think there was any punishment more fitting for him other than death.
With All For One like that...this Quirk is deprived of the purpose it was made for. OFA never got the chance to destroy him, so...
I'll give it a better purpose. One For All will no longer exist solely to destroy one man, it's purpose will be grander. I'll use it to fight alongside my friends, to make a better world for us to live in!'
He didn't care what the previous users thought, either. It's not like he needed their Quirks, if they decided to somehow abandon ship since AFO was gone, that was their choice. One For All was his Quirk now, All Might had chosen him, and thus he was the one who ultimately got to choose it's destiny.
His fight with Kars had finally hammered that into his head. His duty was what he wanted it to be, and OFA wouldn't be 'cursed' anymore, not while he had it.
"Oi Deku! Quit daydreaming in there, other people have to use the bathroom!" Katsuki yelled from behind the door.
"Oh! Sorry Kacchan!"
"Are you having introspection again?!"
"...no..."
"Bullshit. I heard the damn muttering!"
"Bakugo, he's free to have flashbacks whenever he wants, it's just one of those anime protagonist moments." Shoto said.
"This isn't an anime, and I have to piss!"
"A good inner monologue never hurt anyone."
Izuku smirked, suppressing a laugh.
At least his new internship was going to be...interesting.
"Finally...vengeance is sweet!"
"Huh?" Kyoka was about to turn around, only for the blade of an axe to be placed near her throat. Alessi's breath brushed up against the back of her neck as he began whispering in her ear.
"Easy now...little girl...you're just going to call out to your boyfriend, alright? Get his attention, but no telling him he's about to be attacked, okay?"
Sethan was slowly traveling across the ground, reaching for Johnny. Kyoka's eyes widened as she realized what was truly happening, and who was threatening her. She slowly turned her head...and Alessi's grinning face was only about a centimeter from her's.
"He is your boyfriend, right? He has to be, I remember how you wailed when I took him from you."
"Alessi...just when I thought our situation couldn't get any uglier."
"Oh ho ho! I've been told you have quite the mouth. Why don't you use it? Call your precious JoJo to me, won't you?"
"So you can blindside him with your Stand? Fat chance...I'm no damsel in distress."
*SHIKT!*
Alessi's axe fell to the ground...as well as two fingers.
The assassin slowly looked down to find that a sword had extended from Kyoka's belt...and skewered off a portion of his hand in it's pathway. She had disarmed him...and disfingered him on top of that.
"However...I'll let you call Johnny instead."
"YEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!" Alessi wailed, holding his mangled hand as he began to sob from the pain. "NAUGHTY GIRL! NAUGHTY NAUGHTY-"
Next thing he knew...he was staring down Tusk. The massive Stand slowly raised a fist, blanketing the much smaller assassin in shadow.
"...is it too late to apologize?"
"ORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORA!"
Alessi was hurled down the street in an instant, crashing into the pole of a street sign, bending it. Blood ran down his forehead as he slumped downwards...unconscious.
"Very...goood..."
"How many times are we going to have to beat up that sadistic pervert before he gets it?" Johnny wondered aloud.
Kyoka picked up their enemy's axe, examining it, and then stuffed the handle in her belt after retracting her sword. "Maybe third times the charm? We haven't seen this fucker in a while, can't believe we forgot about him."
"So this is the guy that's kinda responsible for my dad being restored to his prime, right?" Josuke asked, poking Alessi with a stick. "Honestly? From his looks alone I can tell he's a dirtbag...hey...he's a dirtbag..."
"Someone who we can pass a curse onto...guilt free." Okuyasu said with an evil grin.
The four of them all looked at the unconscious and vulnerable Alessi, sharing Okuyasu's grin.
Alessi woke up, groaning.
"I can't believe it...three times...I was so sure a hostage would work, dammit all! Wait...I'm...not all that hurt."
He still had a fractured rib, and of course his missing fingers, but all in all he wasn't anywhere near as beaten up as he should've been, especially with Tusk's reputation. Still...his hand was fucked, and he wasn't going to let that slide.
"Here I was...banking on Kujo trying to be the hero...I should've known the girl who bested Lord DIO would be full of tricks! 'I'm nO dAmSel in DiStreSs', what a prissy little bitch! I oughta-"
Alessi paused, and picked up a small piece of paper. They had left a note for him...
-:-
Dear Alexis,
-:-
"ALESSI! THE GREAT ALESSI DAMMIT!"
-:-
We just kinda felt bad for you, to be honest. There really wasn't any point in beating you down further, it would've been cruel to do that to someone who is already so down on his luck. So...we decided to be charitable this time around.
Consider this a peace offering, try and turn your life around, live it well, seek the help that you clearly need.
Good Luck,
Johnny Kujo.
P.S. Sorry about your hand, it should be fine, three is a lucky number! -Kyoka Jiro
-:-
Enclosed inside was a single bill.
"...they...gave me money...they had a whole mountain of it...AND THEY GAVE ME ONE MEASLY LITTLE- GRAAAAAAGH I HATE THEM! I HATE THEM I HATE THEM I HATE THEM! Charity my ASS!"
Alessi angrily tore the bill to shreds...and the Milagro Man appeared behind him, ready to begin pursuing it's new, unassuming victim.
Stand Name: [Milagro Man]
Stand User: Unknown Arms Dealer (deceased)
Stand Type: Curse/Automatic
Appearance: Humanoid, beige colored with orange triangles outlining it's body. It has a hole where it's face would be, and two nobs on the side of it's head. It has horn-like structures protruding from it's elbows.
Ability: Monetary Manipulation: Once one of it's bills, with the serial number '13R', has been destroyed, the Stand will unleash it's curse upon the offender. Money will continually find it's way to them, and duplicate, until it overwhelms and kills them. This can take weeks, even months, so the process can be quite excruciating.
It can seemingly influence events in such a way that money finds it's way to the victim, like winning a cash prize or getting handed money you never dropped.
Milagro Man cannot be fought, it can only be passed onto someone else. It is now an urban legend throughout Morioh...always be careful when you pick up money off the street...you never know if the Milagro Man will target you next.
The homeless man looked up to find the group walking towards him, and frowned. "I really wish I could help, but-"
Okuyasu knelt down and produced some money, and the 50-something year old man waved his hands in front of himself. "Wait! Please don't! I really am sorry, I never-"
"Relax man...it's real cash."
The old man looked at the serial number, and realized Okuyasu wasn't bluffing. He fumbled for words to say, and then took the money, his eyes widening once he saw how much. It was enough to get him back on his feet, that was for certain.
"Why?! I...I was the one who gave you that horrible curse! Why would you..."
"I don't hold too many grudges...maybe it's because I'm not the brightest tool in the shed, I dunno...but I would've done the same thing in your shoes. If I had a curse like that, I'd panic."
"You did-" Kyoka began.
"Shhh!"
"Anyway, the Morioh Protection Agency has a fund to help the needy in our town, so we wanted to deliver it to you ourselves." Okuyasu said with a bright smile. "Go and rebuild your life bro, you earned it."
Tears hit the pavement as the homeless man held the money to his chest, blowing out a snot marble in the process. Johnny shuddered as he sidestepped it.
"Thank you...thank you all. I...can finally try and get my medical license back!"
"No problemo...hey, what's your name?" Josuke asked, shaking the man's hand.
"Satoru Akefu."
"Well Satoru...good luck."
The heroes watched the homeless man walking away with his money, and Kyoka turned to her boyfriend with a smile. "...we did a good thing today."
"You're beaming."
"This kind of stuff is why I want to be a hero. He had no hope in his heart...and now he's smiling again." Kyoka replied. "There's nothing else on this Earth...except maybe you, that can give me greater peace of mind."
"I'm just happy we got rid of Milagro Man."
"Fuck Milagro Man, and Alessi...they deserve each other." Kyoka said, and elbowed her boyfriend. "But we both know that you love helping people too, it's that Joestar blood of yours."
"Eh...maybe a bit."
"Deny it all you like, but I can see right through you Johnny Kujo."
Johnny chuckled, and wrapped his arm around her, pulling her in close. The two teens stared at the setting sun...content to just have each other after a really long day of lugging cursed money around, and sticking it to one of their least favorite people.
"Hey Josuke...didn't we have a meeting?"
"...SHIT!"
