Stardust Crusaders PLUS1
Chapter 6
Flight of Fright
A plane had just left Tokyo airport, in there, our group was resting, or at least trying to. This was especially true for Asaki, he still remembered what happened at his house before they left.
When they went to Asaki's home and explained to his mother the situation, or rather, the narrative they wanted to give her, she let him go, but that wasn't all. Asaki's mother, Marta, had immediately gone to his room and made his bag.
"Good lord, you should've said something sooner! Leaving right now with nothing prepared, unbelievable!"
The scolding still echoed in Asaki's head, not because of what she said, but because of why she said it. Most know that parents tend to understand their children, the type of person they are, but this is also true for children, as they grow up, they get to see who their parents are.
Marta's father was always harsh with her and her brothers, this was because of his upbringing, his mother passed away and his father abandoned him and his siblings without warning, this left a mark on him, and that mark was passed to Marta.
She ended up leaving Italy at the age of 18, wanting to leave her household behind and start a new life. Tempted by the American dream, she took a plane to New York, where she lived for 2 years before meeting Asaki's father and leaving for Japan.
From his childhood, Asaki saw his mother's strength, she always had a strong demeanor no matter what, the only time she faltered was when she mentioned her life in Italy. Asaki learned to see those little cracks, one of them being that when she was in a bad mood, she would distract herself by doing chores.
"I'll be fine." When she heard Asaki, she stopped and went to hug him. She acted as if she had already gotten over it, but the loss of one of his sons still affected her.
"I know I can't keep you by my side forever. Asaki, I hope you learn from this experience, even if you're far away, I'll always think of you, OK?"
That's the last thing she said to him before leaving the house.
Back at the plane, Joseph jerked awaked.
"You felt it too?" Jotaro said, he was seated by his side, a single drop of sweat was making his way down his face.
"Yes, DIO just looked at us." Joseph started to look around, Avdol, Kakyoin and Asaki were all asleep. It was night, the plane had hardly any light inside.
"There could be a Stand user on the plane." Joseph whispered.
Before Jotaro could say anything, a buzzing sound started to invade their ears, a zigzagging silhouette of some kind of bug emerged from the front of the plane, it was barely visible in the darkness.
"Is that a fly? No, a beetle?" Jotaro squinted to see any detail.
Suddenly, it disappeared behind one of the seats, the sound stopped.
The silence became deafening, Avdol and Kakyoin opened their eyes as they felt the eerie atmosphere.
"Mr. Joestar, did you feel that?" Avdol looked at the seats behind him, Jotaro and Joseph were already wide awake by this point.
"I didn't just feel it, I saw it." Joseph pointed to the seat where the mysterious bug had disappeared. "A suspicious bug was right there."
Avdol and Kakyoin looked at the seats, other passengers were sleeping, but no matter how hard they looked, there was no bug to be found.
"A bug..." Avdol said quietly, he could have sworn he'd heard something about this mysterious bug.
"What is it Avdol?" Joseph approached him. "Do you know what it is?"
*Bzzzt*
Everyone turned around, the bug had appeared, this time everyone could see him well, a bluish gray stag beetle was quickly approaching the still sleeping Asaki. As it opened its foamy maw, a thooty needle came out, heading for Asaki.
"Gimme a break, trying to pull a fast one on us, aren't you?" Jotaro called Star Platinum, who immediately threw a fist to squash the beetle.
To everyone's surprise, the beetle dodged the attack effortlessly, but the distraction was enough to save Asaki from the attack.
"Such speed, it was fast enough to avoid Star Platinum's attack." Kakyoin couldn't believe it. "That beetle, it must be a Stand!"
"Yes, I'm sure now!" Avdol exclaimed. "I've heard stories of a bug-like Stand that enjoys tearing out people's tongues."
The beetle changed its target, this time aiming for Jotaro, launching its needle directly at his head. Star Platinum tried to stop the attack with his palm, but the sharp teeth cut through it and kept going, but Star Platinum reacted quickly enough and stopped the deadly strike with its teeth. Even after the attack had been blocked, the needle was still slowly making its way through, the dagger-like teeth had already started gnawing at the tip of Jotaro's tongue.
By this time, the noise had awakened Asaki, he slowly opened his eyes, the scene in front of him took away all his drowsiness.
"What the hell is going on?" Asaki rose to his feet.
"We are under attack." Avdol said. "It goes for his tongue, so the stories were true. This stand is the bringer of calamity, Tower of Gray!"
Avdol grabbed his head in disbelief. "I didn't know he had an alliance with the DIO. He operates in secrecy, all his attacks end in mass killings, and not only that, they are always disguised as accidents! There was a plane crash that killed over 300 people, they said it was his doing."
"Mass murders!" Asaki thought, they were already facing such a dangerous enemy.
ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORAAA!
Star Platinum's barrage was blindingly fast, yet Tower of Gray was still able to dodge all of their attacks.
"Hehehe, you could be pointing 10 guns at me a few centimeters away and I would still dodge all of the bullets." The beetle said in a mocking tone. "Not like a gun would hurt a Stand anyways."
"Who is it?" Joseph glanced at all the passengers trying to find anything suspicious. "One of them must be the user!"
The beetle's figure became blurry and disappeared. Nobody could follow its trace.
"Where did it go?" Jotaro looked everywhere.
"Over there, JoJo." Kakyoin pointed to the other row of seats.
The beetle was at the very back of the seats, a malicious laugh came from it.
"No, it's going to-" Avdol's words were cut short, everyone saw how the beetle crashed through the seats, taking the tongues of every passenger with it, their gurgles the last sound they ever made.
"I got the best part." The beetle said joyfully as the tongues remained skewered on its needle. "Now, my goal is to…"
Using the tongues like a grotesque brush, it started to write with the blood of its victims on one of the walls of the plane, the scarlet text said: Massacre.
"Enough!" At Avdol's side stood a phoenix-headed man covered in flames, it was his stand, Magician's Red. "I will burn this bug to ashes."
"Wait, Mr. Avdol. You can't." Kakyoin said.
"What's all that noise?" The group could see an old man waking up next to them. "Can't a man get some sleep?"
He got up looking for the bathroom, as he walked by, he felt a warm liquid fall on his hand. "Hmm, what is that? M... A..."
He saw the letters written on the wall, he read them slowly until he understood the message, he was so shocked that his denture came out.
"D-Don't tell me... is that bloo-" The old man felt a blow to the back of his neck and collapsed, Kakyoin had sent him back to sleep.
"My apologies, but we can't let the others panic." Kakyoin went to Avdol. "Mr. Avdol, your Magician's flames could make the plane explode, and Star Platinum could make a hole if we're not careful."
Kakyoin stood firm. "We can't let the other passengers wake up either, we need a discreet Stand, allow me to-"
"Hold it, Kakyoin."
Kakyoin turned to see Asaki, Scorpions was by his side. "Let me do it."
"Do you have a problem with me handling the situation?" Kakyoin glared at him.
"Last time, I stood by the sidelines and let Jotaro do all the work. This time, it'll be different." Asaki had that air of confidence again. "My Scorpions liquid it's subtle too, don't you think?"
"This is no time to prove yourself." Joseph interjected. "You just got your Stand, is better if we let Kakyoin-"
"I know, but if I don't act now, when? Until we get to DIO?" Asaki looked at the rest.
"Very well, if you think you can do it, then go ahead." Kakyoin stepped aside.
Asaki walked forward, the beetle faced him as he approached, Asaki couldn't help but swallow at the idea of facing it, it was giving Star Platinum problems, could he really beat it?
"Don't think like that. I can't turn back now!" Asaki took a deep breath, he had to do it.
"You're the one who just joined, aren't you?" The beetle said. "Do you want to test your Stand, boy?"
"N-No test needed, I know I will win." Asaki's nervousness betrayed him.
"I'll hand it to you, facing me after seeing what I'm capable of, you must be brave." The beetle dashed to him. "Or maybe you are just an idiot!"
"Scorpions!" Asaki had a plan, a way to restrict its movements. "Don't let him escape."
Scorpions started shooting its liquid like projectiles, an overwhelming amount of them headed for the bug, but just like before, it dodged them all.
"Hehehe, Is that all? You'll never hit me like that!" The beetle kept evading all the attacks, the bullets continuing to make a wet sound when they hit the ceiling.
Tower of Gray's speed was unreal, not one of the liquid bullets hit the target, not even close, Asaki was starting to sweat. "Come on…"
The beetle seemed to be playing with him, it was showing him the huge gap between them, but then it changed its course. "My turn."
Asaki couldn't keep up with the blurry figure and before he knew it, it had penetrated his cheek. The needle was about to grab his tongue when Scorpions took the shot, but the agile bug dodged again, not without tearing the rest of Asaki's cheek, the wound was so big you could see his teeth.
"That was close… Hahaha! As if!" The beetle taunted him as he fell to his knees, this was the biggest pain he'd ever felt.
"Asaki!" Kakyoin went to his side. "You did what you could, I'll handle the rest."
"No, it's not over yet." Asaki forced a smile through the pain. "Look up, I didn't miss."
Kakyoin was confused, but when he looked at the ceiling, he understood what he meant. The liquid bullets had become long, sticky strings that stretched across the top of the plane like vines in a jungle.
"It's like those glue fly traps!" Joseph said.
"Now you won't be able to fly as easily, your moves will become predictable." Asaki pointed at the beetle with defiance. "Eat this!"
Scorpions unleashed another round on Tower of Gray, it was completely surrounded, it had no escape route, all the bullets collided… with the walls.
"You are underestimating me, boy." The beetle was flying as if nothing had happened. "There's no point in restricting my movement if your bullets are so slow!"
Asaki clenched his fists, it wasn't enough, his plan wasn't enough to stop it. "Damn it… You were right, I'm still not good enough."
Kakyoin stood up and summoned his Hierophant Green. "Your plan hasn't failed, not if I can help it."
"Noriaki Kakyoin, DIO told me all about you, so I know…" The beetle glared at him with its red eyes. "You can't keep up with me either.
Kakyoin brimmed with resolve. "Is that so?"
The beetle darted for Kakyoin. "I'll tore that tongue of yours with my Tower Needle!"
Hierophant's palms were flowing with its liquid energy. "Take this, Emerald Splash!"
The crystal missiles came out at an overwhelming speed, but it wasn't enough; the beetle easily dodged them.
"You're as slow as that idiot! None of you can stop... me?" The beetle's bravado faded in an instant.
"You are right, trying to out speed you is impossible, but I never had that intention." Kakyoin grinned with satisfaction. "You realized it too late."
Tower of Gray was speechless, it couldn't move, no matter how much it wiggled, it couldn't get out of the sticky net!
"WHAT IS THIS!?"
"I strategically shot my Emerald Splash to create a net with the sticky string that Asaki made. You were so focused on evading the projectiles that you didn't react in time." Kakyoin crossed his arms. "You said it didn't matter if we restricted your movement if our attacks weren't fast enough, that gave me an idea, if speed wasn't on our side, then the area of the attack should be bigger!"
"Shut up! Don't lecture ME, you stupid brat!" The beetle pathetically tried to escape, its wing unable to move an inch.
Kakyoin looked at Asaki, he was surprised of how his 'failed plan' had been used.
"Asaki, shall we deliver the final blow?" Kakyoin offered him his hand.
Asaki smiled and took his hand. "Yeah, let's do it."
Scorpions took the beetle out of the net, its wings were still tangled with the sticky string, and threw it into the air.
"Here comes, Kakyoin." Asaki said.
"I'm ready." Kakyoin answered.
Then Hierophant and Scorpions hit him simultaneously with their fists.
Tower of Gray let out a faint cry as he was crushed by the duo. But then another scream was heard, the old man from before was gasping in pain, a beetle mark had appeared on his tongue as it began to split in two, at the same time blood began to flow from all over his body before he collapsed again.
"So it was you." Kakyoin said. "Seems like ugly Stands take after their users."
ゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴ
After Asaki had tended to their injuries, it seemed like they could enjoy the rest of the flight, at least if they didn't have a bloody man in the same plane.
"Should I heal him?" Asaki asked.
"Why the hell would you do that?" Jotaro asked.
"I mean, maybe we can turn him into an ally." Asaki made a gesture as if he was taking something out of his head. "Like you did with Kakyoin."
"I'm afraid not, he doesn't have a flesh bud." Kakyoin said. Asaki went over to him and saw his head, it was all bloody and cracked, but no flesh bud in sight, he made a face of disgust and went back. "You're right, ugh."
"I told you, didn't I?" Joseph looked at Asaki. "Not all of DIO's minions follow him because of a flesh bud."
"Yes, he was already a criminal from the beginning." Avdol added. "DIO must have hired him."
While they were discussing about what to do with the man, Joseph got an odd feeling, he turned to the window and saw the clouds moving, but not horizontally, but vertically.
"Don't tell me..." Joseph ran to the cockpit. "The plane is diving!"
Everyone followed him in a hurry, the danger wasn't over yet.
"Sir, this area is off limits to passengers." The flight attendants rushed over to Joseph.
"I know that." Joseph didn't even look at them and kept walking.
The two women were thinking about what to do when the others caught up and both of them looked at Jotaro. They were both captivated by the sight of his handsome face, but...
"Out of my way." Their fantasy was shattered when Jotaro pushed them aside.
"Whoa there." They both fell into Kakyoin's arms. "Please forgive his rudeness, we are in an emergency, you see."
The two blushed again at the sight of another handsome man. Kakyoin grabbed one of them by the shoulder and pulled her closer. "Please, would you let us enter the cockpit?"
"Uhh... Y-Yes..." They fell for his charm.
Asaki and Avdol just looked at the scene without saying a word.
"Damn it! He got us!" Joseph yelled as soon as he entered the cockpit. Inside lay the tongueless corpses of the pilots.
"That damn bug took care of them from the beginning." Jotaro saw the bodies. "He had us right where he wanted."
"It took out the autopilot too!" Joseph looked at the consoles, trying to make sense of them.
As the others entered, they understood the situation they were in. Suddenly a gruff voice could be heard behind them. "Bwwlrr… My Stand is the Tower…. Blurghh... It signifies the end of journeys."
Right there, barely able to stand, was the old man, wrapped in robes.
"You will never reach DIO! Bwahahaha... Urghh... Even if you survive the crash... you are still nowhere near Egypt... DIO has loyal Stand users all over the globe! They will... follow you to any corner of the world!" With his last words, the old man collapsed, this time for good.
The flight attendants came in to see the commotion, and when they saw the scene, they trembled with fear.
"You are real pros." Jotaro said. "You know how to keep your screams in check, I like it."
"Mr. Joestar, what are we supposed to do now!" Asaki went to Joseph, who was still looking at all the flickering buttons.
"I need to make an emergency landing." Joseph took a seat.
"You know how to pilot a plane?" Kakyoin asked.
"I have before... but this is my first time flying a commercial plane." Joseph wondered which button to press. "Now that I think about it, this is my third time in a plane crash, maybe I'm cursed."
Everyone looked at him with concern. "We are never flying with you again."
ゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴ
The emergency landing was a success, everyone landed safely in the Hong Kong Sea. Everyone waited in the boats for the rescue helicopters to take them to land.
"That was really close." Asaki sighed with relief, the words of the old man echoed in his head. "But this is just the beginning, isn't it?"
All of them looked at each other in a silent understanding.
"How is your cheek?" Kakyoin asked.
"It's almost gone." The hole was now the size of a pea. Asaki looked at Kakyoin a bit embarrassed. "It looks like I couldn't handle it on my own."
Kakyoin crossed his arms. "Your Scorpions and my Hierophant are similar, our powers are better suited for non-direct combat, I think I would've come up with a similar strategy." He grabbed Asaki by his shoulder. "I'm actually surprised you came with it, seems that you are already understanding how to use your Stand. Don't worry, you just need to practice a bit more."
No matter how hard he tried to hold it in, a smile appeared on Asaki's face, he was happy to hear that. "It was your Emerald Splash that gave me the idea."
Kakyoin returned the smile. "Is that so?"
"Oh, is that a smile I see?" Joseph pointed playfully at Asaki.
"N-No, it's just your imagination." Asaki covered his mouth with the collar of his uniform.
"Then what are you trying to hide?" Joseph tried to open Asaki's jacket.
They continued to make a ruckus on the boat, but the group enjoyed this moment of levity before they inevitably faced their next ordeal.
TO BE CONTINUED
Stand User: Gray Fly
Stand Name: Tower of Gray
Power: C
Speed: A
Range: A
Durability: C
Precision: C
Potential: E
Status: Deceased.
