Bucciarati cannot believe what is happening tonight.
The search for Ai was supposed to be simple. Just find her, have a talk with her, learn her cause of death and why she got scared when a lightning flashed the skies and go back home. Simple as that. While they did take shelter from the rain and had to wait it out until it stopped, which they realized it doesn't seem to be letting up, there were no problems despite the deviations above. And besides, they got concerned for Ai after seeing her cower in fear over the sound of thunder, so he, Avdol and Saki accompanied her until she calmed down.
But then the enemy Stand, called Doobie Wah!, (the four wouldn't learn its name in the interim) manifested just as they're about to leave. Interestingly, this is both a good and bad thing: good because Avdol and he must destroy another enemy Stand to knock the numbers down, and bad because, despite the lack of eyes, it got its sights on Saki and Ai.
Guess we have no choice here. We have to make this quick.
Staring at the vaguely humanoid Stand, who appears to be observing its targets and possibly planning an attack, Bucciarati knows from this point he's going to kill it before it has a chance to roam around and cause havoc in Saga or kill Saki and Ai. As much as he does not look forward to fighting the Stand, especially with some of the girls around, he has an obligation of being not only Franchouchou's bodyguards, but also one of Saga's invisible and strange protectors dedicated to eliminating enemy Stands before they do any harm to the prefecture.
As Avdol stands next to him prepared to attack, Sticky Fingers appears by Bucciarati's side with its unseen eyes glaring at the enemy. Just as the four zombies turned back to humans who can feel their heartbeats and breath normally, the non-users are able to see one of their bodyguards' Stands, and suffice to say, Saki looks amazed over the Stand adorned with zippers, appropriate for a man having zippers as his motif, after eyeing it for the first time. This means she and Ai, in spite of the latter's reservations, will see a Stand fight in action for the first time too.
"Woooooah… Your Stand looks badass! Guess Shades calling you Zipper Man isn't unfounded at all. Makes me excited to see it pummel the baddie to pieces!"
"I appreciate the compliment miss Saki but shouldn't you and Ai be running?" He told her. "Me and Avdol are gonna take care of the enemy while you two prioritize your safety and retreat back to the mansion. I can't have any of the girls like you two be harmed under our watch."
As much as Saki would like to stay and watch the fight, she decides retreating is the best choice after noticing a scared Ai nervously staring at the tornado enemy Stand. It's frustrating she didn't have the means to try attacking the Stand because she's not a Stand User, but there's nothing she can do except let the two bodyguards engage the enemy. "*sighs* Fine. Just don't you two dare die from the enemy, or else I'm gonna kill you."
"But they would have died already." Ai pointed out.
With Avdol and Bucciarati moving to block the enemy's view as the former summons Magician's Red, Saki and Ai run to the exit. But when their feet are one step away from exiting the playground, a strong gust of wind suddenly bursts out from nowhere.
ブォォォォォーッ
"Ahhh!"
"Whoawhoawhoawhoooooooa!"
Startled, the wind pushed the two away, knocking their feet off the ground and sending them flying towards Bucciarati and Avdol, who quickly saw them even when they're trying to resist the gale. This is thanks to Doobie Wah!, as its appearance suggests, extending their noodly arms and increasing the size of the whirlwind covering around it to create a suction force after catching sight of them fleeing.
"I have you!" Bucciarati told Saki after grabbing her arm as the wind kept pulling her in. Avdol does the same to Ai, who then holds on tight to her with his strong hands to prevent her from getting thrown by the wind.
Seeing this, the enemy's response is to increase the suction power again, to the point the rain, a few trash, and even the playgrounds' objects (to a lesser extent) are being pulled into the Stand's arms.
As she grits her teeth and tightens her grip around his wrist, Saki glances back to the enemy Stand, becoming slightly nervous. "Hey, guys. Is fleeing still an option? I don't like that the Stand there has the capability to suck up playground equipment. In fact, I think that streetlight appears to be wobbling in place."
The three turned to where Saki was looking at and saw, like she said, the nearby streetlight shaking in one place if only a little. Aside from that and the playground, a single tree is affected by the enemy's arm vortex too. "I-I don't like this. If this continues, the enemy might ｢grow｣ its power until all of us are sucked in. Any larger objects will be pulled and shred them apart at this rate!" Ai agreed.
"Then we must… stop it from… tearing this place apart! Saga doesn't need… a natural disaster demolishing some parts of the… prefecture!" Avdol grunted between phrases because he's starting to struggle keeping his grip on Ai, and vice versa. The same applies to Bruno and Saki too. The two bodyguards can even feel their feet partially floating off the ground.
"And we don't want to be… sliced apart by it!" Bruno recalled, gritting his teeth as he looked at Doobie Wah! slowly increasing its size and suction power. He knows they must do something before this gets worse. My hands will be shredded apart when I retaliate but… that's a small price to pay so we can be free from its invisible grip!
"STICKY FINGERS!"
Finally heeding its master's silent command, Sticky Fingers aimed its left hand at the enemy and punched its wrist. With its zipper ability, the left fist rocketed towards the enemy, bypassing through the vortex before solidly hitting its head. A loud crunch was heard, and immediately after this, Doobie Wah! recoiled back, halting its action.
"Hrrrk!" However, as Bucciarati predicted, while the attack is successful because the wind's gale-like speed is slowing down to normal, many tiny but numerous cuts appeared on Bucciarati's left forearm, the gush of blood it spewed staining his left sleeves and turning it scarlet. Aside from that, his left hand suffered from tiny cuts too.
"Aaaahhh! Bucciarati-san!" Ai called out in fright and worry.
"Oi oi! Why is your left arm bleeding all of a sudden?" Her relief that she can settle her feet safely on the ground after Bruno roughly released her was undermined after Saki saw the wounds appearing on his arm.
"…The vortex… The vortex is shredding my arm…!" He reveals, gritting his teeth hard to endure the pain.
"Then pull your arm back! I saw you stopping the enemy so…!" Ai told her, recognizing what he did to stop the enemy. Bruno did just that, commanding Sticky Fingers to pull its left arm back.
ビィィィィッ
After its left arm was zipped back, Bucciarati takes a glance to see the enemy is reeling from the blow to the head, lying down on his back albeit in mid-air a few inches above ground. He could have taken advantage of its state and pummel it to impunity, but his shredded left arm deters him from attacking unless he's willing to risk losing both his arms. Also, even though the enemy is in pain, the vortex surrounding it hasn't subsided. So its vortex didn't die down if only for a moment. If we must strike the enemy again, it must be during when it isn't surrounded by a vortex. We have to force it to disperse the vortex somehow. Or maybe… pull the enemy out of it. Pull it out? Oh, that reminds me… Magician's Red can use Red Bind. Will it be feasible for Avdol to use it, I wonder?
"Bucciarati! Why are you standing there contemplating? Quick! We must go somewhere safe away from the enemy at the time being!" he snapped out of his thinking stupor by Avdol, already making his way to exit the nearly trashed playground with Saki and Ai. "The enemy could recover anytime soon, so we must get away from it at the moment so we can think on how to defeat it!"
"Ah. Sorry about that." He apologized before following them.
Two minutes and a half passed and in the streets far from the playground and the enemy, the four zombies stopped running. Checking first if no one's around at this time of night, the four collectively sighed that were held in that span of minutes.
"Phew… The enemy's not chasing us for now," Saki expressed her relief over not staying there any longer. "It would've been nice if we got out sooner than later, but I'm glad we're out of that place."
"Me too. If only the wind wouldn't blow suddenly when we try to leave…" Ai agreed with a sigh, ever wary of Doobie Wah! and the next thunder.
"Don't relax yet, you two. The fight is only starting," Avdol reminded them. "We merely slipped away from the enemy. It would surely find us and try to eliminate all of us, so we must be on guard."
"You think I don't know that? I was only expressing relief we got out of the playground," responded Saki with an annoyed expression. "Well, if only Bucci here continued the assault, then the enemy is good as gone and we are safe."
"You know that's not possible. Just look at his left arm," Ai pointed to the numerous bleeding cuts covering his left forearm, which he unfolded his sleeve to check how bad they were. "I fear he might not be able to use his left hand in tandem with his right."
"The wind swirling around the enemy must have been ｢fast｣ enough to give it ｢slicing｣ power," surmised Avdol. "But judging from how the enemy is reeling from your attack, it must be frail and easy to knock down, so putting up a vortex provides an almost perfect ｢shield｣ as long as it's inside. If we hope to defeat the enemy, we must find a way to attack it without getting ourselves sliced by its vortex."
"Exactly what I'm thinking before we move out," Bucciarati nodded, his eyes in full attention of any sign of the enemy. "We have to force the enemy out of the vortex before we safely attack it. I'm thinking that perhaps… we could ｢pull｣ the enemy out through our Stands."
"Pull them out? How?" Saki asked, folding her arms with a skeptical look.
Bucciarati turns to Avdol and says, "Avdol, I believe you can have Magician's Red pull the enemy out of its safe zone, right?"
"Hm? Ah, you're referring to my ｢Red Bind｣?" He correctly guessed.
"Red Bind?" Ai repeated with eyes full of curiosity.
"One of Magician's Red's techniques," he explained with a sense of pride over his Stand. "It allows me to shape the fire as ｢ropes｣ and manipulate it to tie up my opponent's arms and legs. If successful, I would force my opponent against the wall, unable to move because of the fire rope restricting their arms and legs."
"*whistles* That sounds like a nifty move," Saki whistled her approval. "Guess all you have to do is use it and pull the foe out and attack it without mercy. Bet you two can work that out, huh?"
"I can. But there's only one problem… It's ｢raining｣." Avdol sighs, not at all pleased by Magician's Red's weakness to water. "I do not think my Stand will do much under this rain. While the Stand itself is intangible so it doesn't get wet by the rain, I need to find a cover to prevent the rain from putting out my flames so I can use Magician's Red without worrying about its attacks getting interrupted."
"Err, can't your flames reach past the highest temperature in a thermometer? Like, hot enough so any water will evaporate by being around Magician's Red?" Saki suggested.
"It's possible, but I have to concentrate without interruption so I can reach up to 100 degrees Celsius, the optimal temperature water can evaporate. And even then, one time I raised the heat, it left me almost fatigued, so I shouldn't do it frequently." He replied.
"Oh. Well, that sucks." Saki shared his discontent.
グル グル グル グル グル
ブォォォォォーッ
A whirring sound is heard in the distance. It was quiet at first, but as the wind started picking up speed, so to the sound which was getting louder and audible enough for them to turn towards the source of the ominous sound and see Doobie Wah! approaching them, flying so fast they could see stray winds following or passing it by.
! !
Stifling her shrieking, Ai tries to calm her panicking mind after seeing Doobie Wah! had found them. "The enemy…! You two, please! You must stop it before it attacks us again!"
Pulling Number Three behind by her shoulder, Bucciarati cannot help but worry if he can attack the enemy without the tornado hurting him. Having Avdol to use Red Bind to pull the enemy out of its vortex could work, but the rain will douse the flames before it can be used. The only way Magician's Red can freely use fire is for the rain to stop, or as Avdol said, find something to cover Magician's Red.
…Wait, that's it!
As Bucciarati quickly gets to work enacting a plan, the tornado Stand is within its target's range, which is Ai judging by who's it looking at. One that went unnoticed given how subtle it glanced. The Stand intends to force its way through the two Stand Users and one idol by blowing them away or slicing their bodies with razor sharp winds. Regardless of what it will do to the two, once they are gone, it is free to slice Number Three's head off to give it at least a quick and painless death.
Once the enemy is close, much to Ai's panic and Saki's worry, the enemy has its sharp fingers out with the intent of beheading Ai…
"STICKY FINGERS!"
ガバァァッ
Instead of risking his other healthy arm in retaliating against the enemy's attack, Bucciarati's zipper Stand appears to punch the ground below the four. A zipper is created, opening it to let the four fall through the opening.
"WAH!" Ai shouted in surprise.
"WHOA!" Saki let out as she fell.
Bucciarati and Avdol, though a little surprised, remained silent as they were the last to go through the opening, just missing the Stand's claw. Unwilling to let them get away, it dived down to the zipper portal, barely making it just as the zipper closed itself, preventing the rain from entering.
The portal has led the enemy to an underground sewer illuminated dimly by lights installed on the ceiling, dirty water flowing between two steel sidewalks or catwalks. Scanning its surroundings by scanning disturbances in the murky air, the enemy realizes it lost its target, confusing it since logically, they should be standing in the same spot it is floating on after entering the zipper. Believing they must have gone somewhere in the sewer, the Stand leaves the area.
ビィィィィッ
Tense seconds later, a large zipper appeared and zipped open, revealing the four zombies hiding inside the pocket space. Zipper Man looks around to see if the enemy is gone, and after confirming, he says, "Bene. The enemy has lost sight of us. Alright you three. You can come out of the zipper."
Ai and Avdol followed his request after Bucciarati himself stepped away to give them space. Saki exited last, so he closed the zipper, vanished it into blue particles. Number two stretched her arms after she was cooped up in such a small space just briefly. "Aaaaahhhh, finally… Ain't planning to be stuck in there anymore," she stated in relief before turning to glare at Bruno to complain, "Y'know, you could have given us a warning next time before you forced us to hide in a small space where I can't move my limbs freely!"
"I'm sorry Saki. We just need to hide from the enemy quickly after I transported us here." Bucciarati apologized.
"In this sewer? Why the sewer of all places?" Saki asked, choosing to ignore the foul smell.
"It's a spur of the moment, but it's part of my plan to level the playing field against the enemy," he responded. "Well with the enemy out of sight for the moment, Avdol and I have plenty of time to prepare."
"A plan? You were thinking of a plan the whole time, Bucciarati-san?" Ai asked while trying not to let the sewer's smell agitate her.
"Yes," he nodded. "I am not sure if we have the advantage over the enemy, but the change in location should permit Avdol to use Magician's Red."
"Huh? Really?" Saki turns to him with a curious expression. "But, how though? How come arrivin' in the sewer help us, Zipper Man? I don't like being in this stinky place far longer than I need to, ya hear me? If this is some kind of joke, I'm gonna kill ya."
Bucciarati chuckled at her threat, stating, "Are you going to stay true to what you said against a hardened mafioso like me? Who is leagues above you?"
"Hah!? Are ya saying that just to provoke me!?" She is offended that he saw her as beneath him.
"I think he was joking with you." Ai deadpanned, wary of when the enemy will arrive.
Before an argument could start, Avdol stops Saki from arguing more with Bucciarati, grabbing her arms and saying, "Please stop Saki. Remember, we're still in a life-and-death situation. We should not risk letting the enemy know that we haven't left this spot and promptly return if you raise your voice."
"Ah, right. Got worked up for a second there." Saki heeded his words and managed to calm down, but not before shooting Bruno a glare that tells him, 'I ain't done with you yet. Got that?' For his part, he chooses to ignore her glare and shift his focus to their current predicament.
"Well, whether the enemy has realized it or not, I should not worry anymore that Bruno will be fighting against it all by himself," he added, giving Zipper Man a nod of approval for his quick thinking to get around his Stand's weakness and the change of location. "For you see, the flames commanded by Magician's Red are now free to spread around without worrying that the rain will douse the flames."
Hearing his words, Saki and Ai have realized what Bucciarati is accommodating for the change of location. "Ah! That's it! Guess that means…!"
"Yes. You two finally got what I am planning for." Bruno nodded with a smile to her and Avdol, who nodded at him in return.
フォォォォォォォー
Strong winds blowing from around a corner are heard and felt by the four, signifying the arrival of the enemy once again, appearing from a corner. It must have realized they have never gone somewhere in the sewer and had concluded there is only one place it is sure they are lingering that it has found them, it will make sure they will not leave its sights again.
"Alright you two. That freak's all yours," Saki told them, hiding behind them along with Ai. "Try to make this quick and end this fight. I ain't sure if Ai can take much more insanity about our predicament."
"…I-I'll be fine for longer. Just do your job, please." Ai responded, peeking her eyes behind Bucciarati to watch the fight continue.
"We will." Bruno simply said as Sticky Fingers materialized beside him.
"Just stay behind us, you two. We do not know if it's gonna use the wind to pull you two out of our reach." Avdol reminded them, Magician's Red appearing with an eager shout. That goes for me, too. I have to be careful that the fire isn't blown away by the wind, or worse, become mixed with it and give it more strength by becoming a fire tornado. I am relieved Bucciarati put us here so that we are not soaking in the rain and let me freely use Magician's Red, but the enemy has control over the wind so powerful it can slice any objects and human flesh. It all comes down to the right timing to expose the enemy out from the tornado!
Having found its targets again, the enemy wasted no time charging, producing a gust of wind in its wake in doing so. It moved faster than it normally would, so fast that the swirling vortex has become thin, and the enemy is unable to see inside.
ゴォォォォォーッ
"Hnnnnngh! This wind…!" Bucciarati struggles to stay put as the wind attempts to pull him in the vortex. So much so that Sticky Fingers choose to return to its user because it is also being pulled by the tornado.
"Aaaggghhhh…! I think… the enemy is… getting serious!" Avdol shouted, trying to keep his robe in place as Magician's Red vanishes too to prevent it, and its user by proxy, from getting sucked in.
"Shit! It ain't stoppin'!" Saki recognized the enemy is gonna plow straight through them, tearing their bodies apart. Not so bad if they are zombies because they would reattach their scattered body parts. But as humans…
"Quick! Move aside!"
ゴォォォォォーッ
A deafening, buzzing noise of the wind enters their ears as soon as Doobie Wah! fly past them, leaving behind cracked and sliced parts of steel walk that would have been caked with blood and guts if they hadn't dodged in time.
"Uwaaaahhh!" Ai screamed after evading the enemy, freaking out at the thought of being minced meat by the tornado. She would have let out a relieved exhale that she managed to avoid it quickly but seeing the enemy turn around after missing them, not stopping the whole time prompted her to scream in fear. "Ahhhh! It turned around!"
"For real!? This Stand is now out for our blood!" Saki exclaimed in displeasure.
"Everyone, run! It's likely it will circle around and charge at us again if we stayed here and kept dodging its vortex!" Bucciarati commanded, showing a serious expression that conveys the need to act now.
BGM: Crime Scene Express (Diamond is Unbreakable OST)
Having no retort to his urgent command, the four pick up their feet and start running away from the enemy. Rapid loud footsteps echoed in the sewer that is not loud enough to cloak the roaring gale behind them, which may only get louder if the enemy gets close to them, or they slow down due to needing to catch their breath which they do not need if they are zombies. Either way, this part of the sewer will be painted with their blood and innards that may be what's left of them after Doobie Wah! is done shredding them apart.
In an attempt to slow the enemy down, Bucciarati sends out projectile zippers targeting its lower body that is touching the ground and leaving a shredded trail. It was not effective however, as the tornado simply tore apart any zippers coming in its way. Avdol tried his part by shooting out fire projectiles and punching rapidly the walls and ceilings to send out chunks of rock to strike the enemy and slow it down. It's not enough because the wind either tore them apart or redirected them away from Doobie Wah!, some of which ended up striking the four instead.
"Oi! Careful with the rocks, Avdol!" Saki chided him, shielding her head with her hands.
"I'm very sorry! I didn't expect the wind to be this strong!" apologized Avdol, having Magician's Red burn or swat any rocks thrown at them.
The chase continued for a few more minutes, and in every few seconds or so, Doobie Wah! increases its speed and wind power, becoming faster and being able to catch up dangerously with them. This obviously is not what they like, especially when they are getting tired from the running and using their Stands to fend off any slashes from Doobie Wah!.
"Bucciarati-san! *pants* What are we… gonna do…!?" Ai asked frantically, trying not to give in despite her legs feeling like they were being burned. "The enemy is… getting... *pants* closer…! We are gonna… sucked in… by its vortex… if this keeps… *pants* going!"
"Grrr! This has… gone longer than it needs to be!"
Determined to outrun the enemy, Bucciarati summons Sticky Fingers again, who flies past them to the front and rears its fist to punch something.
Seeing his Stand in action again, Saki believes he's going to send out more zippers aimed at the enemy again, probably coming from the walls and ceilings, a tactic that hasn't worked for them. "Hey, Zipper Man! Don't try making more zippers against the enemy! You know how well that went minutes ago!"
"No, Saki. I did not bring out Sticky Fingers to shoot out projectile zippers again," corrected Bruno, a determined look present on his face. "We're gonna need something that matches or perhaps outpaces the enemy, even by the slightest margin. My Sticky Fingers is qualified for that."
Wondering what he had in mind, Avdol asks, "Are you opening a zipper leading to the outside, Bucciarati? I don't think we will be fast enough to escape the enemy's clutches. And Magician's Red will be useless during heavy rain, as I already told you."
"Wrong Avdol. This is what Sticky Fingers will do…"
"ARI!"
Sticky Fingers cried out as it punched the ground two times, creating two zippers facing forward two meters away. The three see this happen and naturally, they are confused. "Zippers…? What did you form two zippers for?" Ai asked, but she yelped in surprise when the Italian held her close to him, tightly as he needed to, before revealing what he planned for them to get away from tornado Stand to them.
"Saki, Ai! Don't ever let go of Avdol and I when the zipper takes off after we grab them!"
"Huh? What kind of plan is tha-"
"Ah! I see! Grab on to me Saki! Quick!"
"O-Oi!"
Saki didn't have time to complain about Avdol touching her all of a sudden as he and Bucciarati, with Ai holding on to him tight, grabbed the slider. This is when the enemy is now perilously close to them as it brings out its single-clawed hands out of the mini-tornado's safety to stab or slice the four with…
"Quickly, zipper! OPEEEEEN!"
ジィィィィィッ
"Whoawhoawhoawhoooooa!"
"Waaaahh!"
Saki and Ai have taken Bucciarati's statement seriously now because the zipper starts moving fast, carrying two of them each and helping them evade the enemy's clawed hands barely. With the fast-moving zippers hauling the four away from the enemy, helped that its momentum is slowed down so it can precisely stab or slice its targets, the zombies zip away from the enemy to a safe distance. Unwilling to let them have the upper hand, it keeps chasing accompanied by the roaring wind accompanying it.
In contrast to the calmer Avdol and Bucciarati, Saki and Ai have the look of surprise plastered on their faces because they didn't expect Bruno to use the zippers to transport them. What's impressive about this is that he only had a few seconds to think of a plan to get away from the enemy, so they were completely astonished by his action. Of course, they forgot that he has experience dealing with enemy Stands and using Sticky Finger's ability to his advantage, so he appears calm all the time.
After getting over the euphoria and surprise that is the zipper transport, Saki shows an amazed smile at the feeling of air rushing past her cheek, stating, "Wooooooohooohoohoooooooo! This is an exciting ride! If I was to grab the zipper, I would enjoy the ride more as I zip around at high speeds!"
"Hahahaha! What an ingenious move you came up with, Bucciarati!" Avdol applauded his quick thinking and resourcefulness. "Sticky Fingers has proven the versatility of its unusual ability and how zippers can be useful and deadly at the right hands. To be honest, I am now quite jealous of your Stand."
A smirk appeared on Bucciarati's face in response to Avdol and Saki praising him. "Never underestimate me. Remember, I used to be in the mafia. Naturally I need to sharpen my mind and skills if I have to survive in every life-and-death situation."
"Hahaha! Right with ya there, Zipper Man!" Saki laughed.
"Hey guys! I know we are having fun and all, but we are still in a fight," Ai chimed in to remind the three of what they are doing, as the zipper goes around a corner. "And also, I can feel the wind blowing from behind us. I think the enemy is gonna catch up with us, even with the zippers transporting us as quickly as it can!"
Instead of a sigh, Bucciarati's face steeled in determination, stating, "Well, I am aware we are not going to get away from the enemy completely as I enacted this plan. The zippers could only get us far before the enemy gets to us once more."
"Eh? So then… what's your next move then?" Saki inquired, having expected Bruno would help them absolutely get away from Doobie Wah!.
The zippers slowed down to a halt, letting Bruno and Avdol off before disappearing. They all stand up on their feet, with the former answering, "It's to finally pull the enemy Stand out of the tornado and leave it defenseless!"
"But, how are you gonna do that?" Ai questioned. "The tornado is fast enough to shred your arm and leave it bloody and injured. How can you and Avdol-san pull the enemy out using your Stands?"
"…It's a risky move, but hopefully, it will defeat the enemy for sure!" Avdol said with a similar determined expression.
BGM stops
ドドドドドドドド
Sticky Fingers and Magician's Red appear by their masters' sides as the two Stand Users wait for the enemy Stand to catch up with them so they can enact their plan that has been in their minds for the past minutes. The plan is to wait for the enemy to extend its hands and claw at them or slice them apart with wind, upon which Avdol will send forth Red Bind to catch the enemy's wrist and pull it out to the open. Sticky Fingers would then proceed to punch the fragile Stand with its fists while Magician's Red continued by shooting out Crossfire Hurricanes. With their coordinated abilities and combined strength, Bucciarati and Avdol have already won the fight after being forced to get away and be on the defensive.
While the wind stays still, the four play the waiting game, keeping their eyes and ears open to any sign of disturbances to the sound or surroundings. Doobie Wah! is quick moving so they must pay attention to when it will appear. If they didn't see any signs and disturbances that portend the enemy's arrival, they would be blindsided for sure. Hopefully, Sticky Fingers and Magician's Red can react and move fast enough so they will not have the enemy have the advantage.
Seconds pass by as the four continue waiting, the tension in their bodies not leaving until they see the enemy appear from around the corner, some meters away from their position.
ブォォォォォー…
The wind blew past them from the front, notifying them of Doobie Wah!'s impending approach.
"I think the Stand's about to emerge around the corner.," informed Saki. "Hope you two are ready to beat its ass!"
ゴォォォォォーッ
The wind increases in speed, billowing their hair and clothes. They stand their ground in anticipation of its arrival. However, Ai noticed something off.
"…Wait a minute. Is it me or is the wind blowing ｢from behind us｣?" Ai pointed out.
The three turned to her, curious about her question. "What do you mean?" Avdol asked.
"If the enemy is in front of us, the wind would be moving ｢towards｣ us instead of from behind. You know how tornadoes or whirlwinds function. It picks up anything it happens across and sucks it to its ｢funnel｣, raising them up high while it's inside until it spits them out," explained Ai. "The enemy Stand similarly functions the same as any tornadoes. As long as it increases the wind speed, it can suck any of us in its vortex. That is why I thought it was weird that the wind ｢wasn't moving from front of us｣."
"Sooooo, if it's coming from behind, then what-" Saki's voice trails off at the end when she has a moment of realization about the implication, shared by the three.
A troubling realization.
This is then followed by a buzzing sound, coming from behind.
ギャロン
!
BGM: Burning Colosseum (Battle Tendency OST)
Even more alarmed, they turn around and, much to their surprise and shock, saw the tornado Stand is somehow not only floating behind them even though they had paid attention to their vicinity and disturbances in the air, but also, its arms are spinning so fast that an intense state of its vortex arms were produced from the intense spinning.
"What the hell!? How did the Stand manage to get here so quickly and SILENTLY?!" Saki is in disbelief at seeing the enemy being one step ahead of them.
"More importantly, its arms…!" Bucciarati backed away, pulling Saki and Ai as he looked at the massive wind picking up around its spinning arms. "MERDA! It's going to attack!"
By spinning its left arm clockwise and its right arm counterclockwise, Doobie Wah! achieves an intense technique that, combined with its natural wind affinity, unleashes a massive windstorm that covers the entire space of the sewer. With its approaching fast speed, the four reacted too late to the Doobie Wah!'s technique, which it calls Twisting Windstorm
Feeling her body getting sucked in the windstorm, Ai is panicking that she will get shredded once she is pulled. Even Saki forgoes her tough act as she realizes how bad she will be injured if she allows herself to get hit by the windstorm. "This is bad! We have to get away from that twister!"
"But it's now close to us! We won't get away in time!" Ai exclaimed, shielding her eyes and embracing the extreme pain she will feel.
"STICKY FINGERS!"
"MAGICIAN'S RED!"
Before they knew it, Saki and Ai find themselves being hauled and thrown far away from Bucciarati and Avdol. Far enough the Twisting Windstorm's range won't touch them. Unfortunately, the two eschewed their safety for their own, and they didn't get to protest when they were hurled away, a look of worry etched on their faces as they tried reaching out in vain.
ドグシッ
"AAAAAAUUUUUUGGGGGHHHHH!"
"UOOOOOGGGGHHHHHHHH!"
BGM stops
After Doobie Wah! sensed the Twisting Windstorm managed to strike them and tear their bodies so hard bits of skin and blood could be noticed within the rapid winds, it stopped spinning its arms and only watched as their splotches of blood and teared-off skin fell to the ruptured floor and cracked walls. If it has eyes, it would've blinked in puzzlement because their limp bodies are not seen. That said, the sight of blood on the ground, wall and ceiling, some of which got mixed in the flowing sewer water, do indicate they were grievously injured. One can imagine their battered bodies lying in the structural carnage, unmoving.
In spite of that, the enemy believes its opponents are still alive. Semi-unconscious? Yes, but alive nevertheless All it needs to do is to sense their weak breathing to pinpoint their position, and after finding them, it'll kill them while they're down.
"AVDOL-SAN! BUCCIARATI-SAN!"
Ah, yes. Its primary target… It glanced and saw her and Number Two running back to the site of battle, only to stop upon witnessing the damage it caused, like the chipped off walls, unsteady or uprooted sidewalks, and of course, the absence of their bodyguards. The idols stood there in shock, confusion and worry, wondering what happened to them, and whether they died or not.
"Oh… Oh no, could they be…?" Ai fearfully wondered.
"You… You son of a bitch!" Saki exclaimed, wanting to retaliate against it but painfully aware she couldn't. "If you did kill them, I-!"
A gust of wind prevented Saki from finishing and almost lifted her and Ai away. They covered their faces with their arms until the wind stopped. Lowering their arms, both girls blanched and backed away instantly after seeing the Stand floating right in front of them.
"AHHH! The enemy…!"
"I don't like how it's looking at us! Quick Ai! Let's scram before-"
ブォォォォォ!
"UAAAAGH!"
Once again, the enemy stopped Saki from finishing by blowing her away. It happened so fast Ai couldn't respond for a moment until she realized she wasn't blown away too, in spite of the sudden force and definitely feeling it through her swaying hair and clothes. The blonde girl's grunts and whines echoed when she apparently made a rough landing, the distance she was hurled into far.
That's the least of Ai's worries however. Realizing next she's alone with the enemy, Ai yelped as she tripped on her rear after catching sight of the Stand swinging its sharp finger at her. Positive that the Stand might be deliberately targeting her, she scrambled away in a panic, keeping her eyes peeled on it approaching her with a clear intent in mind.
"St-Stay away! D-Don't come near me! I-I said ST-STAY AWAY!"
Her pleas are ignored. Wanting to get this over with, the tornado Stand stops her feeble escape by lifting her up via manipulating the wind to create a concave funnel underneath her. Ai was forced to rise upright concurrently with the funnel growing vertically. Ai widened her eyes and hitched a gasp after the funnel covered her entire body up until her neck, leaving her head exposed while her body got paralyzed.
"Ahhhh! No! Nooooo!" She screamed, trying to wiggle her body free but it's futile.
"AIIIII! HOLD ON, I'M-"
ブォォォォォ!
"AAAAAAAAARGHHHH!"
Saki got blown away forcefully for the third time, sending her skidding or rolling across the grated floor. She can be heard groaning in discomfort as the circular walls echoed, until her voice became fainter to Ai's ears.
Recognizing she's at the mercy of the enemy, Ai cannot help but whimper in fear for her life as her eyes turn to an outstretched finger raising up so the tip is touching her neck. Even with the Stand's eyeless face, she can feel its blank gaze on her and she knows there's not an ounce of mercy in its form. I'm going to die… I'm going to die again! I don't want to die like this…! Being nothing more than a footnote in history! No, more than that. I'll leave my friends behind!
With the target dead to rights, the Stand raises its arm out of its vortex's reach to slice her head off.
But a rope stops it after grabbing its wrist. Doobie Wah flinched after recognizing a sizzling pain coming from it.
!?
This… This is not an ordinary rope! It's… It's burning its wrist…! It can feel the heat radiating from the fiery rope! But if the fiery rope catching its wrist is any indication…
"I have caught you! Magician's Red, pull the enemy out!"
"KWAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"
Doobie Wah! couldn't retaliate as Magician's Red pulled the Stand itself away from its protective vortex, which dissipates instantly including the funnel holding Ai captive. Freed, the hyperventilating girl watched as the enemy Stand got flung up before two more fire ropes ensnared its other wrist and neck before pinning it against a wall.
ドッガーン
As Doobie Wah! struggles to get out of the ropes' fiery grip that is slowly burning his body and nearby air it needed to sustain itself, two figures come out from the shadows to face the enemy with determined gaze, revealing themselves to be Avdol and Bucciarati. Both of them are pretty cut up and bleeding badly due to the Twisting Windstorm, with Avdol's red robe and Bucciarati's shirt being torn apart to pieces while leaving other clothes or accessories intact. But despite the pain all over their bodies, their desire to defeat the enemy and emerge victorious is enough to help them endure it for a while until they are finally done.
BGM: Scorching Flames (Stardust Crusaders OST)
"Bucciarati-san, Avdol-san!" Ai called out in concern, rising up on her feet.
"Ai, please… Back away a few steps. We don't want you to get caught up in our attack." Bucciarati gently told her.
"Uhh, r-right… I'll back away now." She did just that, her eyes full of concern that they're enduring their injuries for now.
As Doobie Wah! looked(?) at them in surprise (hard to tell due to its featureless face), Bucciarati speaks up, believing the enemy is confused on how they managed to survive despite getting hit. "I assume you are surprised and wondering how Avdol and I can get up after getting cut up a hundred times. While it did strike us and cut our bodies like no tomorrow, we managed to barely escape it by going through a zipper opening made by Sticky Fingers. Why don't you take a look?"
He pointed to a large zipper opening situated on a wall not too far from them, on Doobie Wah's right side, as he continued explaining. "Because we are being flung around due to strong winds, it took a lot of me to create a large zipper and open it. Avdol and I had the luck of getting tossed toward it, so we managed to get inside and closed it to prevent the wind from getting in. Once your attack is done, we carefully sneak around you and wait for the right timing for your claw to move out of its comfort zone, even for a brief moment, until now."
"With Magician's Red out," Avdol takes over Bucciarati as he looks at Doobie Wah! with a prideful smile. "I successfully snared your hand before pulling you out of the vortex. Magician's Red produced more ropes to bind you more and, well… I believe you know what comes next. I must admit though. Your ability is impressive, and lethal. Weaponizing the wind for various purposes like creating a vortex, manipulating it to slice your victims apart, and even spinning your arms for your special technique… Strong winds can be dangerous during extreme weather. However, if you thought you have the upper hand because of your control over the wind, then you're wrong. Magician's Red's flame cannot be swayed by the wind, even if I was cautious of you from the very start. Only I can control them to do as I please."
"Now then, with that out of the way, it's time for you to disappear. Starting with this!"
"ARI!"
Sticky Fingers punched Doobie Wah's arms and claws when they were about to spin again. Bruno is unwilling to dole out its technique again so he reacts to it by damaging them.
As the enemy becomes agitated and perhaps screaming silently from the pain it is feeling, Magician's Red pulls it closer to Sticky Fingers, and once the ropes are put out do the humanoid range enact its punishment against Doobie Wah!.
"ARI ARI ARI ARI ARI ARI ARI ARI ARI ARI ARI ARI ARI ARI! ARRIVEDERCI!"
After landing its last punch to its face, whose body is riddled with zippers, Magician's Red ends this fight with a literal bang.
"CROSSFIRE... HURRICAAAAANE!"
ドッゴン
The flaming body of Doobie Wah! lingers in the air for a while before it dissipates, finally killing the enemy Stand.
BGM stops
Having come up victorious, Avdol lets out a satisfied sigh before he leans against the wall tiredly. Breathing heavily, Avdol didn't react to Bucciarati choosing to sit on the ground, also looking spent after enduring the flowing blood and stinging cuts on his body as their respective Stands disappeared back to their users. Soon afterwards, Ai rushed at them out of relief and worry. She crouched beside him, shooting him a frantic expression.
"Bucciarati-san…"
"We will be alright, Ai. Just give us a second. We'll be up and about later." Bruno reassured her.
"I… I…" Whatever Ai wanted to say, she couldn't let it out. She takes a deep breath to calm her nerves and racing mind before she instead says this. "Please don't push yourself too hard, Bucciarati-san. You too, Avdol-san."
"That won't be necessary," Avdol shook his head with a smile. "We only have to wait for our bodies to turn back to zombies."
Ai wanted to ask him to clarify, but she heard a cracking sound. She later recognized what'll happen next as she looked at her hands showing cracks all over. She gasped, "Ah, I get it!"
She, Avdol and Bucciarati returned to their zombie forms seconds later. Like what happened back in Ureshino, their injuries are gone, meaning the two are suddenly fine and healthy, able to stand back up without problems. Not only that, the wrecked debris and parts caused by the battle returned to normal too. This surprised Ai and the returning Saki, who came back just as their surroundings reverted back to their original states.
"You two finally killed that annoying Stand, huh? Knew you two'll come around. Wished I was there to witness it…" Saki complimented and lamented, heaving out a sigh of relief. "So with the fight done, can we get out of this sewer now? We've been here longer than I want."
Avdol chuckled. "Alright. Our job here is done so… Let's go home. We don't want to keep our friends waiting."
"Right. They didn't run into a problem while we're gone." Bucciarati hoped, opening a portal to the surface through Sticky Fingers. The two first help Saki and Ai go up by carrying them to compensate for their short heights before exiting.
None of them could know how wrong they are that their groupmates are in the midst of two separate Stand fights, that it happened simultaneously and are related… Their job is not yet done.
To be continued
Stand Analysis:
Doobie Wah!
Destructive Power: A
Speed: B
Range: A
Stamina: D
Precision: C
Developmental Potential: E
Doobie Wah! uses the surrounding air to form a spinning vortex that it hides itself in for protection. As long as the vortex is present, Doobie Wah! has the power to shred any flesh it comes into contact with, achieve high speed comparable to rushing winds and even has a unique technique called Twisting Windstorm where it spins its arm rapidly to create a devastating windstorm to obliterate its opponents. However, Doobie Wah!'s body is fragile, so it needs to stay inside the vortex at all times and never leave it.
Onomatopoeia:
ブォォォォォーッ/フォォォォォォォー/ゴォォォォォーッ (Buoooooo/Fooooooo/Goooooooo) - Wind blowing strongly
グル グル グル (Guruguruguru) - Spinning
ギャロン (Gyaron) - Wind emitting a buzzing sound as it goes faster to give it slicing power
ドグシッ (Dogushi) - Twisting Windstorm striking someone
ドッガーン (Doggaaan) - Loud crash
ドッゴン (Doggon) - Explosion