"All right, we're going to move on to the photo session."

Kotaro announces to the fans after Franchouchou's mini concert has finished. He stepped up on stage holding a mic to announce what many fans have been hoping for, as part of further extending Franchouchou's appeal to many people of all ages.

As the fans cheer, Kotaro adds a notice regarding Number Four's situation during meet-and-greets starting this day going forward. "For Number Four, we will be offering these signed glamour shots instead," he shows five pictures of Junko to the fans, three of which show her practicing holding a water bottle as a makeshift mic, Tae biting her hair much to her dismay and another one showing her sitting on a couch.

"Also, please be aware that touching the members of the group is strictly prohibited," he warned. "I hope you can follow that, otherwise you will answer to the bodyguards that are dutifully watching over the girls and you all."

Whether the fans are respectful of the girls' privacy or feeling fearful of the menacing bodyguards walking around the lines as they keep watch over them, the meet-and-greet goes off to a decent start. Kotaro and Bucciarati stand on the stage so they can see the queue better while the girls sans Junko attend to every fan wishing to see their favorite Franchouchou idols up close.

After a picture is finished processing in a camera, Sakura gives the picture to Lily, who happily marches to her spot where her fans are waiting. She is quite happy that Franchouchou has been doing well for the past few days. This good fortune must have come forth due to the successful concert in Saga Rock and Kotaro is keen on making the most of it to boost their popularity and Saga in return. They have Avdol to thank for divining their fortune using tarot cards and conclude that they will be granted good fortune, helped that he was commissioned by Kotaro and see if his fortune telling pedigree is not a joke. The Egyptian was determined to prove him wrong, feeling insulted.

As she's about to keep watch over her bandmates, her smile turns into a frown when Saki walks up to her with a concerned face and says, "Hey, trouble just walked up!"

"Trouble?" Curious of what trouble they will be having, Sakura moves her eyes only to see a colossal man that towers over all fans, including Avdol and Bucciarati*, walking to one of the queues. "Uwaaah! He's so huge!" She exclaimed in awe.

"That dude's gotta be a yak," speculated Saki.

"A yak?"

"Maybe Shades got himself a shady loan and now this guy's here to collect."

"Eh?! So he's a debt collector?! A… yakuza!? W-Where is Kotaro-san and Bucciarati-san?" They turn to the stage, only to find the two are not standing there anymore.

"Oh great! They've run off!" Saki exclaimed. She expected this kind of thing from Kotaro, not that she likes it, but Bucciarati? Where could he possibly go off to? Is there an emergency? No, that's not possible because there are no enemy Stands that Rianima should concern themselves with for now.

Worried for the intimidating man, Sakura turns her eyes back to him and sees he is standing behind an average man holding a card that says "Number Six, End of the Line". When he notices him, he gets scared by his intimidating size so he gives him the card and lets him take his place. "Hey look, the yak just got in line…" She told Saki.

"…Huh? That's… ｢shrimpy's｣ line!" Saki realized.

"Maybe he's a fan of Lily-chan's? Sakura suggested.

"I wouldn't relax yet," Saki doubted that. "We're big enough to get into Sagazine now. Maybe the dude's here to kidnap shrimpy."

"Kidnap!?"

Oblivious to the two's conversation about the tall man who's next in line after the current fan talking to Lily is done speaking to her, Lily has her eyes closed, smiling happily as she listened to him ramble of their show being amazing and promising to see her and the girls in their next concert. Gyro, who is standing behind her and leaning against the wall, is glad to hear his words and that, so far, no one has touched the kid. He doubts that will happen because, well… She is the youngest among Franchouchou. Little does he know that statement will be proven wrong when the tall man walks close to Lily.

Whoa! This guy sure is packing beef in his bones! Gyro cannot help but praise him. Seeing he is taller than him, he feels envious that this guy must have either worked out to achieve his current body build or fortune has granted him a growth spurt in his youth. Or both. And he's checking on Lily, probably the cutest girl in all of Franchouchou. Well, I am not one to judge for his taste in music so…

Still showing her cute expression, Lily introduces herself to the next person in line. "It's nice to meet you! I'm Number Six!" It is not until she opens her eyes does she see the intimidating man looming over her. Instead of being scared however, she is… perplexed and surprised. Huh? Wait, is that?

"Y-You… You are r-really…"

Without thinking, the man crouches to her height before reaching his big hands to touch her lithe body.

!

"Ah!"

"What the hell do ya think you're doing, pal!?" Saki became indignant and protective after watching him warily before running at him.

"HEY! Get your hands off her! ORA!"

Acting quickly, Gyro quickly spins a steel ball before he throws it to the man in point-blank range. The man sees it coming and catches it with his hands. But the ball doesn't stop spinning, and before he knows it, he involuntarily lets go of Lily when he notices his right arm going numb. "H-Huh? Arrrgh… What… is this?"

"ErrrrrrRRYYYYAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" At the same time, Saki delivers a spinning kick to his face, sending him crashing to a large speaker.

ブォッギャア

"ARGHHHH!" The muscular man howled in pain, releasing the steel ball from his hands which came back to Gyro. Whistling in approval of Saki's spin kick, he says, "Nice kick ya got there!"

"No time for celebrating yet, cowboy." Saki stated seriously, glaring at the man slumped against the speaker.

"Right, sorry. Can't help but compliment you." He follows her glare, feeling contempt of the man who dared touch Lily.

Instead of being disgusted by the tall man, Lily has a look of sympathy, shock, and recognition directed at the massive guy. She tries taking a step forward only to be stopped by Sakura and Kakyoin, who were watching nearby when it happened. "Come with me, Lily-chan!"

"But… th-that's…" Lily tried telling them but the two escort her to the backstage with the intent of telling Kotaro and Bucciarati.

As for the fans, most of them are wondering what just happened but they are enamored by Gyro's quick response and strange spinning ball and Saki's strong spin kick that seems to knock the offender unconscious, if not, then dazed.

"That girl is scary. I think that dude's dead." The lanky metalhead commented.

"That is what I love about Number 2! Must be nice being a fan of her." His chubby friend happily declared with a chuckle. His lanky friend gave him a sideway glance.

After Sakura and Kakyoin escorted the reluctant Lily to safety, they both tell Junko and Bucciarati, who are having a pleasant conversation in the backstage, that a suspicious man touched Lily, prompting Gyro and Saki to stop him. They relayed this to Kotaro after he was done using a restroom, drying his hands with a towel. His satisfied face turned agitated when hearing that the rule got broken.

This reaction extends to everyone who came over to the backstage after they dragged the man for questioning. In particular, Tae is growling at the intimidating man, Kakyoin has his arms folded with a frown and glare, Narancia is eager to point his switchblade to him but Bucciarati forbids him, and Gyro stands next to him, steel ball prepared to be thrown against his head if he shows any hint of defiance in his decision to break the rule again. Kotaro is present, leaning against a wall as Ai and Saki have it out for the harasser. Also, Yugiri, Lily, Junko, Johnny, Avdol and Mamezuku stand behind a partially closed door, eavesdropping so they know why he touched Lily.

Lily, however, already knows why.

"Y'know no touching is allowed, pops!"

"…I'm sorry," The man has the decency to apologize. "She just… looks so much like…"

"Looks like who?" Gyro raised an eyebrow in suspicion.

"…Seven years ago, there was a child star who used to be on TV a lot… ｢Her name is Lily Hoshikawa｣."

Everyone except Lily, Tae, and Kotaro are surprised. They did not expect it would happen today that someone recognizes one of them and visits them to see if they really are what they thought to be someone they know. They knew this was coming many months ago, so it's just a matter of time before their loved ones recognize the idols and bodyguards suspiciously look like someone they know who died many years ago, but still, it happened sooner than they thought.

Later that night, the zombies are getting ready to sleep. Despite that, what Takeo Go said to them reveals an inevitable possibility that someone they know will recognize that they must be the same man or woman who died so early, or at the very least, sees the similarities or coincidences.

This fact is brought up by Ai. "What happened to Lily could happen to any of us. Especially for myself and Junko."

"You're right…" Junko agreed. "Even if our names aren't public, it is a cause for concern."

"It's a shame how having a job that puts you on display is as dangerous as it's ever been…" Yugiri lamented.

"Aaahhhhhhhh!" Not liking what she is hearing from them, Saki lies down on the futon with her hands behind her head in frustration. "Damn it, what a drag! I ain't sure if you boys are lucky we don't share the spotlight with you all but, judging from the looks on your faces… You're worried that someone you know might recognize you, right?"

Letting out a sigh, Kakyoin nods, saying, "Tatsumi-san may try not to let us have the attention even if we do have few fans because we are affiliated with you girls, but I have a feeling that even with Tatsumi-san's best, there will come the time when someone Avdol and I know will visit Saga and find us."

"While I do not deny such a possibility," remarked Avdol. "The last thing I want is for Polnareff, Jotaro and Mr. Joseph to see me and Kakyoin as zombies, that is if Mr. Joseph is still living during his advanced age. We do not want the Speedwagon Foundation to be involved in our affairs."

"Speedwagon Foundation?" Yugiri repeated, having heard the name for the first time.

"Oh. It's an influential organization founded in 1910 that dedicates itself to medical research and environmental conservation that has members from many countries working to make our world a better place," answered Ai, having researched the organization's name and learned about what it is and what they do. "These members include physicians, archaeologists, attorneys and field agents. I heard that their assets and technologies are some of the most advanced ever since its conception."

"Interesting." Mamezuku remarked with a curious expression, rubbing his chin.

"Those aren't the only jobs Speedwagon Foundation works for," interjected Avdol. "One branch is focused on containing supernatural occurrences with the help of the Joestar family, which as you may know, have ties to it ever since Jonathan fought against Dio and Robert E. O. Speedwagon witnessed their fights as Jonathan's friend. As such, the organization helped our team many times during our journey to Egypt."

"That includes doing surgery to my damaged eyes caused by an enemy Stand made out of water. It's why I have these two scars. If not for the best doctors available, I would be completely blinded." Kakyoin added.

"Oh, yikes," Saki winced. "I bet it hurt like hell."

"Going back to the possibility someone we know might recognize us," Bucciarati brings everyone back to the topic. "I predict Giorno will personally go visit Saga once he finds out Narancia and I are revived from the dead. I could only imagine his reaction when he saw us."

"I bet Mista, Trish and even Fugo could be tagging along as they fly over Japan," Narancia says about his old friends. "I wonder if they will be happy, sad or mad that we were revived without our consent. Especially since Abbacchio is not with us."

"Don't forget Polnareff, Narancia," replied Bruno. "I believe he will get here when he hears Kakyoin and Avdol become zombies."

The aforementioned two look at Bruno and Narancia in surprise when they mention Polnareff's name. They… They couldn't have misheard them. Did these two former gangsters of Passione encounter Polnareff? If so, how did it go? And what happened to him? They want to know how he is doing nearly thirty years after their deaths.

Before they can respond back, Sakura notices that Lily is taking a long time outside. "Hey, isn't Lily-chan late coming back from washing up?"

"Hm, you're right," said Johnny. "I remember her reaction when we heard from the muscular man that he thought she was someone he knows. She must have been surprised to see him again. If she is taking a long time, I believe she's not back yet because she might want to sort out her feelings after encountering her father."

"Well, I think we should find her," Gyro stands up, rotating his left shoulder in preparation of finding her. "Poor kid needs someone to talk to, or if not, then someone to accompany her. I'm dreading to think she is anything but happy."

"Right. I must find her as well," Yugiri stands up too. "She must be alone as we speak."

"I'll join you two!" Sakura volunteered.

"Might as well have my part. I'm in." Johnny, with slight improvement to his leg muscles, stands up almost without his cane.

With the party assembled, the four leave the living room, leaving Bucciarati and Narancia to tell Kakyoin and Avdol about their encounter with their old friend who helped them defeat Diavolo after the Crusaders prodded them, with Saki, Ai, Junko and Mamezuku listen.

When they find her not in the bathroom after she apparently washed off her makeup, the four believe Lily could have gone outside so they walk out the mansion. Their guess is correct as they found Lily sitting all by herself on a playground slide, looking down with a morose expression.

"So this is where you are, Lily-han," Yugiri called out.

"Oh? Yugiri-san, Sakura-san?" Lily turns to them, noticing Johnny and Gyro accompanying them too. "Johnny-san and Gyro-san, too."

"We were surprised when you weren't in the bathroom over by the faucet." Sakura said to Lily.

"Don't go outside all by yourself without having any of us with you, especially when you don't have makeup," Johnny lightly scolded her. "You could make us worry sick if you were suddenly gone like that."

"Sorry. I just… need to be alone with my… thoughts for a while," Lily replied, closing her eyes with the same downcast look.

"Lily-chan…" Sakura looks at her with a sympathetic look.

"Everyone, that man from this morning…"

"Hey, I already said I'm sorry!" Gyro thought Lily might be giving him a cold shoulder for attacking the man, even if it's for justified reasons. "How should I know that it was someone you know that was touching you?"

"Gyro-san, it's okay. I forgive you. I understand why you and Saki-chan attacked him because you don't know him." Lily assured him.

"Err, well… If you say so then… Okay. Good to know you do not hate me because of that." Gyro chuckles, feeling himself silly for believing Lily will not forgive him.

"As I was about to say before Gyro-san interrupted me, about the man this morning… That's my ｢actual pappy｣."

"Pappy?" Johnny parroted.

"Huh!? You mean… the yakuza?" Sakura exclaimed in shock.

"The who?" Lily and Yugiri looks at her in confusion.

"He was… your father?!" Gyro feels guilty again when he realizes he attacked her father.

"…Y-Your father was freaking huge!" Number One gestures by tracing a circle with both her hands, expressing her disbelief that Lily is the son of Takeo, the massive, muscular man.

"I take more after my mommy," she told them, before glancing down with a sad look. "I didn't even think he'd ever show up…"

"You didn't?" Yugiri asked.

"…To be honest, I was trying to forget about him… But pappy… It was just the two of us, see? But I was never lonely. I knew that Mommy was looking down on us from the sky. And we had a TV; in fact, he really loved TV! He said it was great to watch it with someone… He always talked about how much fun it was to laugh and cry alongside someone. He'd always make me sit next to him! He could be so silly, but I loved seeing how much he enjoyed TV. That's why I thought, 'It'd be great if I could make him smile from inside the TV'."

As she narrates her past, Lily remembers the times when she was with her father, being happy by each other's presence. They would eat on a table with Lily's favorite condiments like ketchup and mustard next to her plate, watch TV together, share a laugh about the funny moments shown on the screen and one time, Lily sees her pappy crying after watching a sad scene. All of these memories… They gave her a sense of happiness and nostalgia. One that serves also to make her sad over the times lost.

Sakura is sitting next to her as Lily continues telling them about her backstory, with Yugiri, Johnny and Gyro standing beside them. "When I signed up for a children's talent agency, he quit his job to be my manager. So he was always with me when there was work. I was cute and great at acting from the start, so every show I was in turned into a magical hit!" She was smiling when she said that, but that turned into a somber, frowning face. The four guess that this is the part where everything goes wrong in Lily's life. "But… right when I was at the top, it happened…"

"It… happened?" Yugiri repeated, moving closer to her to comfort her, urging her to continue even if it is painful to remember it.

"｢Masao｣! Open the door! They need you to get the show moving!"

"No! I'm not coming out!"

Throwing her stuffed toys to the door, Lily hugs a pillow close to her with an angry look as she ignores her pappy calling for her to come out. They are having an argument regarding Lily's part in a TV show.

Standing before her door, Takeo's head rises past the height of the door as he tries to make her daughter come out. "It's fine. That part's not going to show on TV.

"You only care about me when I'm on TV!" Lily insinuates. "You don't worry about the ｢real me｣!"

"Of course I do!" Takeo tried reassuring her. "A little leg hair isn't a big deal! It just means you're ｢growing up｣ a little."

"I am never growing up!" She throws her pillow at the door in anger.

"You can't look like that forever."

"Lily can, too!" She retorted, looking at the mirror showing her cute, little form. Turning to the door, she finishes her argument with her Pappy by exclaiming, "I don't want to look like you, Pappy! YOU DUMMY!"

Now getting angry, Takeo shouts, "Masao! A lot of people are really looking forward to this show! Now, open the door!" He starts pounding against the door, hoping Lily can listen.

Unfortunately, Lily does not as she continues looking at herself in a tall mirror. "I'm never gonna grow up…" She wishes her statement to be true. She wants to be cute, little, and happy forever, never growing up like her father. To her, this is proof that her deceased mother lives on through her appearance and she wants to keep it that way, as part of her real self and her wanting to live on as her mother.

However, Lily notices something on her face. "Huh? Do I have some food stuck to my face?" She moved her hand to it to clean it off, but when it didn't, she proceeded to tug it.

She realizes, to her shock and horror, that it is a single piece of facial hair growing on her pretty face. Something that she is dreading and hoping doesn't want to happen on her cute face.

"A-A-Aaahh… Hai… Hai… Hai… Hai…" Feeling her chest starting to get heavy as her body shakes in pain, she lets out one last word to the living world. "HAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrrrrr…!"

And with that, Lily falls backwards to the cold hard floor with her eyes and mouth open after her little heart gives out from the stress of her work and finding out she is growing up into something she does not want. Her star decoration detaches from her hair, symbolizing the death of a star.

Hearing her shout of fear, Masao kicks the door open and goes in to find her daughter lying on the floor, motionless. Fearing the worst, Takeo kneels before her and clutches her gently. He does not want to believe it. He refuses to believe it. Her daughter… Her only daughter and link to his deceased wife… She… She was gone…

Gone from this world…

On top of that, the last time they ever communicated is through an argument that supposedly ended up straining their relationship. Because of that, Lily Hoshikawa died on bad terms with her pappy…

"Masao! MASAOOOOOOOO!" He cried out in anguish, unfortunately going unheard by Lily.

"That was the last time I saw him…" Lily finished telling her story to the four.

The four zombies looked on with varying reactions of sorrow and sympathy; hearing Lily's story and how it ended badly through an argument with her father before she suffered a heart attack is nothing short of tragic. Her story ends up hitting too close to home for Johnny and Gyro, both of which had an argument with their father that is also the last time they ever see from them. While Johnny is fortunate that his once-abusive father apologized for his treatment of him when he was child and made up during the last leg of the race, Gyro died before his body was delivered back to the Kingdom of Naples. Johnny can only guess what their reaction was once they find him dead.

So a heart attack killed her… Lily shouldn't have gone under too much stress for someone too young like her, thought Gyro, his instincts as a physician taking over briefly. He then looks up to the night sky. I wonder… will my father see me as a decent successor if I continued the duties of the Zeppeli family back then? Did he… loved me even if our jobs take precedence above sense of sentimentality? I may never know…

"Um, wait. So what happened…?" Sakura started speaking because she was confused about one detail of her backstory. "Sorry it was kind of hard to keep up. Who is this Masao guy you started mentioning partway through?"

"Ah, right. I thought this was your story, Lily," Gyro agreed with Sakura. "I was confused when your father called you by that name. From the sound of it, it sounds like a guy's name. Can you tell us why you were called that?"

Lily glanced her eyes to them, and at Johnny and Yugiri for a moment before she looks forward again and reveals this. "It's what my name ｢used to be｣."

"…Oh." Sakura and Gyro seem satisfied with her answer… until they realize the implications behind it.

"W-W-Wait, WHAT!?" Sakura exclaimed, looking back at her in shock.

"Lily-han… Are you… Are you saying…?" Yugiri tried to say something as she looked at her in shock.

"You were… actually… born as…?" Johnny speaks up with wide eyes.

As for Gyro, his surprise is… a little dramatic compared to them.

"OHHHHHHHHHH! MYYYYYYYYYY! GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD! ! ! ! ! !"

To be continued

*Takao Go's official height is 220cm tall. While he towers over Bucciarati and Avdol, who are both 185 cm and 188 cm respectively, he is 25 cm taller than Jonathan, Joseph during his prime and Jotaro! (The three JoJos are 195cm tall)

Gyro's reaction will never not be funny, hehe. Thought it fitting he gets the biggest "OH MY GOD!" as his reaction to Lily revealing she used to be a boy.