ザー ザー ザー ザー
Two minutes have passed after Sakura, Kakyoin and Narancia listened to Junko's issue about how the Legendary Showa Idol doesn't like interacting with fans up close due to sticking with what she learned being a single idol when she was alive in the late 70s and early 80s.
Four of them left the beach soon when the rain started pouring down from the clouded evening sky above. With the exception of Sakura, the three zombies' makeup are already washed off, exposing their red eyes, green skin, scars, stitched up wounds and bandages. From the looks of it, no one except the group are around walking in the sidewalk they are in, illuminated by the streetlight showing their zombie forms. Good thing too because they will have to keep themselves hidden if they ever see someone. Stand or no Stand, they will make haste to an alley if they ever see anyone roaming the streets.
Despite that however, the group is in a good mood. Not because there is a low chance someone could see them as zombies, but the three of them may have found a solution to Junko's predicament that may benefit her and Franchouchou. Whether Narancia said his suggested answer after thinking it or not, it is thanks to him that Kakyoin could suggest a solution he believes Junko may like, therefore preventing her from quitting Franchouchou out of worry that she will hold the group back thanks to her view on being an idol that is outdated in the eyes of contemporary idols. Right now, the four has to go back home first and tell Kotaro what's troubling Junko and their suggestion that complements her and Franchouchou. Hopefully, he listens to their words and agrees with them if he wants Franchouchou to succeed.
And bring attention to Saga in the process.
Holding the brim of a hat given by Junko, Sakura's eyes and large scar are covered, as if she does not want anyone to see her creepy face to any humans even though there's a low chance they would be up and walking. She can't see what's in front of her expectedly but it's not a problem for her as she is walking in the same brisk speed as the three, occasionally glancing at them to make sure she doesn't go too far and get lost.
ビチャン ビチャン ビチャン
"Huh?"
Sakura stopped when she heard a strange sound. She looks around to try and find where she heard it. Kakyoin, Narancia and Junko noticed she stopped, making them halt too as Kakyoin asks, "Sakura? What's wrong? Why did you stop?"
After unable to find what made the sound she barely heard in the splashing rain, she looks at them and says, "I… I thought I heard a peculiar sound. I was trying to find it, and…"
"Are you sure, Sakura?" Junko looked at her in confusion. "I haven't heard anything aside from this rain."
"Hmm, maybe I was imagining it. Sorry that I stopped. Let's keep moving."
The four continue walking after that small conversation. Sakura held on to the hat's brim again to stop a rushing wind from lifting it off her head and making her chase for it.
ビチャン ビチャン ビチャン
"Ah! I heard it again!" She exclaimed, looking around again.
Raising an eyebrow, Narancia asks her this time. "What exactly did you hear Sakura? You didn't mistake the splashing rain as a strange sound, did ya?"
Sakura shakes her head, stating, "No. I'm sure I hear an almost inaudible noise amidst the rain. It sounds like… someone… stepping on a… small… puddle." She gives her best description on what she heard.
"…Are you saying there is someone else nearby walking behind us?" Kakyoin guessed.
"I think so, yeah," she nodded. If that's what she heard, she hopes that they didn't see their sickly blue skin and piercing red eyes pointing to their inhuman nature. "But, not behind us! I heard it coming from ｢above｣."
"Above?" Junko repeated. She immediately finds something wrong with that choice of word, so she says, "But, you said it sounds like someone stepping on a puddle Sakura. How can you hear it above you?"
"…Wait, you're right. That is weird," she agreed. "But I'm sure I heard it above us. My ears couldn't have mistaken the source of the sound."
ビチャン ビチャン ビチャン
"And there it is again! The sound 「above us!」"
While Junko looks unconvinced and skeptical of her statement, Kakyoin has a thoughtful look on him as he tried to make sense of her words. Footsteps heard above them? Surely the rain could be the cause? Barring that, maybe the splattering rain concealed the sound only Sakura can hear.
"Uhhhh, yeah. That's really weird and all, but can we get a move on? I don't want to spend more minutes standing here in the rain," Narancia impatiently told the three. He doesn't like the sound of any liquid hitting a surface at all, so he wants to go back home and be safe under the roof protecting him from the rain. "Besides, it's not long before our makeups will wash away and expose our decaying bodies to anyone unfortunate to pass by." He showed them his arms that's not colored blue and gangly in appearance.
Junko looks at his arms and is a little surprised. "Eh? But, Narancia. Your makeup was washed off a minute ago."
"What? Really?" Taking a look on his arms, he sees Junko is right. His makeup should be washed off by now.
! !
It may have taken him two minutes to find out, but Kakyoin sees his hands are healthy and normal, as if he hasn't become a zombie in the first place. Becoming alarmed, he told the three, "Oh no! Don't tell me… we're under an enemy's sight because our skin has become normal?"
Hearing his words just now, Narancia and Junko also realized their bodies became normal. No sign of decay and discolored skin and no red eyes seemingly glowing in the dark. While the former becomes alerted like Kakyoin, Junko starts to panic because she will be facing another enemy Stand again.
ドドドドドドドド
"An enemy Stand! Where!?" Narancia looks around wildly, trying to locate their enemy. Little did he know, the enemy is behind him, ready to ambush him with a sharp weapon of sorts.
!?
However, Sakura saw the enemy approaching Narancia, so she rushes towards Narancia as she shouts, "Narancia! Look out!"
"Huh?" Narancia felt his body pushed away from a panicking Sakura…
スバッ
…and heard a slicing sound.
"Uh!?"
"Huh!?"
"Wha!?"
The three could only watch as Sakura's neck got sliced apart in the air. Everything is in slow motion, including the rain, as they see her head fall on a wet ground with a splash. Her body soon followed after standing upright for a moment.
They stay silent, only staring at the beheaded Sakura lying on the ground and getting splashed by the rain. Despite not saying any word, their faces are filled with shock, aghast and denial that they have just watched Sakura getting killed so abruptly.
"N-No… No way…" Kakyoin started, disbelief in his voice.
"No… Nononononono… S-Sakura-chan…" Junko stuttered, tears forming on the corners of her eyes.
"This… This is not real… Tell me this is NOT REAL…!" Narancia looks furious and distraught, angry at whoever killed her while feeling a bit of guilt for causing her to die.
Whatever their reactions are, they could only face at the beheaded corpse of Sakura, unmoving and unresponsive for all the world to see. They could not believe it. They really just saw Sakura beheaded right in front of their eyes. Try as they might, they just couldn't deny it when she is lying before them.
Before more reactions are let out, a voice rings through the splashing rain. A familiar, sweet voice it might add. "Uh, guys? Can you… help me reconnect my head back to my body?"
"Huh?"
"Eh?"
"What?"
The three vulnerable zombies look at Sakura, specifically her head, as they stand there with eyes wide in shock. Did… Did they just hear her right? It could have been their minds playing tricks on them out of denial of her supposed "death". But then, they hear her voice again, louder and clearer this time. "Hey! Are you three gonna stand there and ignore me? I can feel my body trying to find my head and insert it back to my neck!" Sure enough, her headless body is crawling around, reaching her hands in an attempt to touch her head, which is actually lying behind it.
After staring at her headless body move around, Kakyoin could not contain his relief and shock as he exclaimed, "You're…! You're still alive, Sakura!?"
"OOOOH MYYYYY GOOOOOD!" Narancia has his hands on his cheek, shouting out three words to express his surprise and disbelief over the turn of events.
"Aaahhhhh! You… You really scared us, Sakura! I thought… I thought you died…!" Junko cried out of relief, her tears spilling out from her eyes as she hugged her body. As she did, she sees that unlike the three of them, her skin remained greenish blue and cold to the touch. "Eh? Sakura-chan… You didn't… turned human like us?"
"Wait, really?" Narancia looks at her in surprise. "Sakura remained as a zombie compared to us?"
"She is," Kakyoin picks up her head, not hiding his look of surprise as he stares at her sickly blue skin, large scar on her head and her red eyes. "But why? How come you weren't turned human, Sakura?"
"I'm… I'm not so sure," she replied in confusion. "While I would like to wonder about why I didn't turn human, I would worry more about the enemy that sliced my head off. Harmlessly, I have to add."
ゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴ
"Damn it. I got complacent," despite being relieved Sakura is unharmed, Narancia blames himself for not noticing the enemy is behind him earlier until it's too late. If weren't for Sakura pushing him out of harm's way, he would be injured, or even dead. Even then, he has no one to blame but himself for causing Sakura's second death if she did turn back into human. "Whoever our enemy is, they have a lot to answer for!"
Looking up in the sky, Narancia shout his lungs out, eager to fight and kill the enemy. "HEEEY! Show yourself you bastard! Don't you dare hide from us like a coward!"
"N-Narancia! Don't provoke the enemy! We do not know what they are capable of!" Junko warned him, fearful of how dangerous their enemy is and when they will attack. She is unaware that the enemy is right behind her, standing ominously as a hand is raised holding a sharp weapon of a sort, intending on stabbing her…
! !
Kakyoin saw the enemy looming behind Junko, prompting him to point his finger and shout. "Junko! Duck!"
"Huh?"
If his command isn't enough that he has found the enemy, then Hierophant Green appearing to charge up an Emerald Splash should.
"Emerald Splash!"
ドッバアーッ
"Awawawawah!"
Acting quick, Junko ducked down as emeralds pass her by harmlessly, intending to hit the enemy. However, the enemy, who is wearing a hooded poncho and a mask similar to a hockey mask, swiftly dodged the emeralds by jumping up.
"Think fast! Here's a second Emerald Splash!" Kakyoin did not let up his assault, firing emeralds at the enemy stuck in the air. He has nowhere to stand on, so he's going to get hit by the emeralds.
ビシャッ バシャッ ガシィン ガシィィン
"Huh!?" To his and everyone's surprise, the hooded enemy managed to dodge the emeralds by jumping from air to air.After the emeralds pass him by without hitting him, the enemy proceeds to stand and jump on basically nothing in the air, emitting a wet sound on every step he made.
Naturally, such a bizarre sight means any of the four are liable to point it out. Sakura is the one who does it, stating, "How… How is the man jumping in the air without anything he can step on?! Is it… Is it his ability?"
"It could be. No way in hell that the enemy walking and jumping in the air like he has ground to cover is anything but normal," Narancia told her. A red aura surrounds his body, a sign that he's going to bring out his Stand to assist Kakyoin. "We still do not know what his ability is and how it works, but that doesn't mean I'm gonna stand here and do nothing while Kakyoin gets all the spotlight in this fight! I'm joining in to bring that bastardo down!"
"Any help is appreciated, Narancia," said Kakyoin, watching the enemy intently and sees he dropped to the ground and stares at them. He had just saw he's carrying an umbrella, which he closed it before discarding it to his side, as if he doesn't need it. In response to this, Hierophant Green appears before its master, its hands already charging up another shot of Emerald Splash. "If you want to bring your Stand out, do it now! We can't let the enemy have the advantage and kill Sakura and Junko."
"What you said. Alright! Time to show you three what my Stand is!" Narancia eagerly joins the fight, standing next to Kakyoin and glaring at their enemy with a determined look.
"Please be careful, you two!" Sakura told them, having managed to bring her head and hat back to her body. Even though she remained as a zombie, she's not looking forward to getting attacked or sliced apart again, so she's staying out of their fight.
"I'm sure they will, Sakura-chan," assured Junko, putting her hand on her shoulder to comfort her. "Kakyoin showed that he's a competent Stand User, and if Narancia is on the same level as him, then I have faith they will defeat the enemy so we can go home safe."
"Yeah. Here's hoping." She agreed with a nod, smiling at her and at the two staring the enemy down.
ドドドドドドドド
The tension between Kakyoin, Narancia and the masked enemy boils up as neither side are willing to back down from their intense stare off. Kakyoin has Hierophant Green at standstill, Narancia's body is covered in red aura but hasn't summoned his Stand yet and the enemy simply continues staring at the target he has to kill. These two are in his way, so he has to take care of them before he can proceed to the white-haired girl behind them.
"It appears… You two are unwilling to let me pass," the man spoke up, getting their attention. "I was willing to go easy on all of you and gave you all quick and painless deaths, because my Stand, 「Catch the Rainbow」, is able to permit quick deaths."
Shaking off the surprise of him speaking up after staying silent, Narancia responds to his words with a frown. "Oh yeah? Guess what? We don't agree! We are not looking forward to have our second deaths at the hands of an enemy Stand! You are not gonna lay your hands on us and the girls, bastardo! If not, then it's best you stay down and never mess with us again!"
"…I see. Then I must carry out the task that I'm here for," Blackmore said not-so-cryptically. "Just so you know… I apologize in advance for what I'm about to do to you three, except for that zombie girl over there."
…Huh? He singled out…me? Sakura thought in surprise. But she didn't have time to ask or think about it when Blackmore 「disappeared」 in a puddle.
"The enemy!? Where… Where did it go!?" Kakyoin exclaimed, having Hierophant Green send out tendrils across the ground.
He didn't know his answer will soon be given to him in a form of a surprise attack.
スカァッ
"AAAAAAHHHHHH!"
Narancia's right cheek gets sliced clean by a sharp object similar to a knife, drawing up blood from the wound. The pain prompted the screaming teen to clutch his face as he falls backward to the ground, screaming in pain.
"Narancia!" Sakura and Junko called out his name in concern.
"HIEROPHANT GREEN!"
At the same time, Kakyoin commanded his Stand as soon as Blackmore appeared from the ground. Without hesitation, Hierophant Green fired emeralds at the enemy, who swiftly dodge all the emeralds. Seeing this, Kakyoin conjures tentacles from Hierophant Green's chest to entangle the enemy through the ground and in the air, making sure he has nowhere to escape from his Stand.
ガバァァー
However, the enemy anticipated this and responded by jumping up. This does not deter Kakyoin as he simply redirected the tentacles above. This time, he will not escape from Hierophant Green's grip! What he thought as he believes he can end the fight early before it gets dragged on.
チク チク チクッ
Kakyoin feels a prickly pain from his body as the tentacles are getting stabbed repeatedly from…raindrops?
W-What? Am I seeing this…? Are those raindrops… piercing Hierophant Green's tentacles? He thought in disbelief.
Despite being not in great pain, Kakyoin doesn't like the sensation of getting pricked by something sharp similar to needles so he retracts the tentacles. At the same time, Hierophant Green charges another Emerald Splash as its user glares the enemy seemingly floating in the air amidst the rain. "If the tendrils didn't get you, my emeralds surely will! Take this, Emerald…SPLASH!"
ドッバアーッ !
As the emeralds are about to hit the masked enemy, he has this to say in an apologetic tone.
"I'm sorry."
ビシィ !
One emerald is deflected by something, directing it to the other emeralds.
ガン ガン ガン ガン ガン
!
Kakyoin's eyes couldn't believe what he is seeing as all emeralds are ricocheting off each other. Not only that, raindrops around it remain still in mid-air and deflects the emeralds more, much to his, Sakura and Junko's surprise.
What the? Why are the emeralds bouncing off from raindrops? Despite being so small, they are all durable enough to not be washed off by the emeralds. And earlier, the raindrops pierced the tentacles like it was nothing! Just what's the deal with the rain? Why are they acting like that around the enemy?
…
Acting…around the…enemy…? …No way! Don't tell me! The enemy's Stand ability is…!
Kakyoin didn't get to tell them what he had discovered when the emeralds are deflected towards the four.
ドッバアーッ !
"Oh crap!"
Kakyoin exclaimed before Hierophant Green fires another stream of emeralds to divert the rogue emeralds to his side. Unfortunately, not all of them are diverted as some of them reach Sakura and Junko, who didn't have time to dodge them and got hit.
"Aaagghh!" Junko shouted as she is hit in her shoulder, torso and left knee. Sakura turns to her in concern when she heard her shout of pain. "Junko-chan!"
Diverting her eyes off from the emeralds is a mistake because one emerald hits her temple, detaching her head cleanly from her body in the process. "Ageehh!?"
Despite being the only one who isn't turned human and remained a zombie, a hit to her temple is enough to disorient Sakura, reflected by her headless body trying to stand up but cannot as the red-haired girl try to shake off the feeling of turmoil whirling in her head. "Uuuugghhh… I feel sick…"
"Sakura! Junko!" Kakyoin turns around when he heard them get hit by the emeralds. A look of worry and regret appear on his face when he sees in his attempt to stop the enemy Stand, it led the two girls to get harmed by him unintentionally. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to-"
"No, don't apologize Kakyoin-san..." Junko stops him, giving him a reassuring smile despite the pain as she does not hold it against him. "I know you didn't mean to hurt us."
"But still, Hierophant Green fired the emeralds. I cannot help but feel responsible for almost injuring you two, especially you Junko because you turned into human again along with Narancia and I while Sakura remains zombie for some reason." He replied guiltily. Turning to Sakura, whose headless body grabs the still disorientated head, he is thankful Sakura remained a zombie, meaning an emerald hitting her head isn't fatal for her. Regardless, he feels guilty over hurting her inadvertently.
Reforming back from a puddle of rain, Blackmore, seeing Kakyoin is distracted, forms a sharp weapon made out of condensed raindrops, intending to stab him from the back and make up for not stabbing Junko earlier. With his hand raised, Blackmore is ready to kill one of the bodyguards of Franchouhou...
"How dare you..."
Everyone including the masked man heard Narancia say after staying quiet to the point they almost forgot him. The former member of Passione, who isn't injured by the emeralds at all miraculously enough, crouches up while clutching his slashed cheek with his head down, all the while uttering "How dare you..." in seething anger that seems to be directed at Kakyoin. At least that's what he thinks so.
BGM: aereo da caccia (Golden Wind: Overture)
"Narancia...?" He calls his name, believing he is going to attack him for hurting Junko and Sakura. "H-Hey, listen. I didn't mean-"
"DROP DEEEEAAAAAD!"
ドォォォン
A miniature airplane flies out of Narancia, taking flight in the air as its user kneels on the ground with a steel gaze together with the airplane flying above his head.
Sakura, Junko and Kakyoin watch as the airplane, which is based on a monoplane fighter aircraft constructed in tractor configuration that has its propeller located in the front painted in red, wings in an Inverted Gull Wing configuration, plane's wheels retracted under its fuselage, twin tail vertical stabilizer, two machine guns under the wings and a single bomb under the fuselage and, if one looks close, has facial features including eyes and a wide mouth that are segmented fly pass Kakyoin (much to his relief because he is not his target) towards the enemy, who decides to not attack Kakyoin and get away from the airplane charging towards him and the berserk Stand User.
"DON'T YOU DARE GET AWAY! HAVE AT IT, 「AEROSMITH」!"
ドガガガガガ
Machine guns fired against the retreating enemy, multiple bullets churning out at a rapid rate. Blackmore tried dodging them all and stabilizing raindrops to deflect them, but he was grazed by gunshots due to how fast the machine guns are. Needing to retreat for now, Blackmore melds with the falling rain, escaping Narancia's wrath for the time being as he disappears to a puddle.
Naturally, Narancia is displeased to see him disappear, prompting to come over and stomp the puddle where Blackmore disappeared into. "Goddammit! He just has to dissolve into water when I already cornered him! Aaaaggghhhh! This is irritating!" Angered at him getting a cheap shot to his cheek and escaping his attack, Narancia looks around wildly, shouting, "Show yourself you bastardo! I'm not done with you! Come and face me like a man! If not, then I'll bomb the street using Aerosmith!"
"N-Narancia! Calm down!" Kakyoin holds his flailing arms as he tries putting some sense into the irate boy. "L-Let's not get too... angry about the enemy, please!"
Though he's still not satisfied, Narancia eventually managed to calm down. He lets out a sigh, obviously displeased Kakyoin has to cut in and told him to get hold of himself.
BGM Stops
"Um... Who would have thought Narancia has a Stand like that?" They heard Sakura say after watching Aerosmith fire many bullets at Blackmore and his burst of temper.
"If he hadn't dissolved into water, he would be a charred, bullet-ridden corpse getting washed off by the rain." Narancia said. "Sorry I wasn't too quick guys." He rubs his head in discontent.
"Well, I am glad all of us are still fine and weren't injured greatly." Sakura lets out a sigh of relief as she replied. "On the topic of your Stand Narancia, your...Aerosmith is remarkable, but deadly. If you would, please don't use your Stand against me! I-I'm scared of what will it do to me.
"Hey, hey, hey! Do not worry! I'm not gonna use it against you and Junko!" Narancia waves his hands in front of him to calm her down. "I'm not that much of an asshole to just use it as much as I like!"
"But you are willing to fire at the enemy with your Stand. How can we not be afraid of you and your Stand?" Junko agrees with Sakura, hoping he doesn't mind what she said to him.
Li'l Bomber stands up as Junko puts her head and hat back, saying, "Weeeellll... Considering what he had done to my face and to you three, I'd say he deserves it."
"Still, shooting at him with all of your bullets is so... cruel." Junko seems to be against his action but that's not to say the enemy deserves it. "And does your Stand have to manifest as an airplane? This is after Kakyoin-san told you about how I died..."
Narancia eyes widen in surprise as he says, "Uhhhh, well... It's...what my Stand...looks like?" He tries to justify the appearance of his Stand, even though he starts to feel bad about giving Junko PTSD from the sight of an airplane. Junko sees where he is getting at so she said, "Do not worry. I can take the sight of your airplane Stand with minimal issue. You don't have to think about not summoning it for my sake."
"Really? Geez, you don't have to say that. I may not let Aerosmith out if it gives you bad memories Junko." He responds with a concerned look.
"If I would like to ask, is there anything else Aerosmith can do Narancia?" Kakyoin starts asking about Aerosmith, curious to see what an object-based Stand do to help its user. "I can tell it's a long-ranged type Stand appearing as fighter plane that shoots bullets and... drop bombs? There is a yellow object below Aerosmith." He pointed out the bomb latched below the flying airplane.
"Yeah. It can drop a bomb and cause explosions, too"
"S-Seriously?" Sakura looks at him as if she has seen a ghost.
"It's for a rare occasion! Doesn't mean I'm gonna drop bombs as much as I like!"
"Aside from machine guns and bombs, I believe there is more to your Stand, right?"
Narancia nods his head as he says with a smile, "Yup! Aside from two machine guns and bomb that has infinite ammunition, Aerosmith has a radar that lets me detect carbon dioxide in my vicinity. With the radar, I can tell where the target is if I inspect the carbon dioxide intently or adjust the settings depending on the situation."
"A radar?" Junko repeated.
"This radar."
Narancia pointed to a mechanical radar appearing on his right eye, which has a propeller and a screen showing three detected carbon dioxides as three circular blips. It's in the center, meaning the radar detects him, Kakyoin and Junko. The three huddled behind Narancia and see what the radar looks like. "Pretty neat, right?"
"Wow. I think this radar must be useful to you and your team, Narancia-kun." Sakura complimented.
"Well, it's not entirely perfect because there are times the radar may not work as intended in a given setting but for the most part, my enemies won't hide themselves from me no matter how hard they try as long as their carbon dioxide is detected." He admitted with a cheeky smile.
ビチャン ビチャン ビチャン
!
The telltale sound of shoes stepping on a puddle, or more accurately, stepping on a raindrop, is heard, prompting them to keep their guard up and look around for any signs of Blackmore.
"There's that sound again," Sakura said, huddling close to Kakyoin for protection. "How... How is he making that sound? It sounds like he's stepping on water, but at the same time, it doesn't sound quite like it."
"Could it be his Stand ability?" Junko guessed. "We did saw him standing on raindrops."
"Raindrops? Hmm, could it be that his ability involves 「manipulating rain」?" Narancia suggested, keeping the radar on his face while Aerosmith continues patrolling their surroundings.
"That's right. Catch the Rainbow allows the enemy to manipulate raindrops, like stabilizing them in mid-air to let him stand on them, meld itself with the rain to provide fluid movements like he is made of water and utilize the rain for offense and defense, like using them to form sharp weapons or deflecting solid projectiles." Kakyoin explained the use of Catch the Rainbow to the three, after observing how Blackmore uses it to fight them.
"I-I see. So that's how his Stand works," if Sakura isn't more worried about Blackmore, then she should be now. "This rain must have provided him a perpetual source of his power to attack us. If it wasn't raining this night, his ability would be useless, something I would have liked to happen."
"It is unfortunate we got caught in its range, yeah, but that doesn't mean the enemy is invincible," Narancia said. "Even though he dodged the majority of my bullets, I did see him get grazed by them, meaning he got hurt by my attack regardless. I have to wonder... If I can overwhelm him, to the point he won't be able to escape my and Kakyoin's attacks, then he's practically finished."
"So that will be your strategy then? Overwhelm the enemy until he goes down?" Junko summed up his statement.
"I suppose. The enemy moves so nimbly that Narancia and I are unable to even land a serious blow to him," Kakyoin said. Hierophant Green spreads out tendrils from its lower body across the ground and around them as he says, "If he tries to get out of our assault through dissolving as a water, he will have to answer to Hierophant Green's tendrils spread around. The tendrils will catch him before he can retreat and Narancia and I are free to obliterate him with our Stands."
At this moment, Blackmore appears standing in the air, looking at them with his eyes behind his mask. "The enemy!" Sakura yelled out.
"He finally came out. Now then," shielding Sakura and Junko with their bodies, Kakyoin and Narancia stare at Blackmore with resolute eyes, intending to end the enemy's assault in one move through their strategy. "Let's finish this. Are you ready Narancia?"
"Ready as always!" He nodded enthusiastically.
As rain continues pouring down, Blackmore remains in his position, holding an umbrella. Unwilling to let him have attack first, Hierophant Green and Aerosmith both charge to the enemy and encircle around him so both Stands are in front of and behind him, leaving him no space to evade their attacks.
With the position set, Kakyoin and Narancia shouted vigorously.
"AEROSMITH!"
"HIEROPHANT GREEN!"
Despite being seemingly surrounded, Blackmore remains composed and calm, as if he's not bothered by their upcoming attacks. This is then followed by him whispering to himself.
"...How naïve. You two thought you have me cornered. Well, I am sorry for proving you two wrong but... my ability, Catch the Rainbow, not only lets me stabilize raindrops, but I can freely control them with just my hand and imagination. As long as there is rain or water, I have full command over them."
"After all, you can't assume the rain is always pouring down..."
Before Kakyoin fires an Emerald Splash together with Narancia, he noticed a rising object in front of him. "Hm? What's that?" Distracted, Kakyoin turns to look at it.
"Oi, Kakyoin! What the heck are you- huh?" Narancia is about to scold him for getting distracted when he sees the same object too.
"Kakyoin, Narancia, what's wrong?" Sakura asks the two, wondering and concerned that they had diverted their attention to something else.
"More than that, what is that rising in front of them?" Junko peeks around the two and sees a rippling, fluid pillar-like entity rising and forming a shape on its tip.
ドドドドドドドド
As the four looks at the peculiar liquid entity, with Hierophant Green and Aerosmith on standby, they try to guess what they are looking at. They certainly didn't expect this...thing to appear before a climactic part of this fight, and as such, they are distracted by a tower-like liquid object. It was not until its tip formed a human hand with sharp fingers did Kakyoin realize what it really was.
"Uh!" He lets out a sharp intake of breath in shock and dread before he tried warning the three too late. "Everyone! Get back! It's the enemy's-!"
ドピュギィ !
The hand instantly slices Kakyoin's face, the pain forcing him to the ground as blood pours out from his wounds. "AAAAGGGHHHHH!"
"KAKYOIN!" Sakura and Junko called out in shock and horror over seeing his face sliced by water.
Knowing already who the culprit is, Narancia turns back to Blackmore angrily, seeing Hierophant Green disperse in response to its user's pain. "Why you...! YOU'RE DEAD!"
ドガガガガガ
Aerosmith fired at Blackmore, who simply evades them like before, only getting grazing wounds due to the speed of machine gun. At the same time, the appendage-like water swiftly moves to slice Narancia's head off, which he immediately noticed and barely dodges it, earning a cut on his shoulder, "Gaaaagghh!" He shouts out in pain.
"Narancia!" Sakura turns to him when he was almost sliced by Blackmore's water appendage, only for a third surprise caused by the appendage to happen by slicing her head for the third time. "Anngh-!"
"Not you too, Sakura!" Even though she wasn't killed because she's a zombie, it doesn't stop Junko from being concerned by her. She looks mortified over seeing them bombarded by the enemy's secondary attack. She wants to help all of them, but because they are far from home and having no way of attacking, she is powerless. Still, seeing her friends get hurt and suffer is not what she wanted to see this night, so whether she has a Stand or not, she will try get them back on their feet.
Unfortunately for her, that will not happen because Blackmore suddenly appeared behind her, and before she can react, a hand covers her mouth. "Mmmphfff!"
"Finally caught you." Blackmore stated to Junko, feeling his wounds getting plugged in by raindrops. It doesn't mean the wounds are healed however, as it serves to prolong the bleeding and his inevitable death if the wounds are serious.
"Mmmm-! Nnnngggghh!" Attempting to pry his mouth of her mouth, Junko managed to do so briefly to call out Narancia in panic before she is covered again. The boy heard her cry and turned around to see Blackmore having her hands on her. "Ah! Junko! Grrrr! Get your hands off her, NOW!"
ドバガガガガ
Aerosmith fired at Blackmore again, this time from behind. This is a futile move, as Blackmore successfully jumped up and away from the bullets as it hit the pavement and fence's wall. With the stabilized raindrops, Blackmore stands far from the three with the squirming Junko in his hands. Poor girl tries to free herself his grip which too tight, flailing her legs in vain. "I have my target. Our fight is as good as finished." He announced to Narancia and the beheaded Sakura.
"Like hell our fight is finished!" He quickly rebutted, intending to charge towards him. But a swift movement from the appendage splashing the puddle before his feet stops him from doing so, as it accompanies Blackmore to protect him from anyone who would try interrupt or attack him.
"Try going after me if you want this water appendage to slice you apart," Blackmore gives him a warning. "As I said, I have my target in my hands. I'll be taking my leave. Goodbye."
"AHHH! NARANCIAAAAAA!" Junko could only scream his name in panic as she is hauled away from the three, with Blackmore jumping from raindrops to raindrops to his next destination.
Not willing to lose the enemy and let him get away, Narancia, with Aerosmith flying above him, pursues Blackmore anyway, heedless of the warning, exclaiming, "Hold on Junko! I'm gonna turn that bastardo into swiss cheese with Aerosmith!" Li'l Bomber sprinted across the street, leaving Sakura and the seemingly motionless Kakyoin behind.
"N-Narancia, wait! Don't forget us!" Sakura tries calling out to him, her headless body quickening the pace to find and reattach back her body.
"No. Let him go, Sakura. He must not lose sight of the enemy," she heard Kakyoin speak, at the same time her body found her head and picks her up and face it towards the recovering teenager. His right hand is covering her eyes as blood pours out from his wounds. Worrying his eyes got hit by the liquid entity, she says, "Kakyoin! Are you alright! Is... Is your eyes injured?"
"Do not worry. I am fine Sakura. In fact," he removes his hand, revealing his closed eyes and two vertical wounds lining it. He then opens his eyes, showing them safe and uninjured. "My eyes are fine." He smiled out of relief.
Seeing he is uninjured causes Sakura to let out a sigh of relief. "Hah... You have me worried Kakyoin. I thought you will be blinded when the water sliced your eyes. Or at least, that's what I thought." She said, reattaching her head back for the third time tonight.
"Well, truth be told, I did receive a similar attack back when my group had reached Egypt and encountered one of DIO's elite guard," he recounted the battle that caused him to move out of the group temporarily to recover because of his carelessness. "It's a Stand made out of water, with slicing power strong enough to cut a human's flesh. I fell victim to it when it sliced my eyes. I would have gone blind if expert surgeons from Speedwagon Foundation didn't operate on my eyes and recover my sight."
Sakura is shocked to hear that. She guesses that's why two, small vertical scars lining his eyes were there. "So, I believe you learned your lesson when you realized the enemy's secondary attack, right?"
"Yeah. I managed to closed my eyes before I felt my face getting slashed," He sighs out of relief. "If I haven't, I would go blind for real, possibly beyond recovering."
"Good thing it didn't happen to you again..." She shivered in fear at the thought. "So, Kakyoin. We have to go after Narancia-kun. Like you said, we mustn't lose sight of the enemy that have Junko-chan. I don't want to imagine him killing her before we can reach her..."
"Right. We have to go now Sakura. Hierophant Green will be the first to go to let me see where are they," Hierophant Green flies out of its user ahead of them to start patrolling their premises in search of Narancia, Junko, or the enemy. "And we must hurry before Junko is killed, or worse."
"Okay. Let's go then!"
The two dashed through the rain in pursuit of the enemy, determined to stop him from killing Junko and threaten Saga whenever it rains.
To be continued
Stand Analysis:
Aerosmith (Stand Master: Narancia Ghirga)
Destructive Power: B
Speed: B
Range: B
Stamina: C
Precision: E
Developmental Potential: C
Taking the appearance of a miniature fighter airplane always in flight, Aerosmith is an exceptionally powerful Stand that can fire bullets from two small machine guns or drop a single bomb attached under the plane. Despite their size and poor precision, they are very deadly in that bullets can shoot through human and a single bomb has the power of a grenade. If they are not enough, it has a propeller that can be used as a blade to ram into enemies and slice them up.
Aside from its weaponry, Aerosmith has a carbon dioxide radar Narancia can use to detect an enemy's position through their breathing when they exhale. When it's in use, it appears levitating to his right eye and the radar can be adjusted so the radar can detect other sources like small animals or even insects.
Catch the Rainbow (Stand Master: Blackmore)
Destructive Power: C
Speed: C
Range: B
Stamina: B
Precision: D
Developmental Potential: D
One of the three enemy Stands during the zombies' fight against them, Catch the Rainbow takes the form of a mask similar to hockey mask with prominent brow ridge, no nose, five vertically long triangular slits on the area where a mouth would be dotted by five holes above them and three colorful stripes worn by Blackmore. With the mask on, Blackmore can manipulate the rain by stopping the raindrops in their tracks and make them float, becoming solid enough to support Blackmore and deflect projectiles like Emerald Splash. Aside from being able to traverse high in the air from raindrops alone, Blackmore can give the raindrops cutting power, whether through multiple drops or blades formed by Blackmore.
Thanks to his body being modified, Blackmore possesses a liquid body that is complemented by the rain, becoming intangible like water to the point it can transport one arm to a puddle away from him, evade fluidly and move at high speeds across the air or distances as long as there is rain around him. While it is still vulnerable as a human, it can heal the wounds by plugging them with raindrops and stop them bleeding.
Onomatopoeia:
ザー ザー ザー ザー (Zaaaa) - Pouring and splashing rain
ビチャン (Bichan) - Foot stepping on stationary raindrops
スバッ/スカァッ/ドピュギィ (Suba/Sukaa/Dobyugi) - Sound of slicing
ビシャッ/バシャッ/ガシィン/ガシィィン (Bisha/Basha/Gashin/Gashiiin) - Quick traversal on raindrops
ガバァァー (Gabaaa) - High jump
チク チク チクッ (Chiku chiku chiku) - Skin getting pricked by a small object like needle
ビシィ/ガン ガン ガン ガン ガン (Bishi/Gan gan gan) - Projectiles getting deflected from raindrops and each other
ドガガガガガ/ドバガガガガ (Dogagagaga/Dobagagagaga - Aerosmith firing its machine guns;
HEEEEELLLLLOOOOOO EVEEERYYYYYBOOOOODYYYYYYY!
...
...
... *clears throat* Please forgive me from shouting again like I did in the very first chapter. After a six-month long hiatus, I am continuing Living Things and getting it right back on track, starting with a revamped fight of the terrible and cluttered three-way fight of the original in the seventh chapter. Oh, wait. This is not the seventh chapter anymore.
You may already know that I revised the structure of Living Things so that each single chapter adapts each halves of Zombie Land Saga's episodes after reading the previous chapters to those who have known the previous version that I came to dislike, but I must announce it anyway. Living Things will now feature more chapters numbering from 5,000+ words to 13,000 or more, each of them being halves of every episode of Zombie Land Saga or an original chapter taking place during or after each episodes. I find this structure to be more appealing and far more manageable than cramming a single episode into one chapter that is filled with up to 20,000 words. Because of this, the original version of the fight during the Weather Warning arc occurred quickly than I thought and became quite cluttered and has no breathing space for each clashing hits between our heroes and their opponents. I apologize for taking so long to come up with this chapter structure. At least I managed to overhaul the existing chapters completely so that it will be how Living Things is written, therefore letting me have an easy time writing new chapters with less words than necessary, even with the original material implemented into them.
Now that I finally said that to you all, I must not keep you all waiting as Rianima and Franchouchou's struggle against three enemy Stands have only just begun. Narancia and Kakyoin has to contend with Blackmore and his rain manipulating Stand, Catch the Rainbow and in the next chapter, Bucciarati and Avdol are next.
I hope you will be excited and thrilled to see their respective fights. I tried my best to make them engaging and thought-provoking as possible. Well, it's not like their strategies are brilliant and insane, just dabbling in how fights in JoJo are done. Either way, hope you'll enjoy the fights in the end!
Well then, it's time for me to stay silent until the end of eighteenth chapter because I will tire myself down speaking through the author's notes for the next two chapters. I'm signing off for now and hope you enjoy the ensuing fights in the next three chapters, everyone!