Kasumi Kenshiro: King Cobra and Lockdown are two of the final antagonists of this story, so you'll just have to see! Also...which ending are you talking about, the old one or the new one that Horikoshi just released in the final volume?
The only real problem I had with the ending was how fast a certain villain went out, but other than that I thought it was a decent way to close out the series. Not perfect...but then again what is? Either way, I don't want to write LTP with the goal of "correcting" canon in mind, to me...that would invite bitterness into something I'm doing for fun. I could never write these characters better than Horikoshi anyway, they're his after all...I'm just borrowing them.
Guest: Thanks! I'm glad you're enjoying it! I have a really special moment planned for All Might coming soon!
Harbinger48: Thank you so much! I'm glad I wrote something you enjoy!
1987:
"Whoops, look out JoJo!"
Jotaro grunted as he tripped over someone's foot, and landed in a puddle...soaking his school uniform. Almost immediately, white hot anger threatened to bubble to the surface...but he pushed it back down again.
If he fought back...they'd just use their Quirks to beat him up.
The upperclassmen erupted into laughter, splashing him as he got up. He sported a buzz cut, and he had a gold chain draped across his shoulders.
Just your typical hooligan trying to act tough.
"Hard to believe such a big guy could trip like that. I did say to look out JoJo, you big klutz!"
Jotaro said nothing, as usual, as he pulled his books from the dirty water...and began walking away. The guy who tripped him snorted. "Still have nothing to say, huh?"
"Maybe they misdiagnosed him...maybe he has a Mute Quirk!" One of the other guys said, laughing.
"Nah, I've heard him muttering shit before. He's just a Quirkless pushover!"
'Ignore them...they aren't worth it.'
That's when they began walking with him, and Jotaro bit his lip to keep a lid on his anger. "You know JoJo, maybe if you talked a little more, you'd actually have a few friends! Honestly...I'm only looking out for you man."
'Shut up…just shut up…'
Jotaro was always a big guy, it had something to do with his lineage on his mother's side…he was confident that at the very least he could take two of them before Quirks were used…
But it was fruitless, violence would get him nothing…and he didn't want to disappoint his mother.
"Your mom is Quirkless too, right?"
Jotaro stopped in his tracks, clenching his fists.
"Oooh, did I touch a nerve?"
"…leave me alone…"
That's all what Jotaro said as he pushed the urge to punch Baldy down. It had been years of stuff like this, always poking and prodding him, trying to get him to crack. Yet the one thing that always worked was when they brought up Holly, usually with a negative tone.
He refused to hear a single bad thing about that woman, she didn't deserve it.
It was really only a matter of time before he snapped.
"Hey JoJo! Catch!"
Jotaro grunted as a volleyball was thrown into the back of his head, followed by laughter. However, he continued his silence, even though he wanted nothing more than to toss it right back into one of their faces.
If ONLY he was allowed to punch one of them. Just one...if he could just wipe that smug sneer off of ONE of their faces, it would be all the catharsis he needed. He didn't even care if they hated him, he just wanted to be left alone, and the assholes couldn't even do that to save their lives.
He was their punching bag, something for them to take out their own problems on. If he could just punch back, just once...
Jotaro huffed and kept walking, kicking the ball away from them...it was a small method of revenge, but it was something at the very least.
That's when somebody stepped in his way.
It was that bald idiot again...Jotaro didn't really care to remember his name, he was just one of the many, many assholes he had to deal with. Jotaro stopped in his tracks for a moment, gave the guy a small grunt, and tried to walk past him...only for his path to be blocked.
"Hey man, where are you going?"
"Home."
"Aw come on! Why don't you hang out with us for a little bit?"
'Don't want to. Get out of my face."
Baldy cackled. "Ooooh, you're talkative today!"
"...I just...want to go home." Jotaro said, icicles dripping from his words.
"...you finally gonna swing on me? Come on...do it, I dare you. Hell, I'm wide open!" The thug smiled, enjoying every second of it. "I'll even put my hands behind my back, I'll give you a freebee!"
"You know...he really should."
*CRACK!*
The barrel of a sniper rifle hit the guy square on the nose. Upon realizing what actually hit him, the bully recoiled in alarm.
"IS THAT A GUN?!"
It was a middle schooler, sporting indigo/pink hair. Between her stature and the school-issued sailor uniform, she seemed harmless at first glance...but it was pretty clear from the gun sprouting out of her elbow that "harmless" was WAY off of the mark.
"Yeah." The girl responded, a cold glare on her face.
"THAT'S...THAT'S ILLEGAL QUIRK USAGE! GET THAT THING AWAY FROM ME!"
"He said he wanted to go home, didn't you hear him? Or was your head too far up your own ass?"
"I-"
"Come on big guy, we're leaving." The girl grabbed Jotaro by the arm and led him away, keeping her rifle out. "There are better ways to spend your time."
"I...I don't-"
"Come on!"
The two walked away, leaving Jotaro's bully speechless. Slowly, the guy's friends turned to look at him.
"...did you just get intimidated by a middle schooler?"
Jotaro was baffled.
Who was this girl? Where the hell did she come from, and why did she suddenly defend him out of nowhere?
Now that he thought about it...he had passed by her before. A few times actually, but neither of them had breathed a word to each other before today. All he knew was that she was a year or so younger than him, and that she went to the same middle school that he just graduated from.
"Uh-"
"Wait."
She peered around the corner, and then sighed. That's when he noticed that she was tearing up. "Are...you alright?"
"Huh? Oh...yeah, sorry. My...my rifle is stuck." The girl admitted, biting her lip.
"Stuck?"
"Yeah."
Jotaro huffed, recognizing the predicament she was in. For obvious reasons, she didn't pull that thing out often, and like a neglected muscle, it failed her. Now it was stuck out in the open for anybody to misinterpret her intentions, which would surely lead to an arrest. "Why did you use it then?"
"Cause he was pissing me off."
"That's not what I mean. Why did you even step in at all? You don't even know me."
The girl gave him a look of confusion.
"Why wouldn't I?"
It was just three words...but it told Jotaro enough. She was a good person, no ulterior motives, no catch...this random girl intervened simply because she could. Some good it did her, considering she was now forced to carry around a sniper rifle in broad daylight. Jotaro hummed and stuffed his hands into his pockets. "I see."
"...my question is, why were you just letting him push you around? You're a pretty big guy, you could've taken him."
"It wasn't worth it, and he would've used his Quirk."
"So? Use yours."
"...I don't have one."
There was silence as the girl stared at him, and at first...Jotaro thought it was pity, which pissed him off. He wasn't some sort of helpless baby that needed to piggyback off of others to survive, he just didn't resort to violence. Then she sighed and lowered her head. "So you're trying to stay out of a fight until you have a reason to...right?"
"Yes." Jotaro was surprised she caught onto that...apparently it wasn't pity at all, but sympathy.
"That's pretty cool, but you don't have to just stand there and take their abuse. Take a different route to school, surround yourself with good people...the only power they truly have over you is the power you give them." The middle schooler advised, smiling at him.
"You're...really invested in this."
"I'm training to become a hero...and while I'm nowhere near ready for that-" She held up the extended rifle to prove her point. "-doesn't mean I can't start acting the part."
"...I see."
"We should be far enough away from them for you to go home now, I hope I didn't lead you in the wrong direction."
"What about you?" He gestured to the rifle.
"Oh, don't worry! I'll probably find an alleyway or a bush to hide in until I can move it again." The girl replied with a lighthearted chuckle. "I'm just happy I helped you."
Jotaro turned to walk away, but he stopped. The girl was in this situation because of him...he couldn't just leave her like that, especially if she was going to be alone. Sighing, he took off the jacket of his school uniform, and walked back over to her. He draped the jacket over her rifle, and continued his trek home. "Give that back to me tomorrow."
"W-wait!" The girl took the jacket off. "You didn't have to-"
"You didn't have to stand up for me either. I'm simply paying you back." Jotaro began walking home, giving her a wave. "Get home safe."
The girl looked down at the jacket for a second, and then back at the retreating Joestar. She draped the jacket back over her rifle, and smirked. Slinging her backpack over her other shoulder, she walked off too.
That was when Kaina Tsutsumi entered the picture.
After she returned his jacket, thanking him profusely in the process, it was more than apparent that this girl might have been born with two left feet. She walked with him to school that day, and she must have tripped over herself at least five times.
She almost faceplanted once she found out he was only a first-year.
"YOU'RE ONLY A YEAR OLDER THAN ME?!"
"But...but you're..." Kaina made a big gesture with her hands.
"Yeah, I get that a lot."
Sure, she was a total klutz...but that combined with her enthusiastic personality made it extremely hard to dislike her. Not that Jotaro ever tried, he was more so just surprised that somebody wanted to hang around him. Yet there she was the next day...
He knew why she was doing it. She found someone in need of a friend, and determined it was her duty to oblige. Her dream of becoming a hero fueled her actions...but she wasn't forcing herself to walk with him either. Her dream, and her intentions, were 100% genuine...and there was nothing that could get Jotaro's respect as much as pure dedication.
Somehow...he could tell that Kaina seemed to see something in him too, although she never elaborated on it. She probably wanted him to figure that out for himself.
Nonetheless, a friendship was born that day...one that was sure to last...
The Present:
"Your friends are setting up...you should be inside."
Izuku looked up to see Jotaro standing behind him, and sighed. "I'll be there in a moment...I'm...just thinking."
Jotaro sighed, and walked over to stand next to his student on the balcony. He had been meaning to talk to Izuku ever since the battle with Kars...and now was as good a time as any. "...I know you're still thinking about what happened that day."
"...I...don't think my body is moving on it's own anymore. Not since I got Kacchan hurt...not since All Might left." Izuku's eyes were already starting to well up with tears, but he pushed them back down. "...I...I feel like I failed...something is wrong with me..."
"You learned that acting recklessly yields consequences...and not just for yourself. No one blames you for what happened, All For One was out of prison, and you didn't know about Kars. For all you knew...One For All was needed right there and then." Jotaro took off his hat and looked down at the palm insignia. "...and I know how you feel, more than you know."
"How?"
"Kid, look at me. I fought DIO in 1989 and I'm still not okay."
"You were actually capable of beating him though...I just rushed in and made a complete mess of things. I messed up, and now Kacchan is upset because he's weaker, All Might is going to get himself killed because of me, and-"
"Midoriya, shut up."
"...yes sir..."
"Toshinori ran off because you two are a lot alike...and I'm sure I don't have to tell you this...but he loves you." Jotaro leaned over the railing, closing his eyes. "You're the closest thing he has to a son, and he's already lost his family twice before...he's desperate to make sure that doesn't happen again. I think...he would have eventually pulled something like this regardless of whether or not Kars showed up."
"Still...when Todoroki was taken hostage...I froze. All I could think about was that I didn't want to do something stupid to get him hurt. When Kacchan called it out...I-I realized that I lost it. I was too scared to move...which is exactly the opposite of what made me worthy of One For All." The tears were back, and this time he just brushed them away, hiding that he was crying was pointless in front of someone like Jotaro. "How can I even look All Might in the eye when he comes back?"
His teacher was silent for a moment, and then he seemed to come to some sort of conclusion.
"...I originally had no intention of telling Johnny about One For All."
"...what?" Izuku looked at Jotaro wide eyed. "B-but, you n-needed a student that was in the know to help me keep it a secret, right?"
"No. We never did...both Toshinori and I had confidence you could keep it on your own. I gave Johnny that task for a completely different reason." Jotaro admitted.
"B-but...what about Johnny asking Kyoka to fill in for him?"
"By that point you were used to the help, and Johnny needed to feel secure enough to leave you." Jotaro chuckled as he looked inside to see 1A decorating. "Of course, now you've got a whole team at your disposal...so I'd say it was a good decision in the long run."
"...so...JoJo...wasn't supposed to know? I...what was the reason then?"
"...because Toshi wasn't the only one who saw himself in you."
Izuku was speechless. All he could think about was why Jotaro had chosen to tell him that...what did he mean by seeing himself in him? They were nothing alike. Jotaro was a strong, confident badass who was able to carefully and methodically think his way out of situations...and Izuku was an idiot that kept getting himself and his friends hurt.
Sure, thinking analytically was one of Izuku's strong points too, but time and time again his recklessness completely negated that.
"You don't have to believe me...but at the very least you can believe what I have to say." Jotaro turned to Izuku, and made direct eye contact.
"Don't let fear rule your life."
Of course that was his advice. Jotaro's history as a parent made it abundantly clear what his teacher was talking about. Yet, despite knowing the context...for some reason these words carried weight that they necessarily hadn't before...especially with the recent revelation.
As if Izuku was destined to go down a similar path if he didn't heed the advice.
Silence passed between teacher and student, as Izuku struggled to find something to say. However, Jotaro simply waved him off. "Just think about it. You should go join your friends, they're waiting for you."
"...okay..."
Izuku took one last look at Jotaro, and then he went inside...leaving his teacher to stare at the falling snow.
Jotaro ran a hand through his hair, hoping that what he said had gotten through. While it was true that personality-wise…Izuku had more in common with Toshinori…
Origin-wise, Jotaro only saw himself…
"They say it's going to storm."
Jotaro looked up from his contemplation, surprised. Kaina was sitting on the railing some ways off, looking out at the approaching clouds. She was wearing the purple dress she wore during the Villain War, with the addition of a fur-laden jacket, and a grey scarf.
"Kaina? How...did you get inside school grounds?" He asked, then he frowned. "After what happened last week, you shouldn't be anywhere near here."
"I have my ways...seemed like that was an important talk."
"Yeah."
Kaina was silent for a moment, and then she decided to change the subject. "...it's...been a while...since we last spoke..."
"No shit. You've been radio silent since we took down Shigaraki."
"I was laying low...not that it matters now." Kaina huffed, running a hand through her hair. "The heroes know that I'm out and about now, so...it's likely my days as a free woman are numbered."
"...and you came to UA of all places?"
"I have business here."
"Like what?"
"...do you remember our last Christmas Eve together?"
Jotaro did...and with that came a pang of regret. That was the last time they saw each other before Kaina ended up in prison. It was the early 90's, before he met Josuke and the others in Morioh, and before she started her successful, but extremely short-lived hero career.
"Yeah. Why are you bringing that up now?"
"As you know, I've been searching for a path forward, to try and...find some purpose after Tartarus. Well...I've found it." Kaina revealed, turning her head away from him, making it difficult to read her expression. "I...I know what I have to do now...but...just like that last Christmas Eve...it means we'll have to go our separate ways again."
Jotaro was silent for a moment, and then he nodded. "I see."
"..."
"..."
"...it...was nice, reconnecting and all that. It...felt like old times..." Kaina said with a small dry laugh, her head still facing away from him. "...good things really just don't last, do they?"
"...no...they don't."
The two sat in silence for a while, not really knowing what to say...for different reasons. Kaina turned to look inside, to find Class 1A blissfully decorating for the holidays. So innocent...so unbearably naive...
Was she really going to ruin that for them? Couldn't it wait just a bit longer?
No...it had to be today, and it had to be right now. Their naivety had to be crushed, they needed to see that the cheesy rhetoric that UA fed them was bullshit. "Hero Syndrome" could only be cured by harsh reality...that was something that Kaina knew better than anybody.
They were festering in delusion, young minds slowly being corrupted by heroic ideals that were only possible through the HPSC's murder and deception. UA was, at it's core, indoctrinating them...which was why she had to get the school shut down before they came for her.
Did she really have to resort to murder though? Wouldn't that make her a hypocrite?
Kaina shook her head, banishing those thoughts from her mind. She needed to make a statement, these kids...and the general public, needed to see that things weren't sunshine and rainbows. They needed to see Hero Society for the sham that it really was, that heroes weren't untouchable or incorruptible...and the only thing that could make them see that was a monster, one born from the sins the HPSC tried to sweep under the rug.
Yet...there was one hurdle in her way...and she didn't know if she had the strength to leap over it.
Once more, something was screaming at her to stop. Of course she would have doubts...but...it needed to be done.
It needed to be done...right?
It did...but she knew it would come at a heavy price. She would be sacrificing her heart, her very soul, and she would fully embrace being an irredeemable monster. Yet the world had to see things for what they really were...
...and that wouldn't come from being soft-hearted.
"...you know, I never thought I'd even see you again." Kaina managed to get out. "I'm lucky I did...but...things...were always going to end this way."
"I get it. Just...take care of yourself, alright?"
"..."
"..."
"...thank you...for...never giving up on me...even though you should have."
"What the hell does that mean?"
"It means goodbye...and...I'm sorry for what I'm about to do."
Jotaro's eyes widened once he heard the hissing sound of air pressure being released, and he whirled around-
*BANG!*
The force of the bullet knocked him clean off of the balcony...and his tattered, bloody hat fell at her feet.
The assassin fell to her knees, and choked back a sob...and that's when the snow started coming down. The wind picked up, blowing a harsh cold breeze across UA's campus...
...and then she slowly stood up.
"That...was mercy, JoJo."
Lady Nagant wiped away her tears, her eyes just as cold as the freezing winds. She had burned her last bridge, and now there was no going back. She looked inside...and sure enough, the attack had already started.
"Now you won't have to see what comes next."
She briefly looked back at the railing, and shuddered. Even now that the deed had been done...she didn't want to look. She knew it was risky, not to check whether he survived or not...because a vengeful Jotaro would undoubtedly be the death of her, she stood no chance against Star Platinum.
Yet she knew she couldn't bear to see the alternative...because all of her previous crimes were nothing compared to what she had just done. He had stuck his neck out for her, and to repay that kindness...she might have just murdered him.
So it was better to push that to the back of her mind, to leave that as an "unknown" for now...otherwise the guilt would prevent her from completing the job.
Having banished any doubt or lingering feelings from her mind, Lady Nagant was a stone cold killer once more...and NOTHING could deter her now.
Absolutely nothing.
"Is…that a DIO ornament?"
Johnny could only gawk as Kyoka proudly displayed an ornament portraying DIO being crushed by purple speakers.
"Cute, right?"
"How did you get that?"
"YaoMomo."
"...you're going to be smug about beating him for the rest of your life, aren't you?"
"Hey, I consider it my crowning achievement." Kyoka hung the ornament on 1A's Christmas tree, smirking with amusement. "Besides, he was FAR more of a pompous prick towards me than I could ever be to him...so any chance I can have to be petty, I'll take it."
Johnny snorted, and glanced up at the rest of the tree. Each member of the class had decorated it with their own personal flair...so it was essentially chaos. Kirishima had accidentally dropped a protein bar in the branches, and chose to leave it there...which was gross, but Johnny didn't really care all that much. Aoyama bought lights that felt like they belonged in an airport to guide planes, Iida hung a single traditional ornament, Tokoyami had a goat skull in there somewhere...then there was Gyro, who had hung a laminated picture of himself.
And for the star, Kaminari stuck Katsuki's mask up there as a prank, much to the other blonde's chagrin.
Needless to say, 1A's tree was full of personality. It was charming, in it's own way.
"You aren't wearing the hat."
Johnny scowled and looked to the side. "It's looks stupid."
"I know, that's why you should be wearing it."
Before Johnny could retort, something was shoved onto his head. Annoyed, he looked behind him to find Momo trying to suppress her laughter. "…how dare you."
"Come on JoJo *snort, it's all in good fun." She responded.
Creating ornaments wasn't the only thing those two got up to…they also made a Christmas version of his hat. It was red with green stars, and the horse had been replaced with a reindeer, complete with a red lightbulb for a nose. The horseshoe was now a bushy, itchy wreath.
Kyoka put an arm around her boyfriend and proceeded to take a selfie with him, giggling. "This is going in the records."
"Preserving my misery?"
"Yep!" His girlfriend grinned and sent the image to the group chat. "Face it Blondie, this is the first of many Christmases with me to come. Might even make the hat a tradition."
"Alright everyone! Christmas preparations are underway! Oh!" Iida paused in his trek to stare at Johnny for a moment, and then he proceeded to give the humiliated Joestar a thumbs up. "Way to be in the festive spirit, JoJo! Looking great!"
With that, the class rep sped off.
"...is it too late for those assassins to kill me?"
"I wouldn't joke about that." Momo said, her smile becoming a bit more nervous. "With your luck, you might just jinx yourself..."
"Eh, if there's another fight, there's another fight." Johnny retorted, and he tried to take the hat off, only for an earphone jack to swat his hand. Grumbling, he resigned himself to his fate. "If anyone tries collecting those bounties tonight, I'll be decking more than just the halls."
"And you'll look festive doing it." Kyoka added.
"You're going to make me wear this in a fight?!"
"I'm confident you'll warm up to it by that point."
Johnny huffed and adjusted the hat…but truthfully, she wasn't wrong. As ridiculous as the hat was…as long as Kyoka was smiling, he didn't actually mind.
…and the hat was charming, in it's own hideous way.
"Who would end up attacking us anyway, the Grinch?" Gyro emerged from the other side of the tree, covered in pine needles. "I feel like there would be a gimmick."
"Probably something cheesy that will teach us the meaning of Christmas and all that Hallmark crap." Johnny responded, wrinkling his nose. "And we're already enjoying ourselves, so that lesson wouldn't even be needed."
"...so...there might be a pretty good chance we fight Santa."
"I...yeah, I guess there is." The Joestar looked up at the ceiling. "I hope and pray the universe isn't going to throw something so cliche at us, but I feel as though it's sense of humor is low brow enough for that to happen."
"Well, it's either something stupid or something emotionally grueling...so I'll take the stupid Santa fight." Kyoka said, and then she shook her head. "Even then, it's our first Christmas together...I'd rather not get attacked at all."
"Then let's change the subject." Momo interjected, as she handed Kyoka an elf hat. "What does your family usually do for Christmas?"
"Mine? Well...we used to have a family jam session, but I kind of shied away from that around middle school...for obvious reasons." Kyoka tapped her jacks together, her eyes drifting towards the floor. "...I bet it hurt them to let that go...but they didn't want to force me."
"Couldn't hurt to bring that back once they visit." Johnny commented as he helped Gyro fish his hat out of the tree.
"You do realize that you'd be involved too, right?"
"...on second thought-"
"Nope. Too late, now I want to see you try and play an instrument in front of my parents."
"Please tell me-"
"-with the hat."
"Damn it!"
Gyro snickered and patted his friend on the back. "Well, my family usually just had quiet awkward dinners, so I'm excited for the chaos that's sure to come from that."
That's when Kyoka's jacks popped out.
"Woah, what's-"
"Quiet."
The musician's eyes were wide as her gaze turned towards the window, and she put a finger over her mouth to shush the others. "...I heard it."
"Heard what?" Momo whispered.
"The gunshot from the other day."
"...Lady Nagant's rifle?" Johnny asked, rubbing his forehead. For some reason, he got a headache...but it was only a minor one, so he didn't have a reason to be concerned about it.
"Well, what we thought was her anyway."
"How do you differentiate that from a normal gunshot?" Gyro wondered.
"...it's similar to when a gas pipe bursts, or air shooting out of a canister." Kyoka explained, plugging her jacks into the ground. "It's an air compression cannon, which would make sense for an organic rifle, don't you think?"
"If it's her...does that mean the assassins came back?" Izuku cut in, causing her to jump...she hadn't even noticed he was there, he was so quiet.
"...I warned you JoJo." Momo narrowed her eyes at Johnny, who put his hands up in surrender.
"You just HAD to run your mouth." Gyro crossed his arms.
"Okay, I jinxed it...can we focus on the actual problem at hand?"
Kyoka remained still for thirty seconds, and no attack came. Slowly, she plucked her jacks from the ground...but kept them out. "That was it. No movement...nothing...if Lady Nagant is actually helping us like JoJo thinks...maybe it...was a one and done kind of situation."
"Or it could have been air...there's a lot of inflatable decorations out after all...maybe...one happened to burst?" Momo suggested, although just like her best friend, she was still on guard.
"...yeah...that could be it..."
Johnny glanced around the room, and sighed. "Yare yare daze...why can't we just have a Christmas party without something putting us on edge?"
Izuku stared out of the window, his conversation with Jotaro fresh on his mind. "Don't let fear rule your life." was the exact words, and just now he couldn't help but wonder if that was even achievable. With the bounties on their heads, their lives were now going to be under constant threat...AGAIN...and something that was supposed to be fun was full of tension.
How was he not supposed to be scared? It was only a matter of time before someone strong...like Kars...came around again. Every time he thought back to that fight...all he could see was the Ultimate Lifeform taking a chunk out of Katsuki's flesh, sneering at him like the insignificant bug he was. How he had lost control, and put both his and Momo's lives at risk in his rage.
"Yo Izuku...you alright? You're freaking me out." Johnny snapped him out of his regrets, and Izuku turned to look at him, to tell him that he was fine. Not that a lie would do much good...
"Yeah-"
That's when he saw it.
The barrel of a sniper rifle pointed directly at Johnny's back, through the window. Cold purple eyes were fixed on him...and they widened once the assassin realized Izuku had seen her.
His back...all at once, Izuku remembered the Sports Festival, when he heard that his best friend was gunned down in front of his father. Paralyzed...his dreams shattered...and it was about to happen again.
Next thing he knew...he was already tackling Johnny to the ground as an indigo/pink bullet sailed over their heads, embedding itself into the Christmas tree. Kyoka screamed, Gyro swore, and Momo fell backwards...and the two childhood friends made eye contact.
In that split second...Izuku saw tears in Johnny's eyes, knowing that his friend just relived one of the worst moments of his life...and that was enough for him.
"You..."
Blackwhip snatched Lady Nagant's rifle before she could fire it again, and Izuku slammed into her, an unhinged snarl on his face.
"...GET THE HELL AWAY FROM JOJO!"
"IZUKU! WAIT!" Momo's shout fell on deaf ears, as hero student and assassin fell over the edge of the balcony. "NO!"
Johnny slowly sat up, breathing heavily...and it didn't take much to realize he was having a panic attack. Kyoka quickly realized what had happened and began cussing up a storm, running over to her boyfriend. "You two go after Izuku! I'll stay to help JoJo regain his bearings!"
"Okay...don't take too long." Momo was already messaging whatever allies she could. "H-he probably doesn't have much t-time..."
"Don't worry, we'll catch up." Kyoka gave the other two a brief smile as she placed a hand on Johnny's shoulder. "...stay safe in the meantime, okay?"
"We will." Gyro was looking murderous. "Nagant...on the other hand..."
The musician nodded, and turned her attention to Johnny, who was beginning to wind down. "Jo-"
*FWHIP!*
Kyoka was cut off when something green wrapped around her throat, cutting off her air flow. Gyro and Momo, who were turning to leave, both cried out as their friend was dragged up towards the ceiling, while Johnny and Tusk tried in vain to grab ahold of her.
"KYO-"
Then she was gone.
Johnny stared at the ceiling that Kyoka was just pulled into, and before he could even react...Gyro was suddenly yanked to the side. Momo cried out and grabbed ahold of his hand...but she was pulled with him...
...then he was alone.
All of his closest allies were yanked away from him, just after he had nearly been shot in the back...again. Izuku had chased after their attacker on his own...again. Was that Lady Nagant? Wasn't she protecting them? Why did she suddenly turn around and try to shoot him while his back was turned?
A ploy to gain their trust?
Were the other three okay?
All of this buzzed around in his head as he struggled to make sense of it all, all while recovering from a panic attack.
Then...it ceased.
"...yare yare..."
*CRUNCH!*
A high-pitched squeal came from above his head as Tusk clamped it's fist around the green tendril that was about to grab him too...and he yanked down. A massive lizard landed on the floor in front of him, and it let out an enraged hiss.
"Ugly looking thing, aren't you? Are you supposed to be a chameleon?"
It had tried to capitalize on Johnny's brief moment of weakness...but unfortunately for the beast, the imminent danger had the opposite of it's intended effect...Johnny snapped out of it as soon as he perceived that the threat was above him.
"Where did you put my friends?" Tusk menacingly held it to it's face. "Cause if there's even a scratch on them...the only color you'll be turning is red."
That's when the weird oversized chameleon whirled around...and chomped down on it's own tail. Dripping blood onto the floor, the lizard hissed and scurried away, fading out of sight before Tusk could catch it.
Johnny glared at the spot where it once was...and then he turned towards the window.
'The others...will be fine...I know they'll pull through, wherever they are. Izuku is the one that needs my help right now.'
The Joestar winced upon remembering Izuku's expression before he went after Nagant...that idiot did this for him, and it pissed him off.
'Hold on Izuku...I'm coming. Don't get yourself killed in the meantime...'
Izuku and Nagant fell into the snow, and he whirled around...only to find that she was already several feet in the air. He recognized the boots, they were Airjet's...while they were only a support item meant for flight stabilization...in her hands they dramatically increased her mobility.
They were deadly, in the hands of a sniper.
Deadly...
Izuku's anger faded once he realized the situation he was in. He had done it again, he was in the same stupid predicament he had gotten himself in before...alone with the villain.
'Stupid...you're so STUPID!' The OFA user cursed himself as he swallowed his fear. 'My friends are probably looking for me...and...'
"If you wish to keep your limbs...I suggest you keep still."
She was too dangerous for a one on one fight, that much he knew. Hawks had described her feats in great detail, warning them that she should be left to the pros should she turn out to be hostile...
...and the pros weren't here, no one was. Just him.
There was only one option, one way to get out of this alive, and to make sure his friends don't end up in the line of fire trying to save him.
Izuku sent One For All into his legs, and jumped upwards.
Lady Nagant snorted. "Yet you move anyway?"
*BANG!*
The bullet outpaced his speed, and he was forced to catch it. Clamping his hands around the bullet before it pierced his heart, he was immediately blown backwards by the force.
'These shots...are extremely powerful!'
Izuku slammed into the ground, sliding across it, and he quickly activated Blackwhip to steer himself back onto his feet. Jumping upwards once more, he barely dodged a second shot, and he used his second Quirk to swing across campus.
He needed to run away...he HAD to. If he could just lure her away from UA, to a dense area where there were many obstacles to get in her way, then he could make his escape without anyone being at risk other than himself.
After all, if she was away from UA, she would be away from the others long enough for the pros to arrive when he got back...so that if she attempted again, she would be outnumbered and outgunned.
"Multiple Quirks, huh?"
Izuku paused once he heard her voice...and he quickly realized that the bullet from earlier was stuck in his hand...and it had a speaker on it.
"What are you planning to do, Izuku Midoriya? Lure me into a trap? Or perhaps you're trying to outmaneuver me and escape?"
Izuku gritted his teeth, trying to maintain his cool. Nagant had already figured out his intentions...but not his methods. He plucked out the bullet, and tossed it away...but that was when two more appeared in front of him.
'HOW?!'
The OFA user quickly spun in a circle, and while he managed to dodge one...the other grazed his shoulder. Izuku grunted in pain and swung around a lamppost, and he turned his attention to the battle arenas.
Joint Training, the maze of girders and pipes that they battled in...would be the perfect place to shake her off. Cementoss probably repaired the damage Johnny and Gyro did to it by now...he just had to get there without taking a direct hit.
Which was easier said than done...
Kyoka groaned and propped herself up, glancing around.
She was...in a parking lot? She was just dragged away from Johnny by...something...and now it appeared she was in a completely different place than before.
"The fuck?"
She whirled around to find Katsuki standing beside her, a confused expression on his face. Gyro and Momo were off to his right...so at least she wasn't alone-
Wait.
If Gyro and Momo were here with her, then that gross green thing got them too...which mean that Izuku was.
"DAMN IT!" Kyoka whipped out her phone and pulled up a map...they were still on UA premises, but it was a visitor's center outside of the school's protective walls. Quickly, she looked around to find that even more of their classmates were in the parking lot...Ochako, Iida, Tokoyami...whatever attacked her warped them here too.
Yet...she didn't see Johnny, and if he wasn't there...
"JoJo evaded that lizard somehow." Momo came to the same conclusion. "Which means he'll probably prioritize Izuku, since he's in the most peril."
"Wait...what's going on?!" Iida looked around in confusion. "I encountered the lizard myself...but Midoriya is dealing with something else?!"
"Oh thank God..." Kyoka let out a sigh...not necessarily out of relief considering the two were dealing with Lady Nagant...but it was close enough. Of course, a brief panic attack wouldn't be enough to stop him, it was Johnny for crying out loud.
Now all she had to worry about was whether he was going to live or die...so the usual.
"If Deku and JoJo are fighting Lady Nagant...that means she has to have an accomplice, right?" Ochako asked. "That's who's attacking us...and I get the feeling the lizard was only the beginning..."
"The fact that all of us were warped to the same area, it means that our opponent specializes in taking down groups. We may not be dealing with a threat as severe as Nagant...but we should all be on guard." Momo advised. "Personally...I think we're in for a hard fight as well."
"Are these the assassins that tried to take you guys out the other day?" Iida asked.
"Most likely."
"...good. Now I understand." Iida adjusted his glasses and fired up his engines. "It's about time I got involved with one of these Stand Battles, as Class Rep it's important that I-"
"We get it Iida." Kyoka interrupted her bespectacled classmate. "Since we're in a parking lot and there isn't people around, I can also cut loose, so I'd recommend you guy plug your ear-IS THAT THE FUCKING MAGIC SCHOOL BUS?!"
"BEEP! BEEP!"
*CRASH!*
A school bus with an enormous pair of bulging bloodshot eyes for headlights proceeded to fall from the sky, nearly squashing Kyoka, who shrieked in terror as she dove away from the childhood icon.
"Well, it's either something stupid or something emotionally grueling..." The musician's own words came back to her as she and the other 1A students started panicking and running around.
As it turned out, the universe was kind enough to give them the best of both worlds.
A real Christmas miracle.
The school bus did a couple of donuts, and then stopped to face the students, it's grill twisting into something resembling an evil sneer. The Mange grinned from the driver's seat, as her oversized chameleon perched on her shoulders...and it was apparently regenerating it's tail.
"Seat belts everyone!"
*BANG!*
Izuku grunted as he was clipped by another bullet...and this one severed the strand of Blackwhip he was using to swing. He slammed into the snowy ground, but rolled back into a run...he couldn't afford to stop for even a second.
He was barely fast enough to protect his vitals, but she got him a few times already. Lady Nagant was good, VERY good...his lack of experience compared to her was as plain as the freckles on his face...even at higher percentages of One For All, she was able to score hits on him.
But he had to keep going.
'Her attention...is only on me right now!' Izuku thought as he looked back to check for incoming fire. 'As long as I'm leading her away from the others, that's all that matters!'
"You're fast, kid...I'll give you that, but that doesn't matter when I still have my eye on you." Her voice taunted from a discarded bullet. "Give up...and I may let you live."
"You asked me for advice the other day...you said it helped you! Was that a lie?!"
"I believe you said that it depended on what they were willing to do to make up for their crimes."
"You're committing MORE!"
From one of UA's dorm buildings, Nagant scoffed. He didn't understand...of course he wouldn't. Her crime, according to the official bullshit coverup, was murdering one of her fellow heroes in an argument. From his perspective, she was only repeating history...
He didn't realize her TRUE crimes were for the heroes.
Midoriya was ignorant, just like the rest of his classmates, indoctrinated to put heroes on a pedestal. In fact...judging from what Jotaro was willing to reveal about his history...he was arguably the worst offender. This boy had an extremely severe case of "Hero Syndrome", which was basically a martyr complex combined with a compulsive need to be some sort of white knight.
Even though she initially aimed for Johnny, due to the boy already being well known for being a victim of a previous assassination attempt, and the Steel Ball Run. The death of a high-profile student on school grounds would be enough for the public to lose faith in UA...
...but now? She was certain that Fate had put Izuku Midoriya in her crosshairs instead. This delusional little fool needed a reality check, that this world wasn't something out of comic books...the hero society he idolized was only possible through bloodshed.
She shot out another bullet near him, and spoke through it.
"Do you think your teachers will save you?"
"I know they will!"
"...hard to do that when they're already dead."
Izuku skidded to a halt.
'That's it. Even if it's a lie...his hero syndrome makes it so he can't ignore it if there are deaths. This boy...is far too easy to provoke.'
"What...?"
"I don't think you know who you're dealing with, Midoriya. Did you think I'd make the mistake of trying to pull this off with pro heroes walking around? I took them out before I ever went after you." Truth was...she only shot Jotaro. She didn't want to cause any more harm than what was absolutely necessary, her goal was to ruin the school...nothing more than that. "Turn back to your dorms...you'll probably find Jotaro Kujo's body around there. I'll even let you."
Izuku was still for a moment, and then he smirked.
"You're either lying...or you're sloppier than I thought, Nagant."
Nagant was taken aback by Izuku's reaction. Sure, she lied about the other pros...but she really did shoot Jotaro...
Guilt threatened to bubble to the surface, but she pushed it back down.
'He's trying to turn this around on me. Not the reaction I was expecting...but...'
"Go and look if you want proof."
"I already have proof. The Joestars have a blood connection...and JoJo was already in the room with me when you attacked. If you had killed his father, we would have known before you ever fired a single shot."
Nagant's throat suddenly went dry.
'I...I should have checked...I...DAMN IT! He must have done something with Star Platinum...I..."
"In fact...JoJo didn't really have that much of a reaction at all...I don't think he even knows his father was attacked. Chances are, he's not only alive, he's probably in perfect health." Izuku said, narrowing his eyes. "I know I don't stand a chance against you...but now I know that all I have to do is hold out until he comes."
Now that she thought about it…Johnny seemed on edge, but still relatively calm before she took the shot. Jotaro had mentioned the blood connection previously too.
There was no way Jotaro was dead. She must have slipped up somehow…or…
Did he see her betrayal coming? Was his trust in her a LIE?! She didn't even consider betraying him until…
Until…something…but for some reason she couldn't recall. Nonetheless, he was definitely coming for her now…and once he was in range, it was pretty much over.
All it took was one time stop.
She would fail, and this entire stunt would be for nothing. She'd go back to jail at best…and this time she would be left to rot. All of this, just for things to go back to the status quo…
With her oldest friend hating her guts this time around.
She was on borrowed time now, she had to complete the job…now or never. If she was going to betray the people closest to her…then it had to be for something, she refused to have it all be in vain.
"Then you should know, Midoriya…the fact that I'm running out of time, means that yours was just cut in half."
*BANG!*
Izuku quickly tried to avoid the shot, but this one unfortunately hit it's mark.
The bullet tore open the flesh on his arm…and the force of it completely destroyed his sleeve, exposing the jagged scars left by his fight with Kars.
Izuku gasped as his arm began bleeding profusely, and whatever confidence he gained from knowing Jotaro was alive vanished in an instant. A little to the left…and that arm would have been blown clean off. Sure, he could try to hold out like he planned...but this woman could very easily finish him off before Jotaro got there.
That's when she appeared in his line of sight, using Airjet's boots to dart across the sky...her rifle aimed straight for his forehead.
She was already firing...he could try to dodge...but it was bound to do serious damage.
It was just like Kars...in his desperation to protect his friends...he had charged into a situation he was entirely unprepared for. It was almost the exact same scenario, the only thing missing was-
A gold-plated fist caught the bullet out of the air...just above Izuku's head.
"You're really a piece of work...you know that Izuku?"
A hand slapped him in the back of his head, and Izuku looked up to find Johnny giving him a glare. 'He...he caught up!'
Tusk crushed the bullet in it's fist, and turned it's attention to Lady Nagant.
"It appears as though I have to stick up for you yet again."
Hero and villain locked eyes, and Lady Nagant swore under her breath.
He had his father's eyes…and that look he was giving her…was all too familiar.
1987:
"Hey! There's a fight going on around the corner!"
Kaina paused and looked up from her book to find people were dashing past her, eager for the spectacle.
"I heard that Quirks are being used!"
"So it's a fight fight?"
"Yeah…they're all ganging up on that Quirkless kid."
'…what?
…
…
…
It couldn't be…JOJO?!'
She had to check, if it was Jotaro…then he needed saving, especially if Quirks were being involved.
A scream rang out from the yard, followed by a brutal crack.
He was outnumbered.
Outgunned.
And…he was…
Kaina's jaw almost hit the floor once she turned the corner.
He was winning.
There was her newly acquired best friend, this quiet, somewhat soft-spoken guy…going absolute apeshit on his tormentors. She could only stare as Jotaro punched one of them hard enough to send them airborne, wild fury on his face.
What happened? They were taking different routes to school, she made sure to avoid any of their hangouts. Did the absence of their punching bag make them more aggressive in their approach?
What made JoJo finally snap?
Jotaro's school uniform was snapped open, the stress from the brawl had ripped off the buttons from his jacket. He was sporting a black eye, and part of his face was swollen, yet he was FAR from close to going down.
One guy with insect wings attempted to dive bomb him, but Jotaro picked up his discarded bag, full of textbooks, and swung it directly into the guy's face. The insect guy was knocked clean out of the air...spitting up a few teeth as he went down.
However...Jotaro's winning streak was quickly cut short once Baldy hit him in the back of the head.
"JOJO!" Kaina shouted above the crowd, trying to push her way through. "GET OUT OF MY WAY!"
Jotaro propped himself up with his elbows, grunting in pain as he struggled to regain his bearings. He glanced into the crowd, his open eye falling on her as she fought her way to him. Then...
...he got up.
Silently, he stood in front of his bully...and put his arms up.
That look in his eyes...it was one of defiance. This man was not going to quit, no matter how much Baldy roughed him up. He looked at Kaina again, and shook his head...and she shook her head right back.
'Don't get involved.'
'No way.'
"Ah...your psycho girlfriend's here." Baldy sneered. "Good...she can see you go down like the Quirkless loser you are!"
"..."
"Are you seriously still playing the silent game? You finally grew a pair earlier...come on, let me have it!"
"Take it back."
"Huh?"
"Take back what you said about my mom. Last chance."
Of course...that was what set Jotaro off. There was nobody in the world he valued more than Holly, in many ways, that woman was his lifeline. Kaina bit her lip, understanding why he didn't want her help...
This was a matter of pride. Jotaro needed this fight...
"Oh, so just cause you got lucky with my boys...you think you're a big man now, huh? It's my 'last chance' you say? HAHAHA!" The thug threw back his head and laughed, and he took the gold chain out of his pocket, wrapping it around his knuckles. "Why would I ever take back the truth?"
Jotaro's defiance turned into wild fury, and he swung on the guy...only to be blocked. Baldy then used his Quirk...an electricity one by the looks of it...and sent it through the chain, punching her friend in the stomach, simultaneously tasing him.
As the Joestar went down once more, arcs of electricity coursing through his body, Baldy grabbed him by the back of his jacket. "In fact...I'll repeat myself, just to get it through your thick skull!"
Screw it, she didn't care if Jotaro's pride was on the line...she couldn't stand for this.
Kaina attempted to push her way through the crowd once more, but she was tripped. Of course she was tripped.
"Your mom, is a Quirkless...country hopping who-"
*CRUNCH!*
That was when Jotaro headbutted the guy in the face, crushing his nose. Blood ran down his face like a river, as Baldy looked down in shock. Then, he gritted his teeth in anger,
"You-!"
"I told you...that was your last chance." Her friend snarled out.
Jotaro staggered in front of the building, putting up his fists once more.
"This time...you're the punching bag."
"Arrogant little fuck...KNOW YOUR PLACE!"
Baldy threw a haymaker, and at that moment...Jotaro dodged, and his fist went straight into a fuse box. The thug screamed as his Quirk was suddenly overloaded by the building's power, and the lights flickered. Smoking, the bully stumbled back...and attempted to punch him again.
Jotaro effortlessly caught the fist.
"Do you know what happens to electronics when they get overloaded?"
*CRACK!*
Jotaro's fist connected with Baldy's jaw.
"They overheat. They get slow, weak."
That when Jotaro just started beating him up. Kaina could only stare in astonishment as David overcame Goliath, as the quiet Quirkless kid beat his bully senseless. Jotaro landed the final hit, knocking Baldy flat on his ass.
"He's...so cool..." A girl whispered, and Kaina gave her an incredulous look.
That's when people began crowding around him, congratulating him...as if they didn't stand by and watch as he fought multiple guys by himself. None of them tried to help him, nobody except her even had a thought of interfering...
...and now they suddenly cared about him?
"Hang on, we'll get you to the nurse." Another girl said, taking him by the arm. Jotaro gave her a confused and tired look, and some guy came over and picked up his hat, which was discarded in the fight.
"Can't believe he went from behind like that. Sorry…looks like it's shredded."
The back of the hat had been torn out…but Jotaro reached over and put it back on his head. Strangely, the torn hat seemed to meld with his hair.
"I'm fine." Was all her friend said as he tried walking the other way.
"But your face-"
"I'm fine." He forcefully replied, indicating there would be no argument.
Jotaro walked away from the crowd…with that same look in his eyes. He stopped beside her, and muttered a quick "thanks", and limped home alone that day.
From that day onwards…he kept that defiant look in his eyes, it gave him power where he once lacked it. He punished anyone who slighted him or his mother, and soon…he commanded respect amongst his peers.
That was the day he closed off his gentle side, even towards his own mother. Jotaro banished any semblance of weakness from people's perception of him…
…but those that truly knew him didn't buy it for a second.
The Present:
Lady Nagant shook her head.
The boy resembled his father, that was normal. Why was she getting distracted by memories now, of all the times?
"Y'know…between the Barge and the other day…I really thought you had good intentions." Johnny said with a smirk. "Guess that's what I get for making assumptions…another bullet in my back."
Nagant paused, and lowered her rifle a bit. "I…wasn't trying to recreate that."
"You did though, and for what? Money?"
"I couldn't care less about money. I fully expect to be caught after this." Nagant huffed and realigned her rifle. "For what it's worth…I'm sorry for this. Unfortunately, your deaths are a necessary evil."
"How, exactly?"
"Enough questions."
"Oh, I don't think so, Ms. Tsutsumi. I have quite a few…and you will be answering them." Johnny stuffed his hands in his pockets, smirking at her. "First question…do you really think I'd get into a fight with you unprepared?"
"JoJo…she's strong…" Izuku protested. "You need to get out of here, you're her target!"
"So are you, dumbass." Johnny shot his friend a glare. "Although you seem to have forgotten that. Not to worry though…my partner's here."
"Gyro? Where?"
"Nope, the other one."
"Kyoka?"
"No."
"…me?"
"Yes and no. We've got a third-party coming in at about…40 miles per hour."
Nagant paused. Johnny had another friend coming? As far as she was aware, the Mange and that demented lizard were going to isolate any students she wasn't currently engaging.
And it was someone that could travel roughly the speed of a car.
That's when she finally heard it, from her right. Heavy thumping, the sound of something charging right at her.
Lady Nagant whirled around…and that's when Slow Dancer chomped down on the barrel of her rifle with an angry snort. The horse, the noise of it's galloping masked by the snow, didn't slow down in the slightest…it dragged Nagant through the snow and dirt, and let go…sending her flying straight into a snow bank.
Whinnying, Slow Dancer turned and barreled towards her rider's extended hand, and Johnny grabbed ahold of her reigns in one hand, Izuku's shirt in the other.
Both UA students were carried off by the horse, passing through the gate into the battle areas.
Lady Nagant emerged from the snow with a bloody nose, and murderous look in her eyes.
She was running out of time.
"Horse or no horse…this will only end one way for you…"
She then inserted a bullet into her palm, and cocked her rifle back.
"Joestar."
A hand scooped up Jotaro's tattered hat from the balcony, and handed it to the man himself.
"You're a very lucky man, Dr. Kujo." Hawks said, a serious look on his face. Jotaro had blood running down his face, from a gash in his forehead…but he looked to be in relatively good shape otherwise. "Few survive an encounter with Lady Nagant…you used Star Platinum somehow…right?"
Jotaro was silent for a second. He slowly put his hat back onto his head, and glanced at the ruined Christmas decorations inside.
"No. She missed."
"…but…that's impossible. She almost never misses…"
"Exactly."
Hawks narrowed his eyes. "What does that mean?"
Jotaro was facing away from him, his face hidden in the shadow of his hat. "It means whatever you came here to do, don't bother."
The teacher's fists clenched so hard that the knuckles turned white.
"Leave Lady Nagant…to me."
"…I'm afraid I can't allo-"
Jotaro was suddenly gone…having stopped time. Hawks huffed, and took out one of his feathers, hardening it into a blade.
'I'm sorry Dr. Kujo. This seems personal…but if anyone has to finish off Lady Nagant…
It's me.'
Hawks unfurled his wings, and took off towards UA's battle areas, where she was supposed headed.
One thing was clear about this Christmas Eve, to all parties involved:
It was going to be a bloody one.
With Hawks closing in on his prey, Johnny and Izuku are set to battle Lady Nagant, unaware of the fleshbud's influence. Hopefully, with Slow Dancer back in the fray, Johnny can turn the tide…
Although…he never really had a great history with snipers…
Either way, this is sure to be a Christmas Eve none of them will forget.