"The wonders of technological progress never ceases to amaze me." Jonathan commented, "So I am able to talk to you from a great distance using this device?"
"That's right, Mr. Joestar, uh… Jonathan. But be careful. Our other scanners have picked up some strange anomalies in that area that you're in. DIO was there the last time he took on Eobard and Wally, so you might want to be careful. You never know what he might have left behind."
Jonathan sighed, "It's a shame that Dio had such a lust for power. Very well, I will be careful. And do take care of yourself, Miss Gordon. I would hate for you to lose sleep doing this. And please, call me 'Jojo.'"
"Thanks for the concern. But until someone else can actually figure out how to work all this stuff, I'm stuck being the only one on mission control."
"I feel like that is something that I do not quite understand. But I will be careful-"
"Hang on, Jon- uh, Jojo. There's something homing in on your location. It's moving fast, and it's not any of the Flashes. Be careful."
"Where?"
"It's coming from the south-east. None of the others are nearby. It's hostile!"
Jonathan took a deep breath as he prepared himself for battle, before he realized what was coming and turned around. There was nobody there in his peripheral vision, but once he fully turned around, there was his brother, DIO.
"Hmmph. Jojo. Still continuing your Hamon training, I see."
"Dio." Jonathan glared, "I was informed of your robbery. Do not expect me to go easy on you simply because that is my body that you are using!"
"Bah! Perhaps this is a conversation for another time, Jojo. Regardless, I am here to recover some old blood samples that may have spilled over some of the various organic items in this blasted place."
"Very well, Dio. I shall work together with you, this one time." Jonathan glared.
"Amazing!" Jonathan exclaimed, "Despite the strange damage from the battles of the past, the building is still structurally sound!"
"Indeed." DIO remarked, "The plants that have rooted themselves to the structure have not caused any debris to fall either. As if any stone or metal was consumed by their roots… If they even have roots."
"A large majority of plants have roots, Dio. How else would they get their nutrients?"
"Moss."
"Pardon?"
"Moss is a plant. And it gets its roots by feeding off of the nutrients in the water that it grows in." He glared at the plants that were growing in question, "These plants are clearly not moss of any kind. And they are far away from the sunlight."
"It is nighttime, Dio." Jonathan pointed out. It was the main reason he was selected to go out in the first place. His Hamon training made him a difficult opponent for DIO to defeat, and the fact that he knew his brother was also a helpful addition to his abilities.
"Even still. Can you see the moonlight? It's a full moon on a clear night sky. In fact, you have had to use your hands-free communications device to maintain a light source. Think about it for a moment, Jojo. No matter the plant, it always requires sunlight. These are clearly not mushrooms, so it makes little sense for them to have grown this quickly."
"Ah, that's right! I read about this. Fungi like mushrooms were classified as plants until the late 1960s. Until a scientist by the name of Robert Whittaker proposed it as a classification in his new five-kingdom organism classification. So… If these strange things aren't fungi, then what are they?"
"I don't know. But it does seem to be a close relative to the plant kingdom. Perhaps we can find out more answers by traversing further inside the building."
"Wait…" Jonathan stopped DIO, "Do you hear someTHING!?" He was cut off by the ground suddenly collapsing and causing the two of them to fall into the lower levels of the building."
"Okay, so let me get this straight." Blake pinched the bridge of her nose.
"I thought you were bi."
"NOT THE TIME, GORDON!"
"Whatever. You were saying?"
"You sent Jonathan out there, alone, with no backup, while Wally and Barry are in recovery, to a location that DIO was in earlier today?"
"It's Jonathan. He'll be fine. Besides, even if DIO does show up, what's he going to do? Steal Jonathan's body, again?"
"You realize that Mickey, Broly, and Yoda aren't coming back from their outer area patrol for at least another few weeks, right? And Zatanna and Wanda are busy investigating that Devilworld or whatever. If DIO does anything, there's nobody that can respond in time to get to him."
"Look, if it'll put your mind at ease, I'll ask Ryuko to search the area where he should be. But we're stretched thin enough as it is."
"That'll be great. Thanks. Now, I've got some patrol with Gwen and Mikassa to get to, and Gwen's probably going to blare her music in my ears if I'm late."
"Okay. Good luck out there. And watch out. We don't know what else is out there that's keeping Jonathan from checking in."
"Blast it! These vines are nearly impossible to properly hit! It's almost as if they are able to communicate our attack strategies and adapt accordingly!"
"It's rather astounding if one thinks about it," Jonathan replied as he narrowly dodged one of the attacks, "I was aware that some plants had defense mechanisms to protect themselves, but this is ridiculous!"
"Now is no time for studying botany, Jojo." DIO snarled as he used both The World and his own might to fend off the monstrous plants.
Jonathan took a deep breath before continuing his own assault on his attackers, "If we wish to defeat these monstrosities, we should know how they are able to keep fighting without eyes."
"I have a better idea on how to defeat them!" DIO declared, "THE WORLD! FREEZE TIME!"
As time stopped around them, DIO took notice of the situation and acted accordingly, ripping apart several of the botanical tendrils that were attacking him all at once, saving a few samples for later research.
"Time is about to move again…" He noticed as his power allowed time to resume as he re-readied his battle stance to prepare for more attacks.
As time resumed, he saw Jonathan rushing towards a wall that he swiftly punched to pieces, and then flung at the plants, pinning some of their vines down.
"You're just as resourceful as ever. But Hamon cannot keep up with the likes of a stand! Muda!" He punched another, much bigger plant this time, and in a single blow from The World, sent it flying into a wall, letting it splatter.
"That Stand power is rather impressive. I wonder what it would be like to have one of my own."
At that moment, DIO faltered. He hadn't considered what would happen if Jonathan would have a Stand. The thought was rather frightening.
"I don't believe that you would need one." DIO said.
"Your voice is rather shaky there, Dio." Jonathan pointed out, "Does the thought of me having a Stand of my own frighten you?" He chuckled.
"I'd rather not talk about it-"
"DIO LOOK OUT!" Jonathan called out as he quickly punched away a plant that seemed to be flying.
"W-Why?"
"Because, despite everything. You're still my brother." Jonathan said simply.
DIO simply glared at him before he got up.
"Jojo."
"Hmm?"
DIO slapped another flying plant that was attacking away from Jonathan.
"There. Now we're even."
The trek inside was more straightforward from there. While DIO himself was still in doubt about what he would do, the two had a mission.
"There. That appears to be the source of these plants."
"It appears that my blood essense did not create them. But it is possible that it fed them." DIO theorized.
"That would explain why they turned hostile and tried to attack us. So perhaps if we can destroy this plant, we can destroy the rest of them."
"Or at least make it so that they are in numbers that are far easier to manage." DIO supplied, "Jojo look! Those roots! If we can sever their connection from the ground, then they won't be able to absorb nutrients and will wither away!"
"That does look like our best chance at defeating this monstrosity. Let's do it!"
"HUAAAARRRRR!" The two charged at the plant, each of them using their strength to sever each root at their fastest pace.
As the two kept circling the plant, DIO was able to use his Stand to fend off attackers, while Jonathan was significantly slower in severing roots.
After four minutes of attacking, DIO managed to meet up with Jonathan as the two started at the last root, and in the corner of his eye, DIO saw a much more viscous plant about to attack Jonathan. "THE WORLD! FREEZE TIME!" He cried without thinking.
"You wish to do harm to my brother. I will not let you. For that is an honor reserved only for me! MUDA! MUDA!" He sent The World after the plant before unleashing a series of punches towards them, "MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! MUDA! WRRRYYYYY!" He howled in victory.
"Time is about to move again…" He realized.
"And… Finally! It is done!" The two severed the last root, and the gargantuan plant had finally fallen.
As the two exited the building, Jonathan turned to DIO and asked him, point blank, "Why?"
"As you said before, we're brothers. Consider the debt truly repaid, Jojo. Out of all who share in your… our father's bloodline, you are the one I respect the most. Farewell" He said before going back to whatever place he decided to call his home.
Jonathan then picked up his communicator and assured Barbara that everything was fine, "Barbara, I have some items that I believe should be studied."
Dude: Riddle this, puzzle that, trivia those! Out of everything, you'd think that this… Whatever room would do something that isn't some kind of mind game!
Wade: Dammit! I don't remember the three branches of government!
Dude: Try "Moe", "Larry", and "Curly."
Wade: Those are the three stooges!
Dude: Is there a difference?