In 2012 Joseph and Suzie Q should be 92, right? What do they have to do on work days? Shouldn't they be retired already? Or have they started doing Hamon exercises again to stay younger to take care of Shizuka?
In 2012 Joseph and Suzie Q should be 92, right? What do they have to do on work days? Shouldn't they be retired already? Or have they started doing Hamon exercises again to stay younger to take care of Shizuka?
Precisely! Joseph started practising the Ripple again and taught Suzie Q how to do so as well, so they can ensure they will be living long and happy lives with their loved ones, ever since 1999 when Joseph came to Morioh and reconciliated with his family. I made profiles for Morioh characters and what happened to them since Part 4, maybe I'll post them with each new release from now on!
Arthur: I shall board the plane to store our luggage. Do you want to come along with me, my son? Kojiro: No sir, I feel thirsty! I am going to buy a bottle of water and board the plane as soon as possible, father! Arthur: Very well, I shall be waiting for you at our seats. I look forward to flying with you, Kojiro. Kojiro: Me too! Thank you!
The noble priest picked up the luggage next to the bench he and his loyal apprentice were sitting on before setting off. As he sat up and started walking forward he took a moment to halt and look back at the child, giving him a big smile and a thumbs up, to which the boy responded with another smile and thumbs up in return before also getting up, his sights now on the kiosk.
This was a golden opportunity.
==================
‘’Thank you very kindly, mister!’’ said the young boy, handing over his pocket money to the kiosk manager before receiving his bottle of water. The boy smiled to the man and waved goodbye before preparing to set off. However just before the boy was to be on his way to the plane staircase, he was caught by surprise, when all of a sudden--
‘’Hey! Kojiro!’’
The young boy was perplexed and consequently shocked to be hearing a voice around him when no one except the kiosk manager and occupied airport staff seemed to be nearby. Deciding to follow the direction of the noise, the young boy looked around him in anxiety to find the direction towards the voice’s source.
‘’Over here, Kojiro!’’
The boy’s pace hastened as he kept on hearing his name being called from a certain direction, but always out of reach despite approaching closer with each step. Eventually, he found himself being led to behind the building in front of which the bench he was sitting on previously was situated. Worried and sweating nervously, the boy reluctantly started to walk forward in a more cowardly manner than before.
‘’You’re so close, Kojiro! Just a bit longer!’’
The voice began to creep the young boy out before he came to realise he was in front of the entrance to the bathrooms in the backside of the building. Somewhere where nothing else existed, but the empty concrete foundation of the pier’s frontiers and the broad sea ahead. Morioh’s open airport being so isolated from the rest of the town right in front of the ocean surely didn’t make the kid feel very safe or comfortable… and neither did what came next.
‘’Yes, Kojiro! You’ve done well! Now please don’t panic!’’
The boy felt a shiver down his spine after hearing the disembodied voice instructing him not to panic. For the first time, he opened his mouth in order to ask…
‘’Who are—‘’
But before being able to do so, he felt something grabbing him tightly.
‘’Wh-WHAT!’’
It felt like two strong arms were grabbing him from each of his armpits in a near-headlock position, intending to disarm the poor Kojiro, as if he were a dangerous threat, resulting in the poor boy dropping his bottle of water to the ground, the water slowly dripping from the loosely-lid top. The boy’s eyes widened and his mouth was agape, powerless before this unseen menace. He attempted to scream, but his shock disabled him from doing so. He could only speak as he was whispering.
‘’Let me go… Please!‘’
But before he could say any more, two extra arms, slender ones, covered his mouth before a figure started emerging into reality out of nothing, bringing the disembodied feeling of something touching him into a palpable form.
‘’Hmmmmph!?!! Mmmm! Mmmm!!’’ tried to scream the boy, to no avail.
Shizuka: Okay, I know this is probably the scariest thing you’ve ever felt in your life and I’m sorry, you can’t believe how sorry I am, but trust me, NOTHING bad will happen! And I mean NOTHING AT ALL! This is going to work out just fine, you won’t be hurt and you will be let free soon! Stay quiet and you will be free before you know it.
Shizuka: Don’t worry, I will guide you. First, we’re going to move into this bathroom. Kojiro: Mmm! MMMMM!!! Shizuka: Nononono, please trust me… I… am asking for a lot right now but please do! Kojiro: Mmm mmm mmmmm!? Shizuka: Miki-kun!!
The door to the bathrooms opened in front of the boy and Shizuka, who was still restraining the young boy from talking, struggling to retain her grasp on him. An obviously distressed Mikitaka Hazekura came from out the door, his swift actions speaking for themselves; them compensating for his regular expression with remained blank and unchanged. With just his left hand, he slammed the door open in one fell swoop, as if time had stopped in between the door being closed and open.
Mikitaka: The door has been opened! Shizuka: Okay, let’s move! In we go! Kojiro: Mmmmmmmmmmm!! Mikitaka: This constitutes as kidnapping. Shizuka: My ass constitutes as kidnapping, focus! We don’t have much time!
Mikitaka hastily closed the door behind as he took the large trash can inside and put it in front of the door with robotic movements all the while, making sure no one would come in.
Mikitaka: I have sealed off the door as per the recommended actions... but-- Shizuka: Great! Now you know what to do! Observe him carefully. After this let’s get a move on and you can come back to let him go, alright? Mikitaka: Me? But…
The man seemed unphased by all he was hearing, however his eyes staring blankly into the great beyond dictated that different thoughts were running through his head. In order to vent, Mikitaka decided to talk to the young woman, the pressure from the tension and urgency of the moment acting as verbal roadblocks.
Mikitaka: In regards to that… Shizuka, I need to tell you something. Shizuka: Make it quick, what is it? We need to be fast! VERY FAST! Mikitaka: Well… Shizuka: Just say it! Mikitaka: I… I don’t want to. I, I don’t feel like-- Shizuka: What? Oh my GOD, just do it! Mikitaka: But I can’t completely agree with this course of— Shizuka: NOW! If there’s any time ever you HAVE to listen to me, it’s NOW!
The pressure of the moment got to everyone in the room, as the young Kojiro struggled to be released from the clutches of his kidnapper, Shizuka struggled to keep the boy where she wanted him and Mikitaka was stressing, attempting to get a perfect assessment of the boy’s form.
This was a highly anxious situation, as everyone involved was visibly shaking. Various thoughts clouded the minds of each. One thought they were going to die. Another felt as if they needed to stop everything at once or suffer consequences. Another pondered how fast the current situation could be wrapped up.
Mikitaka: Almost done! I think just a minute longer would give me the appropriate and necessary time to— Shizuka: AAAAAGH!!!
Shizuka screamed horrendously before she let Kojiro free, her arms flying away in an instant and the strong grip on the boy’s arms vanishing into thin air.
Kojiro: HELP!!! Mikitaka: Why did you let the kid go!? Shizuka: THE BRAT LICKED MY HAND! Mikitaka: What!? Kojiro: SOMEBODY HELP ME!!! Shizuka: Grab him fast! Mikitaka: I’m sorry!
Everyone screaming their heads off disoriented all people in the room, albeit eventually Mikitaka initiated retaliation towards the child who was trying to push the large and heavy trash bin, a fruitless effort. Soon enough, the child felt an extremely strange sensation, as he noticed his entire body was being pulled back. Look at both of his right and left arms, he noticed they were both constrained by a rope he didn’t notice had already wrapped itself tight around him.
Kojiro: Let me go! LET ME GO! AAAAAAAAAH!!! Shizuka: Holy shit, STOP SCREAMING! Mikitaka: I am requesting of you to hold him in place, please!
Two tremendous forces emerged from behind the child yet again, picking him up from the armpits just like earlier, as Kojiro couldn’t stop his crying and his loud screaming turned into incoherent sobbing.
Shizuka: Good job lasso-ing him, alien cowboy; I got him now! Turn your hand into tape or something, just do it!
Mikitaka wasted no time in turning his left arm into a roll of tape before using his other to hastily take a piece of it off and handing it over to the teenager.
Shizuka: Good, now we can shut him up and move on! Mikitaka: We are horrible people. Shizuka: Well, you are not ‘’people’’ exactly but— Mikitaka: WE ARE HORRIBLE PEOPLE, SHIZUKA! Shizuka: Alright, alright!
Shizuka quickly taped the boy’s mouth and used her teeth to bite the piece off the rest of the roll, using her hand thereafter to ensure the boy would remain quiet. As soon as she was done, the girl looked at the poor boy looking at her, crying, seemingly levitating, and his arms obviously in pain. Kojiro looked into Shizuka’s eyes and started shedding even more tears, as Shizuka just stood there watching in silence, right back at the boy.
Mikitaka: What is going on at the moment?
Shizuka snapped out of her reluctant idleness and shook her head before shifting her sights to her now sweat-soaked friend.
Shizuka: You’re right, just memorize him already! GO! Mikitaka: I’m sorry, child… I am so sorry… Shizuka: I’m gonna be sorry too if we fail, just get on with it as fast as you can!
The young woman took a moment to think to herself, her eyes now blank, staring into the void while Mikitaka had his eyes pinned on the boy, still levitating and crying, his screams no longer even being heard through the tape. As Kojiro looked at the strange-looking man in fear, still sobbing, the latter couldn’t help but also have tears slowly form at his expressionless eyes, trying to stay focused on the child still.
On the other hand, Shizuka looked like she had seen a ghost. It felt like the world had stopped as she turned her head around, staring at the bathroom walls and then the mirror in front of them, looking at herself while simultaneously not paying attention to what she was seeing. She felt a pain in her chest she immediately reacted to by placing her hand on it with force. It was clear from her eye expression behind her sunglasses contrasting with her neutral facial expression that her thoughts were clouded in a very suspenseful manner. Before even being able to process her inner thoughts however, a loud voice grounded her back to reality.
Mikitaka: I AM READY! Shizuka: What? Mikitaka: I think I can accomplish this. We have to go now, correct? Shizuka: …! Y-YES! DO IT AND LET’S GET A MOVE ON!
As soon as the young woman finished her sentence, she looked at the spooked child whose fruitless efforts to scream and be heard had ceased by now. The teenager soon came close, as the boy came closer to the ground, the invisible force restraining him there instead of holding him up.
Shizuka: I… am very sorry. Kojiro: Mmmm… Shizuka: It’s okay if you hate me. I deserve it. Blame me fully for this. My friend over here? I roped him into this.
The young woman approached the child further and kneeled down to meet Kojiro on eye level, before taking off her sunglasses to look at him properly.
Mikitaka: Shizuka… Shizuka: You will soon be let free. But I won’t be here. I will have left. I intend to take your place on the plane and going to Mexico with Father Arthur. Kojiro: … Shizuka: I promise to be back very soon, with Father Arthur. It’s a promise. Father and you will get your chance to visit whatever you want later, I promise you. Don’t worry about money either. But… I HAVE to do this. I just have to. Kojiro: Mmmhm… Shizuka: You probably don’t understand but I owe it to you to explain the situation, I guess. This is not personal in any way either. But we're running out of time right now. Someone will come to your aid soon after the plane takes off. I’m sorry again. Mikitaka: … Shizuka: … Kojiro: …
The room went silent. After a moment of uneventful idleness, Shizuka decided it was high time the silence was broken and action was taken.
Shizuka: Alright, let’s go now. Remember the plan and let’s coordinate ourselves. Mikitaka: …Understood.
The tall long-haired man soon started changing shape before Kojiro and Shizuka’s very eyes. Soon, though…
All the way back to 2016! Ah, back when I had no concrete idea til I saw the main banner and that has been Shizuka's design ever since.
Arthur: Excuse me, ma’am.
Arthur fixed and tidied up his helmet, before putting his hands together in a prayer gesture, having just found a stewardess he seemed to seek audience with for some reason.
Arthur: Have you perhaps seen my accommodation for this trip? His name is Kojiro Nakatsukasa and he is a middle-schooler. He was supposed to board the plane after going to buy something from the kiosk but I don’t see him outside the window and the flight is very soon. So, I humbly ask of you, could you perhaps find him for me? Stewardess: Sure, mister! Do not worry, we will find him before the plane takes off. Arthur: God bless you, kind madam.
Arthur remained calm despite being slightly concerned about Kojiro not being with him. He had waited for him on the booked seats for more time than he thought was necessary for a boy to get a water bottle.
After being reassured by the stewardess of the plane though, he felt relieved. Despite his worries, he put trust in the good of the plane’s staff. Arthur tended to do so often, being a preacher of the Lord, embodying the most essential of virtues he had been taught in his life, even at a moment he deemed as concerning as this.
Sooner rather than later, he noticed a familiar voice coming from the plane’s entrance.
‘’Hello there!’’ the voice said.
Stewardess: Oh, you must be Kojiro Nakatsukasa! Your guardian was just asking where you were! Not Kojiro: A correct assessment, that would be me!
"Do you have your passport with you?" asked the stewardess. "We need to register you, just a cool information tidbit in case this is your first time, haha!"
Not Kojiro: Oh… yes! I have it here!
The ‘’young boy’’ started sweating nervously as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small leaflet, handing it over to the stewardess, while looking around in all directions, even as far as the eye could see from outside the plane to Morioh’s highest mountains.
The stewardess was seen carefully examining the passport, however seemed to be at a loss for words, according to what her raised eyebrow look gave away. It was quite an unusual item indeed. The young boy’s sweating frequency only further increased.
Stewardess: Hmmm… I am unsure about this… Not Kojiro: I do not quite grasp what you are attempting to communicate to me, ma'am--
The kid felt a smack on the shoulder, making him halt his response to the lady.
Stewardess: That… well… well first of all, I have to congratulate you on your grammar, sweetie! I am sure Morioh’s education regime is just the best! Not Kojiro: …Yes! Stewardess: Secondly, I think there’s something wrong with your passport… what agency did you get this from, young man? Not Kojiro: Wh-why are you asking me that, ma’am? Stewardess: Well, to be honest… it seems some of the information is input incorrectly. Your nationality says ‘’Morioh, Japan’’ and your place of birth says ‘’Japanese’’.
The young boy’s sweat frequency at this point could not increase any further, as he just kept on wiping the sweat from his forehead about every second or so, each time using a different hand. Obviously distressed, his eyes were locked on to the stewardess with a neutral expression not being broken at any point.
Stewardess: Oh… b-but don’t worry! I’m sure it’s going to be ok! Father Arthur can testify for you as your guardian and-- Staff Member: Hey, what’s going on over here?
All of a sudden, a large man appeared, dwarfing the young Kojiro in size. The man was as well-built as he was tall; he must have been at least over 190 centimeters in height, and his mere presence made the young Kojiro swallow in anxiety. His swirly hair gave him an extra edge in that regard.
Staff: The plane’s supposed to take off, you should get inside fast if you want to leave, young man. Stewardess: Oh, hey! Thank god you're here. So, uh… you see, we have a bit of a predicament with the passport but I’m sure it’s no big deal. We can dismiss it perhaps as-- Staff: Dismiss? If anything’s off, we simply cannot allow anything of the sort to fly under the radar. Let me see that.
The well-built staff member loomed very tall over ‘’Kojiro’’, his intimidating stance proving a spectacular obstacle. As soon as the leaflet was placed in the man’s hand, the latter quickly pulled it back with force, turning around so as to not be distracted by the stewardess. Very serious about the current situation, he wasted no time reading what was in the small book.
Staff: Let’s see what trouble you are up to, young man. Stewardess: ...uhm? Staff: …?
The tall man’s pants acted up. What buttons used to be there to keep them together suddenly were launched with force into the distance.
Staff: Wh-What!!
‘’Nice view, man!’’
‘’Dude, is your fly open?’’
The man seemed to turn a dark shade of pink in a flash, dropping the passport and immediately turned back around so as not to be seen by the close bystanders who had seen the event unfold, consequently lowering his back and trying to find the scattered buttons.
Kojiro stood there and watched as the man tried his best to salvage the situation, his expression still neutral and calm, but his sweat still not losing pace. Suddenly, he heard a whisper coming from next to his ear, which startled him.
‘’Dude what are you DOING just sweating, we're not in Airplane, dammit!! I mean… we kinda are in an airplane, but still! Pick up the passport and fix this or we’re toast!’’
The boy quickly fell on the ground, on his knees, grabbing the passport in front of the shocked stewardess who mostly seemed occupied holding her laughter back and the plane staff member who was still searching for his buttons on the stairs, tightly keeping his unbuttoned pants with his clenched fist.
After deciding that this was not a task to be carried out now, the man stood up with his eyes wide and his mouth hanging open, visibly stressed and his sweating being able to compete with Kojiro’s for maximum output. Looking more miffed than before, he raised his free hand and pointed his finger to the kid.
Staff: You! Your passport, now! Not Kojiro: Sir!
The boy brought both of his hands forward, both holding the passport, which the tall man didn’t hesitate to wildly take from his hands, as if he was a stress-controlled thief on the act of committing larceny.
Soon enough, he started to read the booklet and seemed quite perplexed upon skimming through it.
‘’Is this some sort of prank of yours, again?’’ the man asked the stewardess, raising his head from the booklet to look her in the eyes.
Stewardess: Haha, what? I swear, you’re getting too paranoid at times, why would I be playing a prank on you? Staff: Because everything here is legitimate. What’s wrong with you? Stewardess: What’s wrong with ME? You’re the one whose pants blew open and now you’re accusing me? Staff: Well then why is everything in order? You’re always pulling such jokes on me and I won’t stand for it. Stewardess: No, listen to me; I would never do ANYTHING like this on the job! Who do you even take me for after so many years? Staff: Oh so you wanna make a scene? In front of all these people? Okay, I’ll bite, explain to me why— Arthur: Kojiro!
Father Arthur showed up behind the stewardess, greeting his young companion with a smile, waving his hand to Kojiro.
Not Kojiro: Oh, greetings! Arthur: Is there an issue here? I heard something about a passport on my way here and was wondering whether or not there was something I could provide help with. Staff: No, sir. There is no issue. Are you this kid’s guardian? Arthur: Yes, that would be me. Staff: Very well, you can now fly with him. And you, register him. Stewardess: No, bring me the passport first.
The man handed over the passport reluctantly to the stewardess who assumed the man’s previous behaviour by snatching it quickly and turning to the page where she had previously encountered the errors. Perplexed as much as her colleague, she raised an eyebrow upon noticing an unusual lack of issues.
Stewardess: Weird… everything is in order. Staff: What? No waaay... Stewardess: ...*sigh* ... okay, first of all-- Not Kojiro: Can I have my passport back, please? Stewardess: Oh, I’m so sorry! Here’s your passport. Please enjoy the flight and thank you for selecting Morioh Airlines! Arthur: Come, Kojiro. Let us go to our seats. Not Kojiro: Understood!
The duo began moving from the entrance of the plane to their seats as they heard the two staff members continue their fighting from behind. Gladdened to be out of that hairy situation, Kojiro felt relieved and was finally feeling like things would go smoothly from now on.
Before arriving at his seat, Kojiro heard a whisper from behind him once more.
‘’[engrish] Fuckin’ A! Great job! Now remain seated, brodude. I will call you to the toilet room when it’s time to continue.’’
Kojiro and Arthur arrived at their seats and the two looked at each other in joy before Arthur asked Kojiro whether or not he would like to sit on the inside or the outside seat. Kojiro seemed to recall negotiating with someone in regards to this current situation and laconically exclaimed he wished to sit on the outside seat by just saying ‘’Outside’’.
Arthur followed his apprentice’s instructions and decided to sit on the inside seat slowly, before taking off his helmet and holding it on his lap, then lying his head back on the seat and closing his eyes, finally putting his hands together to pray. Kojiro followed suit and awkwardly attempted to pull his leg over the seat handle, successfully managing to get over it and take a seat. After a few seconds of consideration, the young boy followed by also putting his hands together in a pseudo-prayer, all the while his expression remained unchanged and his eyes open, staring into the void.
The plan was in effect.
=========================
‘’Hello, everyone! This is your copilot speaking. Please remain seated and brace for take-off, the plane shall be leaving ground in exactly two minutes. As always, our staff will pass by your seats and demonstrate basic rule-of-thumb instructions, while they are explained from your speakers. Thank you for your time and for choosing Morioh Airlines, and have a great flight, everyone!’’
The copilot discontinued their transmission as the stewardesses started to pass by every seat.
Not even 5 seconds had passed after the transmission, when the young boy heard someone whispering in his ear, which made him break character and take his praying hands apart.
‘’Come see me. Ask for permission to go to the toilet room.’’
The boy, who seemed to have calmed down started visibly showing signs of nervousness once more, his bold expression masquerading it to the best of his abilities. With the flick of his arm, the boy raised his hand, hoping a stewardess would notice him. Soon enough, a gentle-looking lady in a staff outfit approached the young boy and with a smile greeted him.
‘’Hello, young man! Do you need anything?’’ asked the woman.
‘’Yes. I would like to coordinate myself towards the toilet area, would that be possible?’’ responded the boy.
Staff: Oh… well, the plane is just about to take off. And me along with the other plane staff are about to give you instructions. Can’t you wait slightly more? I promise you it will not take long! Not Kojiro: I will be quick and will be back before the plane prepares to take off. Otherwise… Staff: Yes…? Not Kojiro: I… what if I soil myself on my seat, which would prove quite unfortunate, a complication undesired by the staff of the— Staff: You can go. Not Kojiro: Can I-- Staff: Yes, just go.
The woman turned her head around awkwardly before walking off, disgust written all over her face. The boy looked at his accompaniment, Arthur, whose eyes were still closed in prayer despite the awkward conversation that had just traversed.
Not Kojiro: Father Arthur, do you allow me to coordinate myself towards the toilet area? I promise to be quick.
The man broke his silence and opened his eyes, smiling at Kojiro with a reassuring glance.
Arthur: Why yes, my son. You may go. Not Kojiro: Thank you very much.
The boy once more attempted to pass his legs over the seat handle to no avail. Instead, he chose the approach of slowly standing on top of his seat and jumping down from it, an act which would catch the eyes of anyone in any other scenario, if it weren’t for the few passengers, most of who near the boy’s row were already in deep sleep.
After stepping down, the boy moved to the back of the plane, where no one seemed to have reserved any seats, making the image of an invisible force pushing the boy into the open toilet area unnoticeable. Just then, the speakers started to sound a message.
''The crew of this flight is here for your safety. Please observe the following demonstration of the safety features.''
‘’Kojiro’’ was pushed to the toilet with a great push but didn’t falter or even skip a step, finding balance immediately in the room, the door of which closed behind him on its own before a meeting took place.
''In case of decompression, oxygen masks such as the ones presented to you, will automatically be released above your seat.''
Slowly, a figure started forming out of thin air in front of the young boy, who seemed totally relaxed upon seeing this strange phenomenon. The figure took the form of a young woman, very well known to the ’’boy’’.
''Place the mask over your nose and mouth and breathe normally.''
‘’Good job.’’ said Shizuka. ‘’Now you can change back.’’
Mikitaka: Are you sure? Shizuka: Yes, do it. Also, great improv back there. I thought only I could come up with something like that. Mikitaka: Acknowledged.
The boy collapsed into a pool of a weird substance before the substance took the form of a tall man. In just a matter of seconds, it had become Mikitaka Hazekura. Shizuka didn’t pay too much attention to it and started talking very fast, her attention fully pinned on the man after realising the pre-takeoff message was being transmitted.
''Your life vest is located underneath your seat. To use it, if instructed, put your arms through the straps and your head through--''
Shizuka: I REALLY need your full attention now. As you know, from this moment onwards, the plan is unknown to you. Mikitaka: Yes. How are we going to keep on this plane without people noticing the absence of the young Kojiro Nakatsukasa? Shizuka: ‘’We’’ are not going to do anything. ‘’I’’ have the situation under control.
The man’s eyes widened suddenly.
''Adjust the seatbelt to your waist. To unfasten it, leave one part of the buckle and pull out the other half.''
Mikitaka: Wh… What do you… mean— Shizuka: This is your cue to go. I’m off. I’m sure you expected this and you complied up to this point, so don’t try to stop me, dude.
Finally, the long-haired man’s expression exited its calm state before Shizuka’s confident presence, the eyes of who were pinned on him, not losing focus or breaking eye contact.
Mikitaka: I… you prevented me from explaining my objections to you earlier, Shizuka! I won’t allow you to--
‘’I know you won’t.’’ exclaimed Shizuka, cutting her friend off.
Shizuka finally diverted her attention from Mikitaka to the floor. In a single moment, a giant hole ruptured into the floor and a huge piece of metal was missing from it, now floating in the air. Losing his cool, the tall man’s mouth was agape, his eyes more widened than ever before.
''In case of an emergency, luminous markings along the aisle will show you the way towards the exit: 2 doors across the--''
Mikitaka: SHIZUKA WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? Shizuka: SHUT UP! They’ll hear us! The engine hasn’t even started yet, so we’ll be noticed. Mikitaka: But— Shizuka:: No buts! Now look at this and copy it. I know you can disembody parts of you to transform them. Mikitaka: What do you mean?!
''The safety-on-board card is located in the pocket of your frontal seat. Please read it carefully.''
Shizuka: Transform your hand into something like this piece of metal I just broke, so it perfectly fits into the hole! Try not to be sloppy. Once you escape through here, I will put it back so the plane doesn’t get destroyed as the flight goes on. Mikitaka: What!? No!
Suddenly a voice was heard.
‘’Thank you for flying with Morioh Airlines. We appreciate your patience and urge you to keep the aforementioned demonstration in mind. This is your captain speaking. Fasten your seatbelts and prepare for takeoff. A countdown is about to begin.’’
Shizuka: You heard that!? Do it now! Mikitaka: No! You can’t possibly do this alone! Shizuka: Well you also need to go back to break Kojiro out of the bathroom, so do it! And your ears won’t be able to bear the noise of the plane either, this is for your own good and--
‘’10’’
Shizuka: Oh shit! Do it! Fast!
‘’9’’
Mikitaka: No!
‘’8’’
Shizuka: No second thoughts now! I can already feel the plane moving, it’s gonna get off the ground now!
‘’7’’
Mikitaka: I CAN’T LET YOU! I’M GOING WITH YOU!
‘’6’’
Shizuka: …
‘’5’’
Shizuka: …
‘’4’’
Shizuka: Fine, fine! Quick, transform your hand! This plane is gonna blow!
‘’2’’
Mikitaka: Affirmative! Fast! Here!
‘’1’’
Mikitaka’s hand quickly transformed and detached, becoming a near-perfect piece of metal able to fit into the plane’s hole. However, the countdown was already over. Right as the plane started shaking, a tremendous noise of the plane’s engines started wildly vibrating throughout the atmosphere, reaching Mikitaka’s ears.
Shizuka: Holy shit, we’re in the air! Don’t lose your footing! Give it to me, quick! Mikitaka: AAAAAAGH! AAAAAAAAAAAAH, THIS NOISE!!! Shizuka: Fine, I’ll take it! STOP SCREAMING!
Shizuka quickly went in to snatch the piece of metal from Mikitaka, however as soon as she got ahold of it from Mikitaka’s hand, she realized too late that impact between the two was inevitable due to the massive shaking of the plane.
Mikitaka: AAAAAAAGH! MAKE IT STOP! Shizuka: Watch out!
Mikitaka’s face started turning red right before the two friends lost their balance, one falling into each other and both into the toilet seat, Shizuka’s cheek touching the plastic seat in disgust while Mikitaka’s behind smothered the back of her head.
In a single moment Mikitaka flew across the toilet seat and into the wall, an opportunity Shizuka exploited to its full, as she closed the toilet lid and put her hand on her chest, breathing heavily as sweat started dropping from her hair onto the ground, her eyes opened wide so much that one would think they would pop off at any second while the strange man started growing rashes all over his hands and face.
Mikitaka: It hurts! THE NOISE AND MY BACK! Shizuka: YOU SAID YOU WANTED TO COME! Now stop screaming and stay in that corner so you don’t fall! I got the metal, it’s going to be fine! Mikitaka: MY EARS! Shizuka: Oh… right… with your ears being so sensitive to this noise, I won’t be able to tell you my formal farewell! Mikitaka: What!? Shizuka: Oh. Mikitaka: Shizuka I HEARD that! AAAAAAGH! What exactly did you mean?!
Mikitaka’s eyes were widened larger than ever before, giving off the notion that they were about to pop out just like Shizuka from earlier, as veins started to form more and more on his ever-darkening crimson forehead. Unable to do anything but hold his ears with his equally-as-red hands, he was gasping for air while questioning his friend, nervous beyond belief.
The plane kept on shaking as the noise kept on being unbearable for Mikitaka, who didn’t take his eyes off the young girl.
Mikitaka: Please answer me!
Shizuka got up from her squatted position to look outside the window in the toilet room. With a quick glance, she seemed to be making an assessment before shifting her sight back to her friend.
Mikitaka: AAAAAGH! Shizuka: Stop screaming, your ears will be ok again. Mikitaka: What!? Shizuka: You can turn into a parachute, right? Mikitaka: …
It finally dawned on Mikitaka.
Mikitaka: You don’t--! Shizuka: I do. Mikitaka: NOOO-!! Shizuka: Achtung Baby!
‘’ARA!’’
An invisible force gripped onto the defenseless man with great strength, causing his shouting to suddenly halt due to the shock of the pain. After the initial shock, the man pulled his hands away from his ears and clenched his teeth as he grabbed onto the unseen force, slamming his hand on it to be let go.
Mikitaka: Shizuka… please! Don’t do this! Please, save yourself! Shizuka: I’m sorry, bro. I HAVE to do this though, I told you. No looking back now. Tell everyone I said hi and that I’ll be back by Tuesday. If you meet Papa, tell him he sucks, so he should fix that. Mikitaka: Please… AAAAAAGH! Let me go, I cannot allow you to leave! What kind of friend would I be if…
In that moment, Mikitaka was too occupied attempting to reason with the girl to notice that he was hovering over the open hole of the room. As soon as he stopped his sentence and looked down, his hair falling in his face and partially blocking his vision, he was left speechless when he found out what was about to be done.
Shizuka: See you later, baby!
And so the grip loosened before vanishing altogether. The last Mikitaka saw of Shizuka was her waving at him with her left hand while putting her sunglasses on with her right, giving her friend a triumphant grin while the strange man fell from the hole, starting to fall from the sky.
‘’DON’T FORGET, I LOVE YOU!’’ shouted the woman from the hole.
Mikitaka was quick to halt his fall and collapsed into a weird substance once more before transforming into a parachute, slowly falling towards the ground, while the eyes of the paraglider were pinned on the aircraft which was beginning to disappear into the horizon.
Mikitaka: Shizuka… No…
====================
Shizuka: Heh, nice.
The young woman turned her head towards the floating piece of metal and inserted it to the hole in the ship, patching it up to the best of her abilities, albeit still not well enough. A small opening could still be seen across a side of the hole, but the girl didn’t think much of it and decided to just reach for the mat near the toilet with her foot, dragging it over the opening.
Shizuka: Done.
Shizuka continued to wipe herself off all possible dirt that must have gotten on her from her previous close encounter with the toilet and made sure her jeans were in perfect condition. As soon as she was done however… a sudden epiphany came to her mind, a realization of success and victory. She was doing it.
She was doing it for real.
The room went silent as the girl was left alone with her thoughts… eventually not being able to help herself rather than exclaim her thoughts out loud.
‘’I… I did it. I’m free!’’
The girl ran as quickly as she could to the other side of the room to look out the window, like before. With a sketchy movement of raising her legs high before taking steps as if she was a cartoon character from the early 1900s, she glued her face to the window to witness a most satisfactory sight.
She was no longer in Morioh.
Shizuka: FUCK YEAH!!!
The girl had succeeded. She was finally out of Morioh and on her way to Mexico. She took a few minutes to collect her thoughts, so many things going through her head, eventually deciding to sit down and crossing her legs, burying her face in her hands and trying to realise the scale of her recent accomplishment.
‘’Oh god everyone will hate me for this.’’
‘’BUT THAT WAS AWESOME! I can’t even believe it fucking worked.’’
‘’I hope Miki-kun is ok, I hope he had a safe landing.’’
‘’Hoping that Miki-kun lets Kojiro out before he finds a way to escape the wall we taped him on and takes the tape off his mouth too. Otherwise the staff are gonna hear the screams and boy oh boy that’s gonna suck balls.’’
‘’HOLY SHIT I DID IT’’
‘’How do I make it out of this flight though with Arthur expecting Kojiro? Oh well, he’ll have to compromise, no way around it. If he wants to do anything, he can’t exactly stop the plane and pull over.’’
‘’I need to tell this shit to Bonnie.’’
''I OWNED!''
‘’I wonder how I’ll bullshit my way out of the staff noticing there is no longer a little boy here though… should be easy enough.’’
‘’HO-HO-HOLY SHIT THOUGH!!!’’
‘’When we arrive on the desert it’s gonna be awesome. I bet even the boring churches won’t look dull with such an awesome landscape in comparison to shitty Morioh.’’
‘’I wonder if Billy Joel will hear of this once the news spreads. I bet he’ll ask me out once he finds out! "Oh, Joestar, I heard about what happened the other week!" heheheheheh....''
‘’Bonnie will lose all her braincells once she finds out OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD!’’
‘’Miki-kun should be ok, right?’’
‘’That pizza will taste delicious when I tell Bonnie about it on Monday. Food tastes better when you're eating with friends, after all.’’
‘’Though fuck pizza, Mexican food straight from Mexico itself should be the best! Morioh can’t capture the true brilliance of original Mexican cuisine, I bet! OUT WITH THE PHONIES! IN WITH THE ORIGINAL!’’
‘’Unless it’s Senor Trussardi.’’
‘’The desert will be a hot shitshow but a little heat ain’t stopping me.’’
‘’HOLY FUCK I ACTUALLY DID IT!’’
‘’NOW THIS IS JOESTAR-LIKE!’’
Finally, Shizuka settled her thoughts and calmed down as time went on, sitting down in front of the door of the room, her eyes closed as she leaned her head back, realizing the urgency of the situation was over and the excitement had become a soothing feeling of elation.
It took little time after that until Shizuka’s eyes burst open, her head gaining a fierce and smug game face. Behind those glasses one could swear to have seen the pupils turn into stars. Something she confirmed, summoning her Stand whose eyes also had turned starry. Her very soul was happy.
Confidently, the girl sprung up in a cartoony way like before placing her hand on the door knob, deciding it was high time ‘’Kojiro’’ was done doing his business. The girl turned the handle and the door opened, as the young woman’s sport shoes made contact with the room outside, further fueling her emotions.
A single thought crossed her mind and nothing else in that moment.
‘’This is gonna be the coolest adventure ever!’’
====================
VERTIGO - ~~MORIOH~~ ARC:
E N D .
VERTIGO - ~~BIZARRE ADVENTURE~~ ARC:
B E G I N .
SPECIAL SEGMENT: Where Are They Now? - Volume 1
In this special segment, we'll be looking at the residents of Morioh, the characters of Part 4, and what their lives have been since 1999 all the way up to now! First off, the main characters of Diamond is Unbreakable!
Josuke Higashikata:After 1999, Josuke followed in his granddad's footsteps and joined the police force. Josuke graduated with very good grades, and for the sake of protecting the town and people he loved his whole life he put all of his determination into making the cut in the police draft and aced it with a perfect score. Now at 29 years old, he's the head of the police force and one of the greatest police officers to ever live in modern Japan. Even though he is just 29, he is just and serious when it comes to his duty, a figure to look up to, but he often uses his free time to go out with his old friends and his family and hang out. Josuke's golden heart never stopped glowing brightly.
Okuyasu Nijimura: Upon graduation, he remained best friends with Josuke and chose a job that didn't require much brain work for him to accomplish: volunteer work! He's worked at orphanages, reforestation activism, blood donations, you name it. Money for him isn't a problem, as his hobby is playing in all sorts of sports competitions, often times earning prizes, hoping to strike it big with a proper career soon. He still goes out with Josuke and Koichi regularly. Some people wonder how he even passed high school... truth is, Josuke used his Stand to rearrange his answers in every test and got him to graduate! At the moment, Okuyasu works voluntarily at the local hospital, in Morioh.
Koichi Hirose: Koichi managed to get into one of the most prestigious universities in Japan pretty easily, being a model student. He decided to become a teacher, and in due time his dream came true. Now, at 28 years old, Koichi is the Principal's assistant in ABBA, which he chose himself in order to ''give back'' for all the good experiences he had there, and he is highly respected and admired by students and staff alike. At 25 years old, he married Yukako Yamagishi and is now living his life happily. He often goes out to hang out with his friends, Josuke and Okuyasu. He also talks with Jotaro and Rohan whenever possible, who he shared adventures with he won't ever forget.
Jotaro Kujo: Continues his job as a dedicated agent of the Speedwagon Foundation. Having just interrupted himself from an investigative mission in Eastern Europe, he is currently located at Florida, USA, looking into a case that might be tied to DIO.
Rohan Kishibe:After his adventures in Part 4, Rohan realised there was so much more in this world undiscovered than he ever knew. As such, Rohan decided to travel the world, in order to keep writing his manga passionately. One time he even went to the Louvre! Every once in a while though, he finds himself back in Morioh. Currently out of his hometown, he plans to return soon, having been inspired by many things to write his new manga. Currently writing the 8th part of his manga, Pink Dark Boy, an anime studio has picked up the first 2 parts of his manga, a project he is actively involved with and excited for.
I know this is a trend, especially having Pucci be the main antagonist of part 6 in this series, but Arthur is the purest person you can think of! He's sworn to a life of piety. I will reveal his design in the next chapter, or maybe chapter 9!
Chapter 08: A New Bizarre Adventure, Mexico's Remains!
Chapter 08: A New Bizarre Adventure, Mexico's Remains!
Shizuka: Whoosh.
The young woman stepped out of the bathroom confidently, perplexed by the fact that nothing seemed out of place outside. It was quite convenient to her that no one had reacted to all the damn shouting and noises that had taken place in the bathroom. Maybe the plane engines came in clutch. She seemed to stop for a second to contemplate this, but soon raised her eyebrows, gave it a shrug and moved forward, to ‘’her’’ seat.
''I wonder if my luggage is fine.'' she thought. ''Not many people on this plane, doubt anyone figured out that something invisible is blocking the way to other luggage. Hopefully.''
Soon enough, the girl had arrived at her seat, and to her surprise, no one had noticed that something was off. That a new passenger was on the plane. It was all according to plan.
The teen went and sat next to an occupied Arthur with the Old Testament wide open on his lap, he was too busy reciting bible passages to notice her. Shizuka waited for a while before interfering, she knew that it was none of her business to intercept, and she was in too good a mood to ruin anyone else's. But after 5 whole minutes of Arthur just staying there and mumbling bible quotes under his breath, she seemed to be slightly irked. Giving in to the temptation, she pat the priest on the shoulder and started speaking to him, in English.
Shizuka: Yo, Father Arthur. Hello there! Arthur: Hm? Ah, it is you, my child. Hello. I did not know you were on the plane too. Shizuka: Yeah… I don’t think anyone knew, haha! Ha… see, I think I owe it to you to explain something.
Arthur very delicately folded the top right corner of the page in order to remember where he had left off before he closed his old testament for a bit. Turning his head to Shizuka, giving her a calm smile, he put his hands together, ready to listen to what she had to say.
Arthur: Yes, my child? Is anything wrong? Additionally, excuse my rudeness, but I didn’t see you in the front seats, so you must be behind me and Kojiro. I would like to ask whether you saw Kojiro leave the toilet at all. He said he was going to be fast but he is taking his time. Shizuka: That’s a coincidence and a half right there, Father! I was just going to talk to you about this, in fact. But you have to promise to be quiet. Arthur: Quiet? For what reason? Shizuka: Well, you see, heheh…
The young woman readjusted her jacket for a moment and took a deep breath, exhaling before facing Arthur again.
Shizuka: It’s complicated but basically you are not going to like this. So you have to promise not to get so mad that you start shouting. I promise everything is gonna be alright, though! I mean it, and I wouldn't lie to a priest. Arthur: I don’t quite understand, but you have my word.
The young woman got a bit more comfortable in her position, as she sat a bit more upward and put her hands together, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath again before meeting the priest eye to eye once more, prepared to come clean.
Shizuka: Okay so basically… I tricked Kojiro into not entering the plane. Then I managed to convince the plane staff and you as well that Kojiro is on the plane. But in reality it was all a trick. I took his place and now we’re flying to Mexico! But don’t worry, Kojiro is fine and I made sure of that, personally. If it makes you feel better, I'll come along to your destinations in Mexico, even if I wouldn't go out of my way to visit religious monuments. Okay, that's it; Now you have every right to be mad at me.
The priest’s expression shifted from a calm one to a more uncertain one, as he slowly started to sweat upon hearing Shizuka’s explanation. Finding it hard to believe, he wanted to ask her to repeat, but was unable to even complete the sentence. Instead, something different came to mind. Arthur gulped.
Arthur: This is a joke, isn't it? I am sorry, I don’t quite understand the humour of kids these days so I hope you could find it in you to excuse my rudeness. Shizuka: This is not a joke and Kojiro is really not on this plane, this was all me and by the way nobody knows I’m here except Kojiro and someone else. They will find in due time but it’s too late, we’re already flying. But, because I'm so grateful, I will even pay you next time to go on a trip with Kojiro legitimately, but this time I really felt like I needed to— Arthur: WHAT IS THIS PREPOSTEROUS THING YOU ARE SAYING!? Shizuka: oh
Arthur had almost jumped from his seat as he put his hands on his head, his eyes more widened than ever before and extreme sweat running down his face, a reaction which caught the attention of pretty much everyone in the plane.
Shizuka: SSSSSSH! You promised! Arthur: But… but…!! Shizuka: Sssssh, I know! I know! But keep quiet, please.
Shizuka put her index finger in front of her face to signify that the priest should remain silent, as she used her free hand to wave it up and down, further reinforcing her message to the Father.
Arthur, more stressed than before, tried to keep his calm and his quiet, failing to clear his mind as he didn't know what to say to the young girl.
Arthur: I… I—Oh lord give me strength, O Father who art in heaven, your humble servant— Shizuka: Yeah that won’t help. I assure you, all you can do is stay quiet. Even if you phone back home, it’s too late. I’m already flying. WE are flying, together! Also, I don’t think you carry a phone with you anyway, being who you are… Ummm…
The young teen tried to come up with a nice thing to say.
''Please… enjoy the ride?''
Arthur: How could you do this… my child, what nefarious evil influenced you to commit such an act…? Shizuka: Yeah whatever. This is how things are right now. Trust me; there is nothing you can do. I promise everything is going to be okay though. Now rest, we have a few more hours until we reach the United States, and then, it’s Mexico time, baby! I also brought my own money, so don’t worry about having to pay for me. I can pull my weight and you are already doing a lot.
Dead silence fell. Father was speechless.
After a few moments of silence, he turned to Shizuka once more. He now had something to say.
Arthur: It cannot be helped, then. We are on our way to Mexico, my child. However, that does not mean it is over. As soon as we land, I am phoning Morioh. Perhaps someone will already be on their way here to pick you up. I am sure your parents and friends are very worried. Shizuka: My... uh? Who cares about-- Arthur: And also... I must warn you, Shizuka Joestar. We can fix this... but that will not be enough. This might look fun for you but... I urge you to realise the error of your ways. My child, the Lord forgives all who accept to be forgiven. This is a wrongful act, and you will be set on a very dangerous path if you continue. Shizuka: What are you saying now? Arthur:Continuing on this path, Shizuka Joestar, will lead you to a most undesirable course. You are in no place to be doing these foolish and reckless things. A fiery passion drives us all, but we all have a responsibility not to let our emotions take over us. Otherwise, we risk disorientation, we risk losing what we have.
Shizuka did not respond... she was listening.
Arthur: Shizuka Joestar... I pray for you. Bless you, my child. Make the right choice. We will all still love and forgive you.
The priest put on his bizarre metallic helmet once more, glanced at Shizuka one last time and closed his eyes, putting his hands in a praying stance. He was much more calm than before. Having completely overcome the shock, he opened his old testament where he had stopped reading and started whispering bible quotes, peacefully.
Shizuka was perplexed by what had just transpired but was satisfied nevertheless. Why? For the very simple reason that she had still achieved what she wanted; to go to Mexico without listening to the dumb stuff others were saying. The words of Arthur pierced through her momentarily... but she forgot all about it when she realised she was on a plane to the US. Once more shrugging, she felt like the world was hers.
Soon, a stewardess appeared, who Shizuka requested a meal from. The stewardess looked a bit suspicious of the girl before obliging and going to prepare some airplane food. Shizuka gave a smirk of confidence to the world before laying her head back and adjusting her glasses better, putting them on her face appropriately and putting her arms behind her head, seemingly to relax.
‘’Too easy.’’ Said the young woman.
In her mind, she had prevailed.
Originally meant to be throwaway characters, I found myself enjoying writing their dialogue so much that I sketched them! Rough sketches circa March 2017:
2 Hours Later, Pacific Ocean
The trip had progressed smoothly without any turbluence. Father Arthur was harmonious, although he continued to lecture his young fellow passenger a few times for inappropriate behaviour when on a plane, or to repeat some of the things he had told her earlier. Unfortunately for him, his scolding often fell on deaf ears, for Shizuka was too occupied texting her best friend despite getting no replies or even being left on the seenzone, or occasionally checking the bathroom to make sure the damage from the takeoff didn't cause any problems. After all, she didn't want to destroy anything.
The plane continued to fly over the seas, calmly. This irked the teen, who was actively seeking a lack of boredom. Shizuka used her phone throughout the trip to take pictures or record herself and the ocean below, it was truly a beautiful sight. Despite the beautiful scenery though, two major thoughts enveloped her mind.
#1 - ''I wish Bonnie was here to see this...''
#2 - ''I can't wait for Mexico!''
Soon enough, the airplane food started becoming disinteresting to the young woman, while playing on her phone, shuffling through her MP3's playlist, sorting music folders, casually playing on her treasured Gameboy Advance and texting became boring, the latter due to the timezone change. Shizuka really didn't want to ruin her friend's sleep. She hoped she was okay and everyone kept their cool about her sudden departure. Mostly, she was worried about whether or not Mikitaka would get a beating for being a fellow accomplice.
Undoubtedly, Shizuka's feelings of being a badass helped her overcome her other feelings of being a guilty trickster.
And the trip continued without much difference to this status, until weary old Shizuka realized she needed a well-deserved nap. She moved to the seats behind that no one was occupying, so she could fall asleep to the beautiful sight of the clouds and the ocean below, on her sides as if it was her beloved bed.
Serenity, peace, sleep...
It was quiet.
Eyes closed.
====================
Over ten thousand kilometers later... Shizuka had woken up from her nap and was reading the manga she had brought with her. Occasionally glancing over at her visibly concerned but calm companion to make sure everything was alright, she leisurely spent the rest of her next few minutes on air joyous in her mind. Despite the impossibility and glory of such a situation she had found herself in, the young woman still couldn't help but think to herself ''Meh. Mexico is good... but I've always wanted to go to Hong Kong.''
On second thought, after using the slight saliva on her finger to flip over a page in her manga, her mind continued to travel even further aimlessly, passively reading the speech bubbles while not absorbing any of the content.
Shizuka: (As long as it's fun though, I should enjoy this! I always wanted to eat a traditional taco. I heard this is where chihuahuas come from... I'd love to get one, but I wonder if dad would like a dog running around... tomatoes come from here too, right? I only like them on my pizza.)
There they were, flying over Mexico. Very, very soon they were going to land, the teenage rebel and the foresightful priest.
============
MEXICO! A wonderful state located on the Northern American continent! Its lands are soaked constantly from the coastal Gulf of California, Gulf of Mexico, and the tremendous Pacific Ocean. Comprised of 31 states, with 21 million people populating it, it boasts a rich history, as Mexico City is the oldest capital in the Western hemisphere of Earth! With notable sites such as Chapultepec castle, Biblioteca Vasconcelos, Cholulua, great canions, mountain chains, numerous volcanoes, deserts and diverse flora and fauna, even purely from a natural point of view, Mexico is a spectacular sight to behold! Hosting varieties of colourful people and culture of all walks of life, there is hardly anyone who would be deterred by what Mexico has to offer! Shizuka Joestar and Arthur Rown have now stepped forward into this marvellous place... precisely where Joseph Joestar once made his grand venture in this land.
''HOORAY, BABY! I am filled with unique excitement!'' shouted Shizuka, as soon as her stylish shoes met with the dusty earth of Juárez City.
Not far behind her, patiently followed Arthur, his eyes closed as he held his bible to his chest calmly. With soft movements, he finally allowed his eyes to bear witness to his surroundings. Soon, he placed his bible into his bag, while in front of him, shaking, a beautiful mess was unfolding.
Shizuka: I can't wait to explore! It feels like a whole new world! There is so much new stuff, the hell!? That guy is wearing a sombrero! Wh-what kind of junk do kiosks sell here?! What does the water taste like here?! I bet it's so different from Japan! Arthur: Heh, well, my dear Shizuka, the water isn't really-- Shizuka: SHUSH! Arthur: ... Shizuka: My immersion. Arthur: ...
Shizuka was using her finger to gesture a need for silence, turning to her suddenly uneased follower. Turning back forward with a cartoony motion, her excitement was unable to be contained. Truly, the glances she earned from the other people at the airport were those of curiosity, confusion, or just plain discomfort, as the young woman kept mumbling to herself and sweating anxiously.
Shizuka: I-I'm finally h-h-here! God damn, Bonnie needs to know about this... I need to take my phone from my luggage-- oh, right, I also gotta make sure Achtung Baby doesn't carry it all too obviously... HOLY SHIT, MEXICO!!! I just said holy shit, didn't I... would they even understa-- w-wait! Yes! They speak English here, right?! HOOOOOOOOOOOOH-- I've always wanted to practise my English speech outside of Bonnie, mom and Arthur!
All the while, Shizuka had not realised she was standing still, making it difficult for other flight passengers to get off. Arthur apologetically nodded to all passengers behind the oblivious hyperactive problem child, bidding them farewell with a ''God bless you!''
It only took a whole 4 minutes more before Shizuka stopped talking to herself under her breath and turned to face her companion, starry-eyed. Arthur, who was reading his bible, suddenly stopped as soon as he caught a glance of his friend. ''Yes, my child?''
She put her hand forward.
''Arigatou gozaimasu, Arthur-san!'' she told the priest with a genuine cheery smile.
Arthur: For what, my child? Shizuka: For this adventure! You are a great friend! Please shake my hand!
Arthur laughed, his weird helmet moving along. Truly, he disliked the current situation and kept his priority of calling home for help at the back of his mind, for the sake of the girl. At that time though...
Arthur: Gladly, Shizuka. I am very happy seeing you smile.
He couldn't help but humour his friend.
===================
A firm handshake later, Shizuka seemed much calmer than before. That did not mean she was in the clear just yet, however. The village next to the airport was hers and Arthur's destination for the day, a place to spend the following day until the next morning. It had been about 14 hours by plane from Japan to Mexico, and it was about 12 in the afternoon. The young woman was incredibly delighted to arrive before night time, as she would be able to freely roam the village before it was time to come to the hotel to get some shut-eye.
And so it was. It didn't take long for the two travelers to enter the village. The beautiful gates of the town, the friendly village folk, the cultural marvels around every corner, the delicious food Shizuka and Arthur had the pleasure of eating together, and ultimately the night that followed. A busy day, full of the hustle and bustle that Shizuka so longed for. The whole time, in the back of her mind, she was overjoyed that the boring part hadn't yet arrived. That is, the scheduled exploration of the Mexican church ruins. Even so... the teenager could not wait until tomorrow.
It was 10 pm and Shizuka had already hit the bed in her hotel room. She and Arthur had reserved their own rooms, and while Arthur was somewhere else, she couldn't resist the comfort of a soft bed and being on her phone using wifi she didn't own. The scene was set - Shizuka Joestar in the middle of the bed, laying her head on clumsily folded pillows, luggage irresponsibly spread around the room, a half-empty bag of potato chips irresponsibly decorating the bed, while the only light was not of the ceiling or the shelf's next to her, but her unreasonably brightly set phone screen. She was in the middle of texting her best friend.
Shizuka: lmao really tho?? Bonnie: Yeah but i don't find it funny because from what i know Josuke-sensei is worried. I only feel even remotely ok because u promised we can talk. I was too worried to ask around i felt like my heart would break. Bet ur not calling anyone either. Shizuka: chill Bons, i will be back in no time. Meanwhile don't get into trouble :* Bonnie: You should take your own advice Shizu-chan. Shizuka: I am lol no worries Enjoy school rn. Pls tell Mikitaka Im very sorry i texted him too but pls do me this favor ok? Bonnie: Yeah... do you want me to talk to anyone else?? I haven't yet. Shizuka: Yes pls talk to mom and dad say sorry for me. Now i gotta get some sleep is that ok?
The daughter of the Tyler family took a couple of minutes to text back.
Bonnie: Will we talk when you wake up? Shizuka: U know it! Depends how early 4 me cus i forgot to ask Arthur-san when we leave so u don't have to stay up waiting for my text lol Bonnie: Ok... good night Shizu-chan. I miss you... Shizuka: I miss u too Bon-Bon. See ya tomorrow, will be missing you more than you miss me i bet Bonnie: yeah right you can't beat me on this one;;
Both friends quietly giggled behind their phone screens.
Shizuka: Have a beautiful day baby [heart emoji] Bonnie: Good night hug?
Shizuka texted a saved gif of a cartoon bear opening its arms for a hug, with blue hearts around it and the text ''A biiiiiiig hug... from Me to U!''
Bonnie texted it back.
Shizuka: I love you :3 Bonnie: I love you :')
Only moments later, Shizuka removed her alarms and shut down her phone. With half-asleep motions, she swiped her bag of chips to the side of the bed along with the tiny crisps using her entire free arm, followed by placing her phone on the shelf. With careful motions this time, she removed her shades she had been using as a headband and placed them on the shelf too, precisely. Summoning Achtung Baby briefly to throw her clothing off the bed and into the floor that she couldn't reach, she adjusted her tanktop and underwear shorts, finally ready to sleep. Taking one of the pillows to hug on her left side at night and using the remaining one as a cushion, she closed her eyes, smiling.
What a beautiful day it was for her...
A far cry from a bizarre adventure.
But an adventure indeed.
=====================
Arthur was not in the hotel. He, too, was seeking to lay down and rest... however he knew he had to do a good deed before he could even consider sleeping soundly that night.
Outside the hotel, the priest found himself respectfully asking passerbies for their cellphones in hope of a good signal. He said the same thing to everyone.
''Please, I have an important call to make.''
And so, the following day... would be the starting point.
SPECIAL SEGMENT: Where Are They Now? - Volume 2
In this special segment, we'll be looking at the residents of Morioh, the characters of Part 4, and what their lives have been since 1999 all the way up to now! For the second segment, some side characters!
Joseph Joestar: Joseph ended up moving to Morioh with his family. Holly was happy to move there to be with the rest of her family, but Suzie Q was harder to convince, knowing her husband's shenanigans. Joseph truly regrets his mistakes and thinks he could make amends by being there for all his family, except his busy grandson, Jotaro. He regularly meets with Josuke and (more secretly) with Tomoko Higashikata. His foster daughter, Shizuka Joestar... well, she's a whole other topic. But, at the moment, Joseph truly feels happy and fulfilled with his life in Morioh.
Tomoko Higashikata: Josuke's mom is very happy with Joseph's decision to move to Morioh, and makes sure to visit him with every chance she gets. She's very proud of her son and lives her life peacefully, without any concerns, often coming over the police station, having cooked all sorts of snacks for Josuke and his co-workers. Tomoko is known around Morioh as a sweet-hearted but hard-working woman.
Angelo: Still a rock.
Tamami Kobayashi: Tamami left his hometown, Morioh, soon after 1999. Travelling the world, he gained an unexpected following as a con artist who is often hired to peform in stand-up comedy shows hosted by comedians more popular than him, and is in the process of writing a book about the art of bargaining. He finds little to no use for his Stand, nowadays.
Toshikazu Hazamada: Hazamada never left Morioh. He ended up barely passing university, but because of his social akwardness and other guilty features of his, he could only find a job by opening an independent radio station. It's pretty successful, enough to grant him good income and he's content with his passion project. Some famous Japanese celebrities and artists often guest star on his programmes. He still reads Rohan's works.
Akira Otoishi: Akira pursued a career as a rock star. He struck it big in the mid 2000s, and he's now a popular idol, his stage name being ''Crimson Warm Jalapeno'' (copyright is a bitch). He's now extremely successful, and he annually holds big concerts at Morioh to pay homage and respect his place of growth, where he can play the guitar, sing his heart out, and perform like an actor all at the same time for hours upon hours. From commercials to movies to TV shows, he's lent his image to many projects as well. He loves his life and wants to do nothing more but to keep rocking on. He's currently working on his fourth studio album.
The following morning had dawned upon Mexico. The cozy hotel Shizuka Joestar and her companion, Arthur Rown, were staying in was now completely empty of their presence. The ruins of Mexico were at the village, which itself had hotels to stay in. There was no need for them to stay any longer... On the move, we meet the two friends making their way around the town.
Shizuka: How much longer until we reach the boring church already~~~~? My feet are tired from walking so much. Arthur: Ah, my child, there is no task too tiresome when what is truly Holy calls for our presence. Shizuka: Yeah well I've had my phone on since this morning and your church didn't give me any calls so...
''Clever'' said Arthur, nodding respectfully, as they walked along throughout a bazaar. ''However, we can take a break somewhere around here if that is what you wish for.''
Shizuka: Really? Sweet! I would like to take a bit of a break in one of those benches so I can text Bonnie. Is that okay? Arthur: No one seems to be sitting there... it's isolated from the bazaar... I don't think anyone would mind! Shizuka: Awesome, thank you Arthur!
It was quiet, despite the noisiness of the bazaar. Merchants trying to sell their products by loudly advertising themselves, customers complaining just as loudly about bargains, an accumulated sound cluster from the surrounding environment, weekdays were naturally busy in this part of the village - Shizuka could tell immediately. The contrast to her routine made her exceptional at piecing that together.
Despite this... the ensemble of noise and liveliness felt like a calming peace. The wind softly passed along, settling in the scene.
Texting away at her phone, she caught curious glances from the crowd. There she was, at an empty bench near the end of the passageway, laughing out loud at a dead end. Bonnie was up and ready to chat away with her. A random giggle here and there, sometimes to the point of tears, it was a sight for the townsfolk.
In the meantime, Arthur was on his own. There was really no better way to spend time than to lean against the wall at the end of the passageway, near Shizuka, bible in hand. As if the whole world around him had vanished, a deafening silence surrounded the priest's mind while he slowly closed his eyes and smiled to himself. Whispers came out.
Arthur: The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John, 1:5... thank you, O Lord.
The young girl could only hear unintelligible mumbling from her holy companion while her focus was on her best friend. She could only muster a ''pfft'' in response before quietly laughing once more, wiping the sweat off her brow and reaching for her backpack to grab a bottle of water.
Time went on.
Only for a little bit.
He felt inconvenient, at his back.
Arthur: Hm?
Until the wall gave in and the hidden blackness swallowed him whole. There was no time. The opening closed once more.
Arthur Rown disappeared.
Shizuka: Hey, do you want to go now? Bonnie is going to bed and my legs feel better. Just need to check something online and I'm... ready to... go...?
The young woman wondered to herself seeing Arthur's spot empty. ''Maybe he went to buy something'' she thought. 2 minutes passed, 2 became 5, 5 became 8. After anxiously browsing the web for a little, the young woman couldn't face the anxiety anymore. Taking a sip from her water bottle, she put the lid back on, neatly placed it back in her baggage along with her phone, took off her baggy jacket and set out towards the bazaar.
Maybe the merchants knew.
''Hello, can you help me?''
''Mister, mister! Yes, can you help me?''
''Sorry... no habla Espanol...''
''Does someone know English? Hello?''
''Yes, thank you, can you help me?''
''Do you speak English?''
The tourist finally found someone. A standkeeper in the bazaar, selling kid's toys. ''I know little English!'' he said to the wandering girl that was already starting to irritate everyone. Tsks and mmphs, irritating back the young girl... who was too occupied to focus on the annoyance.
''Hello! Umm... priest! Tall priest, black robe, black dress!''
''Yes, yes?''
''Helmet'' she explained, pointing her hands to her head and making a weird shape on it like a mime. ''Name is Arthur, Arthur Rown...''
''What help do you want?''
''Arthur, uh... amigo! Es amigo! Did you see?''
The merchant thought to himself for a second, swirling his moustache, staring into the great beyond, when all of a sudden, with a snap of his fingers, he looked back at the girl with a smile of realization.
Merchant: Yes, yes! Shizuka: Yes?! Did amigo come here? Merchant: No, no, he there all the time.
The merchant pointed at the spot the priest once was. She grew sweaty and her eyes started acting jittery.
Shizuka: ... Shizuka: Yes, but not ''there all the time'' now. Where? Merchant: Hmm... he not come here, I sure. Shizuka: Sure? Merchant: Sure. If he come here, I see. Always see. Shizuka: Then where? Merchant: I don't know. Shizuka: But there is nowhere else he could go! I mean... uh... it's, it's dead end! Help please! Merchant: I am sorry, girl...
''You fucking better be'' she murmured, facing away from the merchant and heading back to Arthur's spot. ''Good luck!'' the man shouted to the nervous girl. She ignored him.
Shizuka came to the bench and touched her baggage. After 5 seconds of contact, it started to phase out of existence, like a painter's canvas being poured wet paint from the top, but in reverse. She knew she would have to go, she felt it... and didn't want anyone taking her stuff in the meantime.
''This should be fine for a little bit'' she considered. Soon, she walked over to the wall. His bible was still there.
Shizuka: (He doesn't go anywhere without this... Arthur... where are you?)
The minutes passed, minutes that consisted of a stressed Shizuka checking all around her, hopeful that Arthur really just went to buy something, reluctantly shoving the worse scenarios to the back of her mind. Until... she thought about hitting the wall. Light knocks turned to forceful punches. That was it.
Shizuka: (This... this wall is...)
Her eyes widened.
Shizuka:(This wall is hollow!)
To make sure, Shizuka kept punching around the other walls around her, as well as the ground. She was sure there was no other side behind. It was huge and thick. This had to be it.
Shizuka: (This is worrisome... bothersome... but also...)
Determination sparked in her eyes.
Shizuka: (Exciting.)
"[ ACHTUNG BABY ]"
Shizuka: (I need to punch my way through this wall... I am sure to catch some attention... yare yare... they can't condemn what they don't see, though.)
Shizuka disappeared from the bottom up in a flash. She cracked her knuckles and gathered momentum. "ARA! ARA! ARARARARARA!"
It only took a few punches, but the wall gave in to an opening. Looking back, everyone could have been staring at this peculiar event. ''Fuck them'' Shizuka thought to herself and looked forward... into darkness.
A secret passage.
Shizuka: (This is like one of those movies! Maybe I just had to press the right brick on the wall? Who cares. You have to be somewhere down here, Arthur.)
Shizuka Joestar walked forward. A tunnel of marble floor tiles. She was not afraid.
Shizuka: Bring it on... this is an adventure and I'm... a Joestar!
====================================
The outside world was irrelevant. Shizuka was only focused on exploring this weird tunnel, the floor of which soon turned into stairs. Railings on the side, she noticed them quite thick and steady, perfect for holding onto in case she would slip for any reason. In her mind, she was infallible, her smirk indicated that, but... just in case, the railings.
Normal floor again, until more stairs, more railings for them. What was this? Floors? She thought to herself to look more thoroughly - immediately followed by her beholding the orange dim lights in each of the side of the floors... a door was under each light. Huge metal doors, with a glass see-through window in the top middle... like cabin doors.
A shiver went down her spine once she thought to herself "someone lives here".
After knocking for a couple of minutes, 5 times without fail, and attempting to push to no avail, she realized the doors were locked. She definitely could bust them open with Achtung Baby... but after finishing that thought... she decided against doing so. She felt like these doors should not be opened. The shivers didn't stop. The stairs kept coming, the floors kept coming. The doors kept coming too. Multiple cabins... no, not a single person lives here... people live here. Her willingness to bust a door open lessened further.
The more Shizuka kept stepping down into the abyss, the more the passage of time felt like hours to her. It couldn't have been hours, but she really felt as if time had slowed down to a crawling halt. It was not long before her form had changed to a slightly unhinged one, a posture of self-defence and protection. And the more the young woman stepped down, the more she was able to notice the details around her. There was no need to take moments to pause and observe. As every floor seemed to be the same, she had new opportunities on each iteration.
Oval-shaped tops, metal grating surrounding the perimeter of the doors, a rusty colour acommodating it, glass you couldn't see through, silver surface, bronze screws, holes to insert keys into... numbers on each cabin entrance. Some brand new and polished. Some withered from time. 776. 599. 701. 684. By this point, the thought of the invisible baggage was completely gone from her mind.
Complete silence ruled the atmosphere of this peculiar bunker with a rusty iron fist. It felt like a scenario straight out of the horror games she loved to play so much. The girl couldn't help but widen her eyes to the sound of a sudden ghostly moan.
However... that did not stop her from continuing as normal down the pathway. The darkness eventually led to an open entryway. A huge wall with a door just like the ones she had seen so far... but one wide open. A large label over it. ''EINGANG", it said.
Shizuka: (What language is this... what kind of place is this... I...)
Pause.
Shizuka: (Whatever...)
With pseudo-confidence, she walked into the room, using her right hand passing by to open the door further.
It was a huge empty room. Nothing inside. It was much bigger than the slightly narrow path the young woman had followed until then. The material for the flooring and the walls or the ceiling hadn't changed. The lights neither. Orange lights decorated the circular room, however... there was also a large chandelier emitting a yellow, brighter light in the middle of the room. A very standard wooden one... Shizuka had seen similiar ones back in Morioh. Taking note of all this, Shizuka curiously looked around for a few minutes until she recognized something familiar.
Arthur: uuugh... hel.. pmee... Shizuka: !!
The young woman let out a distinctly loud gasp and her eyes widened, as if nature itself shook her to her core, she seemingly bounced upwards slightly before making a run for the man.
Shizuka: ARTHUR!!! WHAT HAPPENED?! Arthur: Shi....zuka... uuuughg... *COUGH* Shizuka: Are you okay!? You... you are... bleeding...? Where is...
The young woman's mind cleared a bit when she realized where she was and what the situation seemed like. Arthur was laying against a huge metal entryway like the other doors... a locked entryway, like the others, indicative of Shizuka pushing it with her right hand, her left placed behind the head of Arthur, hoping to comfort him calmly.
SLAM.
The door behind shut.
Loud metallic steel noises were heard over and over, making Shizuka's heart sink. She didn't break her stance at all, frozen in place. Arthur couldn't even realize what had just happened, clinging on to Shizuka with both of his hands tightly, trying his hardest to stay conscious.
Shizuka: Father Arthur... pl-please... can you stay here for a second? We might be trapped. I will have to bust us out of here. I-If you let me use my power, I will break us out! Can you hold on? Arthur!?
Arthur: I... -cough- Shizuka: Where is your wound? Don't worry, I've seen this in movies, I will use my clothes to create a makeshift bandage and press onto your wound with the cloth...
As the young girl was searching the priest's body, turning him around carefully while talking to look for the wound, she found the cause of the problem.
A large slit hole in the back of Arthur's throat. ''What the...'' mumbled the shaken Shizuka.
Arthur: My child... I feel... I... Shizuka: DON'T TALK! It's on your throat, it might make it worse! Arthur: D-don't leave me... Shizuka: ...
Her eyes twitching, the young woman used her free hand to cover her mouth, thinking of all the scenarios. It only took her briefly for her eyes' positions to find stability, as an idea came to mind.
Shizuka: I hope you're not a snacker, man... Arthur: What did you say...? Shizuka: Here, I will carry you over my shoulder, let's get out of here... Arthur: My child... I... I feel...
''Whoever locked us here is going to fucking pay...'' she muttered belligerently... uncomfortably preparing to carry the older man onto her shoulder though, something caught her attention. A small flame in front of the priest's face.
A stationary, small, but flowing flame.
Shizuka wondered to herself just for a moment before blowing at it to make it go. It didn't work. Again. To no avail. One more time.
Eventually, she softly decided to place the priest down quietly.
Arthur: Wh-what is... Shizuka: Shush... don't worry. It's going to be okay. (What the actual shit...)
The teenager used her hand this time to make the wind blow it away. Nothing. It only took her one more attempt to realize she wasn't making it go away. On the contrary...
She was making it grow.
Shizuka: This...
She closed her eyes, confidently opening them with ferocity in her glare. An aura surrounded her, before instantly, an otherworldly form materialized right behind the girl's back, towering over her.
Shizuka:Achtung Baby. Arthur: Wh... Shizuka: Heh... I see. Father Arthur... look at me. Is there something behind me?
The man struggled to open his eyes clearer. Immediate regret enveloped Arthur Rown as his eyes widened more than even Shizuka from before, and goosebumps he had never felt before dictated his next reaction.
Arthur: Ah... A-AHH!! AAAAAAAH!!! Shizuka: SHUT IT! Thank you... that is all I needed to know.
The girl left the priest to the ground, and calmly unbent her knees back into an upward, standing position. Cracking her fingers and knuckles one action at a time, she rubbed her hands together soon and clapped once. Her final action before opening her mouth once more was to slide her jacket and shirt under it aside, so the tattoo she was proud of could be in full view. It was a declaration.
Shizuka: My very first one, huh? Arthur: My child...!! Shizuka: Stay down there, bud. Let the ''grown-ups'' do grown-up things.
The girl smirked and glared at the fire that was rising to meet with her, at a closer distance. One foot sliding backward, one stepping forward, both of her hands pulled backwards at her stomach side in the form of fists, Shizuka Joestar assumed a position, dramatically illuminated by the manufactured orange lighting. Achtung Baby followed suit step by step.
Shizuka: This... is a Stand battle!
FACE & HELMET CLOSE-UP:
Arthur: A... Stand battle?
Shizuka didn't break her pose.
Shizuka: Indeed... your Stand seems to be able to generate flames... or maybe it IS this flame... Arthur: Wh-what is... *cough* Shizuka: UUUUURRRRRGH...
Shizuka broke her pose. She sat upright and placed her fingers on her sunglasses to adjust them.
Shizuka: A Stand is the manifestation of your spirit turned into, like, a superpower! You know superpowers. That is what I have, that you may know. I call it "Achtung Baby". I can turn myself and other things invisible, generally speaking. As for how one can get their powers... you gain your Stand naturally sometimes... or from that Arrow that Uncle Josuke and the others talked to me about.
Arthur lay there on the ground, somehow not mad, as he himself realized. He found himself clinging onto every nonsensical word the girl spouted.
Shizuka: You have never seen it before obviously, because only Stand Users can see other Stands or harm them, but there are exceptions. Same with the fact that effects a user or a Stand may have affecting them will also be inflicted upon the other! They come in all shapes and sizes. Yours is this flame thingy... I think.
Arthur: Fire?
''Fire!'' replied Shizuka, snapping her fingers confidently at Arthur's direction.
Shizuka: Now there are some times where you have to fight another Stand or Stand user in order to win, to achieve a specific goal. This is one of those cases. The quickest way to defeat a Stand for good is to kill the Stand user or at least render them unconscious.
The priest's heart sank.
Arthur: ...No..... please... Shizuka:AH! NO! NONONO! I just...
The young woman adjusted her glasses once more and lowered her torso a bit, putting her hands together as a sweat drop emerged from her brow. Achtung Baby slowly evaporated from this world silently.
Shizuka: See, it depends each time! So, we'll find out what your Stand does and I will figure out how to get us out of here from there! I'll kick ass and get us outta here! Alright that's enough blah blah, this is my first Stand fight! Something new! Really, something new!!! You cool? Arthur: I can't... talk much... b-but please... do not do this... Shizuka: sigh... why NOOOOOT? I doubt it's going to be easy, it's never easy with Stands. You think stopping this flame might be as simple as adjusting the water output in the shower by using the showerhead on your groin to test the hotness of the temperature... but it's not that simple! Arthur: What? No, my child... Shizuka-chan... remember? You should not... I... I don't feel well...
Tucking away her shirt properly to display her tattoo once more, Shizuka Joestar went back to her initial pose and warned Arthur, paying no heed to his words. Achtung Baby instantly formed once more, smiling in turn.
''AAAAAAAAAARA!''
A single punch came with the force of nature itself, propelling a gust of wind towards Arthur's location, making him feel the breeze intensely. Afraid and confused, the priest placed his trust in Shizuka and closed his eyes, a single tear drop escaping. What had he gotten himself into...
Halt.
The priest opened his eyes to see the hollow-centered hand of Achtung Baby just a couple of inches away from the Stand. The flame was not hurt, instead, it had grown larger by a little bit.
Shizuka: Just the force -not the impact- of my fist is affecting it.... what about this?
Achtung Baby's pointing finger flicked away at the flame once, sending it flying slightly, before it came back, even bigger, this time it was as long as the finger itself, and it surely burnt from too close.
Shizuka: Did you feel anything at all? Arthur: I... N-no-- Shizuka: Then how about this!
Shizuka pulled back her torso comically, coming back with a large grin, as Achtung Baby followed suit, sending a punch onto the flame.
Arthur: AH! N-NO! I...
Halt.
Arthur: ...?
Arthur was fully able to open his eyes normally at this point... move his arms too. With his mouth slightly open and clear confusion on his face, he started touching various parts of his body to make sure he was conscious and safe. He was no longer feeling pain, only slightly at his neck area, which he responded to by carefully caressing it.
Arthur: My child! I... I'm feeling better! Shizuka: Despite me punching the flame... Fire is indeed not connected to your health, at least not directly! This means...
Arthur's glad smile turned into a perplexed slight grimace into a glare of shock as he braced himself. Despite not wanting to believe, he came to the realization that there was not much that could be done... as if something awakened in his soul, something hopeful, Arthur Rown calmly closed his eyes.
''ARARARARARARARA!''
Achtung Baby's furious fists punched the Fire over and over, confident that Arthur would be fine, paying no attention to the sheer force of the air it created. Fire was seemingly evaporated, scattered around the room, but all of its scattered flaming parts, sparks and glimmers merged back together after a matter of seconds. This time... it was growing even further, until the peak of its size reached half of Arthur's height, who was laying on the ground.
The priest slowly and carefully sat up, hardly able to carry himself, making for a tragic display. After a little while, Shizuka patiently waiting for her friend to stand up, Arthur took a moment to clear off the dirt and pebbles off his tunic and turned to Fire, seeing it glow more than anything else in the room. He turned his sights to Shizuka.
Arthur: This flame... this... Fire... Shizuka: Yeah? Arthur: It's mine. This is my power, right? I did this? Shizuka: All yours. Arthur: Then it's my responsibility to take care of it. Shizuka Joestar... the good Lord respects those who can save themselves! I AM THE MASTER OF THIS FLAME! And I hereby FORBID you from interfering!
A large gust of wind seemed to surround Arthur, as his strange helmet caught on fire. He raised both of his hands as if to reach out to the audience at a church speech. Shizuka's eyes widened behind her sunglasses which seemed to come to very good use right then.
Shizuka: What are you talking about, man? I know what's up, unlike you. We're going to clear this up and get out of here! Arthur: Stand battle?! No conflicts shall be allowed as long as I am here! Put your power away and allow me to harness the essence of this gift. My passion is unmistaken!
The young woman did not falter however. Her smile instead came back from her confused look, her clenched teeth indicating she was into this situation.
Shizuka: As long as you don't know what to do, I'm going to find a way to stop this Stand! So that your new and uncontrollable power will not be a problem!
Shizuka lied.
Shizuka was lying for a while.
There was a better reason for her.
Arthur: LISTEN TO ME, SHIZUKA JOESTAR!
Arthur's voice echoed throughout the bunker and demonstrated the value of the quiet place. Only the sound of burning could be heard... The silence gave both of them the time they needed to realize... the flame was slowly becoming smaller and smaller!
Shizuka: (I see.) Arthur: (I see.)
Both of them had taken notice of this change.
Arthur: I have figured it out... truly, no conflict shall tarnish this... you shall put away your Stand now while I control my Stand! *inhale* Shizuka: What are you doing!? Arthur:FIRE!!!
The large flame stopped dead in its tracks, as if time itself had stopped. Not a single movement, it kept becoming smaller and smaller, more noticeably. Then it began to move, in accordance to the direction of Arthur's eye movement.
The new Stand User was born.
STAND NAME: ACHTUNG BABY
STAND MASTER: SHIZUKA JOESTAR
Destructive Power: A
Speed: B
Range: D (Stand) & B (Invisibility Range)
Durability: A
Precision: D
Development Potential: A
Since Shizuka was a child, her Stand has evolved. Through practice and influence in her upbringing, it has gained a material presence, influenced by other Stands in her family to be extremely strong. After continuous practice she has also learned how to control what she turns invisible, and has also increased the range to a diameter of 7.5 meters and can retain this invisible state for as long as she wills it, unless she loses complete focus. Achtung Baby can only go about 4 meters at maximum away from its user. Achtung Baby's force is tremendous, but its lack of speed disables it from being a brawler. Shizuka believes there is more to Achtung Baby left to explore, so she makes it a rule to use it whenever possible.
SPECIAL SEGMENT: Where Are They Now? - Volume 3
In this special segment, we'll be looking at the residents of Morioh, the characters of Part 4, and what their lives have been since 1999 all the way up to now! For this penultimate segment, let's check out a few of our gold old allies and friends!
Yukako Yamagishi: Yukako never left Koichi's side. She went to the same university as him and also studied to become a teacher, but over time, with the help of Koichi, she worked to become an independent person. Yukako eventually gained a grandiose individuality and became a fashion designer, very successful in the industry, a fact proven by her frequent features in numerous magazines across Japan and her brand slowly garnering overseas clout. She married Koichi at 26 years old and is now living her life hapilly with him.
Tonio Trussardi: Tonio kept doing what made him happy and is still working at his restaurant. Since 1999, his customers have spread the word about him, and he's more successful than ever, expanding his small tavern to a grand establishment. Tonio's spaghetti is famous as one of the best in the world, and he's proud of his life and career. Tonio leaves Morioh from time to time, temporarily closing his restaurant, to visit other countries around the world with his wife and experience new cultures, also to expand his culinary techniques. Tonio and his wife are now living happily, and he also has a savage Italian moustache.
Mikitaka Hazekura: Mikitaka doesn't seem to be very clear-cut about what happened to him after 1999. He graduated along with Josuke, Okuyasu and the others, with an unkown score, but nobody sees him or talks to him regularly enough to know what his job is, how his life is going or anything else, though no one will go without saying hello whenever seeing him, which he is more than happy to return. One thing the residents of Morioh find weird for sure is how he still hasn't dropped the alien ''act'' and why he's practically identical to how he was 13 years ago. Besides all that, he still enjoys hanging out with his old friends a lot, and is always a topic of interest for a certain troublemaker.
Yuya Fungami: Fungami ended up becoming a fashion model and a movie star, whose motorcycling days are over. Even though he's left his wild lifestyle behind, his fangirls have only increased over time, and he always takes great pleasure in meeting and chatting with them, one aspect of his old self he will never reject. He's currently touring throughout Japan, but his favourite place in the world remains the peaceful, quiet Morioh.
Holly Kujo: She moved to Morioh along with Joseph after 1999, wanting to be close to her family. She found it awkward to adjust to finding a new ''brother'' in Josuke, but she eventually got along with every new family member. She got a job at a local super market and is now the new manager. She is content and happy as can be, except the fact that she wishes her son wouldn't be as busy and come meet more frequently in her house there.
Toyohiro Kanedaichi: Toyohiro still lives in the tower, which is now a tourist attraction. People ask him to take pictures with them, and he really enjoys the exposure and occasional communication, as well as supplies tourists provide him with from time to time. Utilising his Stand, now his favorite hobby is watching TV and exercising.
Tune in back next time on Dragon Ball-- I meaaaaaaaaan
Fun fact: had to google it so I can write EINTRAG properly. For now, let's check out how Shizuka will be able to handle Fire! Bonus points to anyone who gets the musical references, of course.
Tune in back next time on Dragon Ball-- I meaaaaaaaaan
Fun fact: had to google it so I can write EINTRAG properly. For now, let's check out how Shizuka will be able to handle Fire! Bonus points to anyone who gets the musical references, of course.
What is it supposed to mean? Written above a door i would think it would mean "Entryway", but that would be "Eingang". Its what i read at first. But "Eintrag", that makes this so much more intriguing.
The whole building is actually an enemy stand. It is the physical manifestation of the pages of a book. Each room/ floor is its own page. Once you enter a room and the door closes, you are trapped in the book and become an "Entry/Eintrag", similar to the book prisons in Whole Cake Island. Maybe the chandelier and all the stuff in the room is the decoration on the page. And you can attack your prisoners by drawing stuff that hurts them.
Its reverse "Heavens Door". Rohan turns you open to reveal the book inside you, while this book flips open to reveal that you are inside. It's "Highway to Hell". Or not. I just googled it and that's a stand in part 6.
Its "The Road to Hell".
What is it supposed to mean? Written above a door i would think it would mean "Entryway", but that would be "Eingang". Its what i read at first. But "Eintrag", that makes this so much more intriguing.
The whole building is actually an enemy stand. It is the physical manifestation of the pages of a book. Each room/ floor is its own page. Once you enter a room and the door closes, you are trapped in the book and become an "Entry/Eintrag", similar to the book prisons in Whole Cake Island. Maybe the chandelier and all the stuff in the room is the decoration on the page. And you can attack your prisoners by drawing stuff that hurts them.
Its reverse "Heavens Door". Rohan turns you open to reveal the book inside you, while this book flips open to reveal that you are inside. It's "Highway to Hell". Or not. I just googled it and that's a stand in part 6.
Its "The Road to Hell".
You are right, it should be Eingang and I'll fix that. As for the references, you can already find them! Hint: Arthur is the one possessing the reference~~ for real though it's ridiculous how much I'm smiling like an idiot right now thanks to your comment LMAO
You are right, it should be Eingang and I'll fix that. As for the references, you can already find them! Hint: Arthur is the one possessing the reference~~ for real though it's ridiculous how much I'm smiling like an idiot right now thanks to your comment LMAO
You've been living like a little girl
In the middle of your little world
And your mind
Your tiny mind
You know you've really been so blind
Now's your time burn your mind
You're falling far too far behind
The following morning had dawned upon Mexico. The cozy hotel Shizuka Joestar and her companion, Arthur Rown, were staying in was now completely empty of their presence. The ruins of Mexico were at the village, which itself had hotels to stay in. There was no need for them to stay any longer... On the move, we meet the two friends making their way around the town.
Shizuka: How much longer until we reach the boring church already~~~~? My feet are tired from walking so much. Arthur: Ah, my child, there is no task too tiresome when what is truly Holy calls for our presence. Shizuka: Yeah well I've had my phone on since this morning and your church didn't give me any calls so...
''Clever'' said Arthur, nodding respectfully, as they walked along throughout a bazaar. ''However, we can take a break somewhere around here if that is what you wish for.''
Shizuka: Really? Sweet! I would like to take a bit of a break in one of those benches so I can text Bonnie. Is that okay? Arthur: No one seems to be sitting there... it's isolated from the bazaar... I don't think anyone would mind! Shizuka: Awesome, thank you Arthur!
It was quiet, despite the noisiness of the bazaar. Merchants trying to sell their products by loudly advertising themselves, customers complaining just as loudly about bargains, an accumulated sound cluster from the surrounding environment, weekdays were naturally busy in this part of the village - Shizuka could tell immediately. The contrast to her routine made her exceptional at piecing that together.
Despite this... the ensemble of noise and liveliness felt like a calming peace. The wind softly passed along, settling in the scene.
Texting away at her phone, she caught curious glances from the crowd. There she was, at an empty bench near the end of the passageway, laughing out loud at a dead end. Bonnie was up and ready to chat away with her. A random giggle here and there, sometimes to the point of tears, it was a sight for the townsfolk.
In the meantime, Arthur was on his own. There was really no better way to spend time than to lean against the wall at the end of the passageway, near Shizuka, bible in hand. As if the whole world around him had vanished, a deafening silence surrounded the priest's mind while he slowly closed his eyes and smiled to himself. Whispers came out.
Arthur: The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John, 1:5... thank you, O Lord.
The young girl could only hear unintelligible mumbling from her holy companion while her focus was on her best friend. She could only muster a ''pfft'' in response before quietly laughing once more, wiping the sweat off her brow and reaching for her backpack to grab a bottle of water.
Time went on.
Only for a little bit.
He felt inconvenient, at his back.
Arthur: Hm?
Until the wall gave in and the hidden blackness swallowed him whole. There was no time. The opening closed once more.
Arthur Rown disappeared.
Shizuka: Hey, do you want to go now? Bonnie is going to bed and my legs feel better. Just need to check something online and I'm... ready to... go...?
The young woman wondered to herself seeing Arthur's spot empty. ''Maybe he went to buy something'' she thought. 2 minutes passed, 2 became 5, 5 became 8. After anxiously browsing the web for a little, the young woman couldn't face the anxiety anymore. Taking a sip from her water bottle, she put the lid back on, neatly placed it back in her baggage along with her phone, took off her baggy jacket and set out towards the bazaar.
Maybe the merchants knew.
''Hello, can you help me?''
''Mister, mister! Yes, can you help me?''
''Sorry... no habla Espanol...''
''Does someone know English? Hello?''
''Yes, thank you, can you help me?''
''Do you speak English?''
The tourist finally found someone. A standkeeper in the bazaar, selling kid's toys. ''I know little English!'' he said to the wandering girl that was already starting to irritate everyone. Tsks and mmphs, irritating back the young girl... who was too occupied to focus on the annoyance.
''Hello! Umm... priest! Tall priest, black robe, black dress!''
''Yes, yes?''
''Helmet'' she explained, pointing her hands to her head and making a weird shape on it like a mime. ''Name is Arthur, Arthur Rown...''
''What help do you want?''
''Arthur, uh... amigo! Es amigo! Did you see?''
The merchant thought to himself for a second, swirling his moustache, staring into the great beyond, when all of a sudden, with a snap of his fingers, he looked back at the girl with a smile of realization.
Merchant: Yes, yes! Shizuka: Yes?! Did amigo come here? Merchant: No, no, he there all the time.
The merchant pointed at the spot the priest once was. She grew sweaty and her eyes started acting jittery.
Shizuka: ... Shizuka: Yes, but not ''there all the time'' now. Where? Merchant: Hmm... he not come here, I sure. Shizuka: Sure? Merchant: Sure. If he come here, I see. Always see. Shizuka: Then where? Merchant: I don't know. Shizuka: But there is nowhere else he could go! I mean... uh... it's, it's dead end! Help please! Merchant: I am sorry, girl...
''You fucking better be'' she murmured, facing away from the merchant and heading back to Arthur's spot. ''Good luck!'' the man shouted to the nervous girl. She ignored him.
Shizuka came to the bench and touched her baggage. After 5 seconds of contact, it started to phase out of existence, like a painter's canvas being poured wet paint from the top, but in reverse. She knew she would have to go, she felt it... and didn't want anyone taking her stuff in the meantime.
''This should be fine for a little bit'' she considered. Soon, she walked over to the wall. His bible was still there.
Shizuka: (He doesn't go anywhere without this... Arthur... where are you?)
The minutes passed, minutes that consisted of a stressed Shizuka checking all around her, hopeful that Arthur really just went to buy something, reluctantly shoving the worse scenarios to the back of her mind. Until... she thought about hitting the wall. Light knocks turned to forceful punches. That was it.
Shizuka: (This... this wall is...)
Her eyes widened.
Shizuka:(This wall is hollow!)
To make sure, Shizuka kept punching around the other walls around her, as well as the ground. She was sure there was no other side behind. It was huge and thick. This had to be it.
Shizuka: (This is worrisome... bothersome... but also...)
Determination sparked in her eyes.
Shizuka: (Exciting.)
"[ ACHTUNG BABY ]"
Shizuka: (I need to punch my way through this wall... I am sure to catch some attention... yare yare... they can't condemn what they don't see, though.)
Shizuka disappeared from the bottom up in a flash. She cracked her knuckles and gathered momentum. "ARA! ARA! ARARARARARA!"
It only took a few punches, but the wall gave in to an opening. Looking back, everyone could have been staring at this peculiar event. ''Fuck them'' Shizuka thought to herself and looked forward... into darkness.
A secret passage.
Shizuka: (This is like one of those movies! Maybe I just had to press the right brick on the wall? Who cares. You have to be somewhere down here, Arthur.)
Shizuka Joestar walked forward. A tunnel of marble floor tiles. She was not afraid.
Shizuka: Bring it on... this is an adventure and I'm... a Joestar!
====================================
The outside world was irrelevant. Shizuka was only focused on exploring this weird tunnel, the floor of which soon turned into stairs. Railings on the side, she noticed them quite thick and steady, perfect for holding onto in case she would slip for any reason. In her mind, she was infallible, her smirk indicated that, but... just in case, the railings.
Normal floor again, until more stairs, more railings for them. What was this? Floors? She thought to herself to look more thoroughly - immediately followed by her beholding the orange dim lights in each of the side of the floors... a door was under each light. Huge metal doors, with a glass see-through window in the top middle... like cabin doors.
A shiver went down her spine once she thought to herself "someone lives here".
After knocking for a couple of minutes, 5 times without fail, and attempting to push to no avail, she realized the doors were locked. She definitely could bust them open with Achtung Baby... but after finishing that thought... she decided against doing so. She felt like these doors should not be opened. The shivers didn't stop. The stairs kept coming, the floors kept coming. The doors kept coming too. Multiple cabins... no, not a single person lives here... people live here. Her willingness to bust a door open lessened further.
The more Shizuka kept stepping down into the abyss, the more the passage of time felt like hours to her. It couldn't have been hours, but she really felt as if time had slowed down to a crawling halt. It was not long before her form had changed to a slightly unhinged one, a posture of self-defence and protection. And the more the young woman stepped down, the more she was able to notice the details around her. There was no need to take moments to pause and observe. As every floor seemed to be the same, she had new opportunities on each iteration.
Oval-shaped tops, metal grating surrounding the perimeter of the doors, a rusty colour acommodating it, glass you couldn't see through, silver surface, bronze screws, holes to insert keys into... numbers on each cabin entrance. Some brand new and polished. Some withered from time. 776. 599. 701. 684. By this point, the thought of the invisible baggage was completely gone from her mind.
Complete silence ruled the atmosphere of this peculiar bunker with a rusty iron fist. It felt like a scenario straight out of the horror games she loved to play so much. The girl couldn't help but widen her eyes to the sound of a sudden ghostly moan.
However... that did not stop her from continuing as normal down the pathway. The darkness eventually led to an open entryway. A huge wall with a door just like the ones she had seen so far... but one wide open. A large label over it. ''EINGANG", it said.
Shizuka: (What language is this... what kind of place is this... I...)
Pause.
Shizuka: (Whatever...)
With pseudo-confidence, she walked into the room, using her right hand passing by to open the door further.
It was a huge empty room. Nothing inside. It was much bigger than the slightly narrow path the young woman had followed until then. The material for the flooring and the walls or the ceiling hadn't changed. The lights neither. Orange lights decorated the circular room, however... there was also a large chandelier emitting a yellow, brighter light in the middle of the room. A very standard wooden one... Shizuka had seen similiar ones back in Morioh. Taking note of all this, Shizuka curiously looked around for a few minutes until she recognized something familiar.
Arthur: uuugh... hel.. pmee... Shizuka: !!
The young woman let out a distinctly loud gasp and her eyes widened, as if nature itself shook her to her core, she seemingly bounced upwards slightly before making a run for the man.
Shizuka: ARTHUR!!! WHAT HAPPENED?! Arthur: Shi....zuka... uuuughg... *COUGH* Shizuka: Are you okay!? You... you are... bleeding...? Where is...
The young woman's mind cleared a bit when she realized where she was and what the situation seemed like. Arthur was laying against a huge metal entryway like the other doors... a locked entryway, like the others, indicative of Shizuka pushing it with her right hand, her left placed behind the head of Arthur, hoping to comfort him calmly.
SLAM.
The door behind shut.
Loud metallic steel noises were heard over and over, making Shizuka's heart sink. She didn't break her stance at all, frozen in place. Arthur couldn't even realize what had just happened, clinging on to Shizuka with both of his hands tightly, trying his hardest to stay conscious.
Shizuka: Father Arthur... pl-please... can you stay here for a second? We might be trapped. I will have to bust us out of here. I-If you let me use my power, I will break us out! Can you hold on? Arthur!?
Arthur: I... -cough- Shizuka: Where is your wound? Don't worry, I've seen this in movies, I will use my clothes to create a makeshift bandage and press onto your wound with the cloth...
As the young girl was searching the priest's body, turning him around carefully while talking to look for the wound, she found the cause of the problem.
A large slit hole in the back of Arthur's throat. ''What the...'' mumbled the shaken Shizuka.
Arthur: My child... I feel... I... Shizuka: DON'T TALK! It's on your throat, it might make it worse! Arthur: D-don't leave me... Shizuka: ...
Her eyes twitching, the young woman used her free hand to cover her mouth, thinking of all the scenarios. It only took her briefly for her eyes' positions to find stability, as an idea came to mind.
Shizuka: I hope you're not a snacker, man... Arthur: What did you say...? Shizuka: Here, I will carry you over my shoulder, let's get out of here... Arthur: My child... I... I feel...
''Whoever locked us here is going to fucking pay...'' she muttered belligerently... uncomfortably preparing to carry the older man onto her shoulder though, something caught her attention. A small flame in front of the priest's face.
A stationary, small, but flowing flame.
Shizuka wondered to herself just for a moment before blowing at it to make it go. It didn't work. Again. To no avail. One more time.
Eventually, she softly decided to place the priest down quietly.
Arthur: Wh-what is... Shizuka: Shush... don't worry. It's going to be okay. (What the actual shit...)
The teenager used her hand this time to make the wind blow it away. Nothing. It only took her one more attempt to realize she wasn't making it go away. On the contrary...
She was making it grow.
Shizuka: This...
She closed her eyes, confidently opening them with ferocity in her glare. An aura surrounded her, before instantly, an otherworldly form materialized right behind the girl's back, towering over her.
Shizuka:Achtung Baby. Arthur: Wh... Shizuka: Heh... I see. Father Arthur... look at me. Is there something behind me?
The man struggled to open his eyes clearer. Immediate regret enveloped Arthur Rown as his eyes widened more than even Shizuka from before, and goosebumps he had never felt before dictated his next reaction.
Arthur: Ah... A-AHH!! AAAAAAAH!!! Shizuka: SHUT IT! Thank you... that is all I needed to know.
The girl left the priest to the ground, and calmly unbent her knees back into an upward, standing position. Cracking her fingers and knuckles one action at a time, she rubbed her hands together soon and clapped once. Her final action before opening her mouth once more was to slide her jacket and shirt under it aside, so the tattoo she was proud of could be in full view. It was a declaration.
Shizuka: My very first one, huh? Arthur: My child...!! Shizuka: Stay down there, bud. Let the ''grown-ups'' do grown-up things.
The girl smirked and glared at the fire that was rising to meet with her, at a closer distance. One foot sliding backward, one stepping forward, both of her hands pulled backwards at her stomach side in the form of fists, Shizuka Joestar assumed a position, dramatically illuminated by the manufactured orange lighting. Achtung Baby followed suit step by step.
Shizuka: This... is a Stand battle!
FACE & HELMET CLOSE-UP:
Arthur: A... Stand battle?
Shizuka didn't break her pose.
Shizuka: Indeed... your Stand seems to be able to generate flames... or maybe it IS this flame... Arthur: Wh-what is... *cough* Shizuka: UUUUURRRRRGH...
Shizuka broke her pose. She sat upright and placed her fingers on her sunglasses to adjust them.
Shizuka: A Stand is the manifestation of your spirit turned into, like, a superpower! You know superpowers. That is what I have, that you may know. I call it "Achtung Baby". I can turn myself and other things invisible, generally speaking. As for how one can get their powers... you gain your Stand naturally sometimes... or from that Arrow that Uncle Josuke and the others talked to me about.
Arthur lay there on the ground, somehow not mad, as he himself realized. He found himself clinging onto every nonsensical word the girl spouted.
Shizuka: You have never seen it before obviously, because only Stand Users can see other Stands or harm them, but there are exceptions. Same with the fact that effects a user or a Stand may have affecting them will also be inflicted upon the other! They come in all shapes and sizes. Yours is this flame thingy... I think.
Arthur: Fire?
''Fire!'' replied Shizuka, snapping her fingers confidently at Arthur's direction.
Shizuka: Now there are some times where you have to fight another Stand or Stand user in order to win, to achieve a specific goal. This is one of those cases. The quickest way to defeat a Stand for good is to kill the Stand user or at least render them unconscious.
The priest's heart sank.
Arthur: ...No..... please... Shizuka:AH! NO! NONONO! I just...
The young woman adjusted her glasses once more and lowered her torso a bit, putting her hands together as a sweat drop emerged from her brow. Achtung Baby slowly evaporated from this world silently.
Shizuka: See, it depends each time! So, we'll find out what your Stand does and I will figure out how to get us out of here from there! I'll kick ass and get us outta here! Alright that's enough blah blah, this is my first Stand fight! Something new! Really, something new!!! You cool? Arthur: I can't... talk much... b-but please... do not do this... Shizuka: sigh... why NOOOOOT? I doubt it's going to be easy, it's never easy with Stands. You think stopping this flame might be as simple as adjusting the water output in the shower by using the showerhead on your groin to test the hotness of the temperature... but it's not that simple! Arthur: What? No, my child... Shizuka-chan... remember? You should not... I... I don't feel well...
Tucking away her shirt properly to display her tattoo once more, Shizuka Joestar went back to her initial pose and warned Arthur, paying no heed to his words. Achtung Baby instantly formed once more, smiling in turn.
''AAAAAAAAAARA!''
A single punch came with the force of nature itself, propelling a gust of wind towards Arthur's location, making him feel the breeze intensely. Afraid and confused, the priest placed his trust in Shizuka and closed his eyes, a single tear drop escaping. What had he gotten himself into...
Halt.
The priest opened his eyes to see the hollow-centered hand of Achtung Baby just a couple of inches away from the Stand. The flame was not hurt, instead, it had grown larger by a little bit.
Shizuka: Just the force -not the impact- of my fist is affecting it.... what about this?
Achtung Baby's pointing finger flicked away at the flame once, sending it flying slightly, before it came back, even bigger, this time it was as long as the finger itself, and it surely burnt from too close.
Shizuka: Did you feel anything at all? Arthur: I... N-no-- Shizuka: Then how about this!
Shizuka pulled back her torso comically, coming back with a large grin, as Achtung Baby followed suit, sending a punch onto the flame.
Arthur: AH! N-NO! I...
Halt.
Arthur: ...?
Arthur was fully able to open his eyes normally at this point... move his arms too. With his mouth slightly open and clear confusion on his face, he started touching various parts of his body to make sure he was conscious and safe. He was no longer feeling pain, only slightly at his neck area, which he responded to by carefully caressing it.
Arthur: My child! I... I'm feeling better! Shizuka: Despite me punching the flame... Fire is indeed not connected to your health, at least not directly! This means...
Arthur's glad smile turned into a perplexed slight grimace into a glare of shock as he braced himself. Despite not wanting to believe, he came to the realization that there was not much that could be done... as if something awakened in his soul, something hopeful, Arthur Rown calmly closed his eyes.
''ARARARARARARARA!''
Achtung Baby's furious fists punched the Fire over and over, confident that Arthur would be fine, paying no attention to the sheer force of the air it created. Fire was seemingly evaporated, scattered around the room, but all of its scattered flaming parts, sparks and glimmers merged back together after a matter of seconds. This time... it was growing even further, until the peak of its size reached half of Arthur's height, who was laying on the ground.
The priest slowly and carefully sat up, hardly able to carry himself, making for a tragic display. After a little while, Shizuka patiently waiting for her friend to stand up, Arthur took a moment to clear off the dirt and pebbles off his tunic and turned to Fire, seeing it glow more than anything else in the room. He turned his sights to Shizuka.
Arthur: This flame... this... Fire... Shizuka: Yeah? Arthur: It's mine. This is my power, right? I did this? Shizuka: All yours. Arthur: Then it's my responsibility to take care of it. Shizuka Joestar... the good Lord respects those who can save themselves! I AM THE MASTER OF THIS FLAME! And I hereby FORBID you from interfering!
A large gust of wind seemed to surround Arthur, as his strange helmet caught on fire. He raised both of his hands as if to reach out to the audience at a church speech. Shizuka's eyes widened behind her sunglasses which seemed to come to very good use right then.
Shizuka: What are you talking about, man? I know what's up, unlike you. We're going to clear this up and get out of here! Arthur: Stand battle?! No conflicts shall be allowed as long as I am here! Put your power away and allow me to harness the essence of this gift. My passion is unmistaken!
The young woman did not falter however. Her smile instead came back from her confused look, her clenched teeth indicating she was into this situation.
Shizuka: As long as you don't know what to do, I'm going to find a way to stop this Stand! So that your new and uncontrollable power will not be a problem!
Shizuka lied.
Shizuka was lying for a while.
There was a better reason for her.
Arthur: LISTEN TO ME, SHIZUKA JOESTAR!
Arthur's voice echoed throughout the bunker and demonstrated the value of the quiet place. Only the sound of burning could be heard... The silence gave both of them the time they needed to realize... the flame was slowly becoming smaller and smaller!
Shizuka: (I see.) Arthur: (I see.)
Both of them had taken notice of this change.
Arthur: I have figured it out... truly, no conflict shall tarnish this... you shall put away your Stand now while I control my Stand! *inhale* Shizuka: What are you doing!? Arthur:FIRE!!!
The large flame stopped dead in its tracks, as if time itself had stopped. Not a single movement, it kept becoming smaller and smaller, more noticeably. Then it began to move, in accordance to the direction of Arthur's eye movement.
Destructive Power: A
Speed: B
Range: D (Stand) & B (Invisibility Range)
Durability: A
Precision: D
Development Potential: A
Since Shizuka was a child, her Stand has evolved. Through practice and influence in her upbringing, it has gained a material presence, influenced by other Stands in her family to be extremely strong. After continuous practice she has also learned how to control what she turns invisible, and has also increased the range to a diameter of 7.5 meters and can retain this invisible state for as long as she wills it, unless she loses complete focus. Achtung Baby can only go about 4 meters at maximum away from its user. Achtung Baby's force is tremendous, but its lack of speed disables it from being a brawler. Shizuka believes there is more to Achtung Baby left to explore, so she makes it a rule to use it whenever possible.
SPECIAL SEGMENT: Where Are They Now? - Volume 3
In this special segment, we'll be looking at the residents of Morioh, the characters of Part 4, and what their lives have been since 1999 all the way up to now! For this penultimate segment, let's check out a few of our gold old allies and friends!
Yukako Yamagishi: Yukako never left Koichi's side. She went to the same university as him and also studied to become a teacher, but over time, with the help of Koichi, she worked to become an independent person. Yukako eventually gained a grandiose individuality and became a fashion designer, very successful in the industry, a fact proven by her frequent features in numerous magazines across Japan and her brand slowly garnering overseas clout. She married Koichi at 26 years old and is now living her life hapilly with him.
Tonio Trussardi: Tonio kept doing what made him happy and is still working at his restaurant. Since 1999, his customers have spread the word about him, and he's more successful than ever, expanding his small tavern to a grand establishment. Tonio's spaghetti is famous as one of the best in the world, and he's proud of his life and career. Tonio leaves Morioh from time to time, temporarily closing his restaurant, to visit other countries around the world with his wife and experience new cultures, also to expand his culinary techniques. Tonio and his wife are now living happily, and he also has a savage Italian moustache.
Mikitaka Hazekura: Mikitaka doesn't seem to be very clear-cut about what happened to him after 1999. He graduated along with Josuke, Okuyasu and the others, with an unkown score, but nobody sees him or talks to him regularly enough to know what his job is, how his life is going or anything else, though no one will go without saying hello whenever seeing him, which he is more than happy to return. One thing the residents of Morioh find weird for sure is how he still hasn't dropped the alien ''act'' and why he's practically identical to how he was 13 years ago. Besides all that, he still enjoys hanging out with his old friends a lot, and is always a topic of interest for a certain troublemaker.
Yuya Fungami: Fungami ended up becoming a fashion model and a movie star, whose motorcycling days are over. Even though he's left his wild lifestyle behind, his fangirls have only increased over time, and he always takes great pleasure in meeting and chatting with them, one aspect of his old self he will never reject. He's currently touring throughout Japan, but his favourite place in the world remains the peaceful, quiet Morioh.
Holly Kujo: She moved to Morioh along with Joseph after 1999, wanting to be close to her family. She found it awkward to adjust to finding a new ''brother'' in Josuke, but she eventually got along with every new family member. She got a job at a local super market and is now the new manager. She is content and happy as can be, except the fact that she wishes her son wouldn't be as busy and come meet more frequently in her house there.
Toyohiro Kanedaichi: Toyohiro still lives in the tower, which is now a tourist attraction. People ask him to take pictures with them, and he really enjoys the exposure and occasional communication, as well as supplies tourists provide him with from time to time. Utilising his Stand, now his favorite hobby is watching TV and exercising.
Arthur: My child... my Stand seems to lose power over time... I feel it in my soul...
The priest felt right. He understood. Like a kid getting the hang of using a bicycle after half an hour, the newly self-assured man was set. He closed his eyes shut and smiled, flashing them open intensely.
Arthur: (This... feels better... maybe now, my friend, we may leave...) Shizuka: We... cannot be certain, Arthur! I... still, we need to find out who did all this and how you attained a Stand!
Arthur further caressed the wound on his neck with his left hand, pointing with his right hand to Achtung Baby behind Shizuka.
Arthur: We have learned what we needed! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your noble willingness to help, Shizuka Joestar. I am proud of you, my child. Now, however, you will listen to me and call back Achtung Baby. The Lord declares that--
SLAM!
BOOM!
CRASH!
Insanely loud noises that shook the room, like before. They were coming from above.
Mechanical whirs, followed by mechanical booms, followed by mechanical vibrations... it felt like the ceiling beyond what could be seen was being deconstructed behind the curtain in quick succession. Shizuka could feel it, Arthur could sense it. For a moment, both of them took a defensive stance, eyes and mouth gaping wide, look around them in case of a misdirect from above. But there was no lie in the sound's origin, because in due time, the sounds stopped. With a decisive swish, a hatch opened from above, catching the attention of both of them.
Arthur: Dear God who art in heaven... what in the name of Christ... Shizuka: Hold it... something is coming out slowly... w-wait, it stopped! What does it-- Arthur: This might be bad, my child. Shizuka: I agree... this IS bad... Shizuka: (Fuck yeah.)
''Greetings, intruders.'' echoed a voice from the device. If this was a cartoon or a comic, speech bubbles carrying only an exclamation mark would be there for both the teen and the priest. They would be hard-pressed to properly describe the object, but they knew for sure its purpose was the same as a megaphone. They stood on their toes, both of their confidence momentarily absent, evident from their nervous hand gestures. Suddenly though, leaping forward--
Shizuka: WHO ARE YOU!? ARE YOU THE ONE WHO TRAPPED US HERE!? LET US OUT! ???: Apologies, woman. You were unfortunate. Now that you are here though, you are being assigned a task. You will accept it. Arthur: I... I don't like this-- Shizuka: Shush, you. Let me handle this.
The young woman cracked her knuckles using each hand before pointing towards the object.
Shizuka: YOU! I don't know who you are, or where you are, or how you are for that matter, but one thing I know for sure is that you are the cause of this, which means I will kick your ass! That is my promise to you, baby!
The ambiguous voice chuckled in response. A moment passed before it regained its tone and replied to the young girl, bolder than before. Complete silence conquered the atmosphere as the voice went on to explain.
???: I will say this once. This room you are in, you can consider it an arena. You do not possess the force to break through our walls. Only when one of you dies will the door open. That is, because we will request one of you. Which one? That is up to you to find out. In case it was not clear enough...
Shizuka and Arthur braced themselves.
???: It's kill or be killed. I hope we talk again.
The strange device, much faster than before, as if it was a tape being played in reverse at an accelerated pace, was swallowed by the ceiling. The noises were removed too. Silence was still in control... until Shizuka Joestar spoke.
''This IS a Stand Fight.'' she said, looking far away at a wall.
Arthur: No. Shizuka: I know better about this stuff. YOU HEARD 'IM! If I can just knock you unconscious we might be able to-- Arthur:SHIZUKA JOESTAR! This is NOT happening. (Please... you do not deserve this... this... tragedy...)
''WHY DO YOU HAVE TO BE SO FUCKING STUBBORN!'' she roared intensely. Arthur could feel his heart clenching from the inside. ''I didn't come all the way out here for this shit... STOP! BEING! SO... BORING!!!'' she continued. The adrift priest frowned, shedding a single tear before his Fire moved by itself in front of him, drying his tear in the process of protecting him from the blow of the suddenly emerged Achtung Baby's fist. It grew larger.
Arthur: (I'm sorry... I wish I saved you, Shizuka...) Shizuka: ARA!!!
===========================
STAND MASTER: SHIZUKA JOESTAR
STAND NAME: ACHTUNG BABY
V
.
S
STAND MASTER: ARTHUR ROWN
STAND NAME: FIRE
===========================
The battle had begun. Illuminated by the occasionally flickering deep orange lights and surrounded by dust particles, unceremoniously, the time had come.
Shizuka Joestar, led by the mysterious voice's words, was guided into a fight she was confident about. Truly... her smirky smile and pointed eyebrows indicated the pleasure she was taking from this. ''Finally... this is my journey!'' she thought.
Arthur Rown, confused and angered by the mysterious voice, was guided into a fight he was not prepared for. Truly, his angered glance and worried grimace indicated his sorrowful and desperate feelings. ''I need to stop you... lest your life burns away.'' he thought.
By all accounts, this battle was not right.
But it had already begun... and it could not be stopped.
Arthur: FIRE!
The flames on Arthur's helmet burned higher and stronger! Putting his hands forward, he shielded himself with the flame from the incoming att--
Shizuka: ARA! ARA! ARARARARARARARA! Arthur: There is only one way to stop you, then!? Shizuka: Your Fire is barely hot! It seem more like a glorified shield, this can be even easier! Arthur: SILENCE!-- UGH!
With another fist directed his way, the priest had to act fast! Subconsciously, he closed his eyes and Fire tanked the damage. It was huge at this point, towering over both combatants... Arthur Rown was already sweating, but his resolve was true.
Shizuka: (This thing...! Keeping on striking won't do me any good; I need to sneak around. No fun in that... no one said I need to be fast though either!)
The young woman vanished. Staring at the flame, she disappeared into thin air, as if the waving lense effect of the fire had caused her to wave out of existence in tune of the flame's flow.
Arthur: So this is it... Shizuka Joestar, do not make me do this! Are you seriously going to abandon your life like this!? This is the devil's influence upon you!
From behind.
Shizuka: ARA!
Arthur turned, gasping for breath as he reached his hand forward, Fire being sent out wildly in retaliation, impacted with an invisible blow.
Arthur: haa... haa... you've done well for yourself! But if right here, right now, your choice is to f... FIGHT me... THIS will change everything! It's not right! Shizuka: Enough mumbling, bible bro!
Quickly! The priest's hearing, albeit not in top shape, detected the origin of the voice. ''FIRE!'' he shouted, as a blazing wave was thrown towards it. The flames cleared out as fast as they were fired, only revealing a darkened wall... miss.
Arthur: Now's the time to give up, I don't want to hurt you in the slightest! Otherwise, you will--
''ACHTUNG BABY!''
From the shoes to the head, hovering mid air behind Arthur, a form formed. The priest's eyes glared desperately at the image of the wild being's punch cocked and ready.
Arthur: NOOO!!!
A wall of fire, roughly wide and thick, was created in succession of him turning back. Falling into the ground on his back and hitting his head, the man named Arthur Rown hoped this would be enough. Using his arms to crawl backwards while facing the wall head-on, urgency had fully taken control of the situation. The heat as well as the now loosened helmet on the Englishman's head had facilitated this.
Shizuka: Oh no you don't! Arthur: STOP!!! Shizuka: ARARARARARARARARARARARA!!
It took 5 seconds, appearing to the flame user like an eternity, to punch through the wall of Fire and meet with the other side. Through the opened hole, Shizuka Joestar wasted no time, jumping right in before it merged back together.
''Found you~'' exclaimed the girl, as her fist, combined with an emerging, stronger, hollow-handed fist, went for the downed man of God.
The wall had come undone, flowing into the priest, his helmet's flames vanishing as the Stand emerged from within him seamlessly, as if Arthur's body was void.
Shizuka: OH SHIIIIIIT!
The girl jumped back, barely able to escape, taking a moment to realize she had found herself in the same position the poor priest was about to be striked in. Barely a moment passed for her to notice the true size of Fire at that point, and the user of the Stand no longer laying down.
Its size was half the room, tremendously and menacingly flowing proud, its embers brandished behind the black-clad opponent. The lights of the room stood puny, undetectable almost completely to both Stand users... until the Stand enveloping them in its fiery embrace resulted in them being put out. Fire was dominant.
Shizuka: (God dammit, Arthur... hell... I'm proud of you.) Arthur: You can not challenge me anymore, Shizuka Joestar. This fight is over! Shizuka: What do you mea... n... *cough* ? ...huh-- ..!! Arthur: It seems clear to me... surely, it must be clear to you too! My Fire may not burn hot like a true flame, but it's still a Fire, MY FIRE! Shizuka: (It's hard to... breathe... w-wait.... holy........)
At that moment, she knew.
Shizuka: Stop it! Sto-- *cough*
The young woman stood to herself pathetic, on all fours, using her left hand to desperately reach out to her unmoved companion, her coughing and the increasing temperature of the room slowly making her bulging eyes tear up. Regardless, the girl poorly attempted to stand up, absent-mindedly.
Shizuka: Stop...
Both Stand users were panting intensely. The fight had taken a turn.
Arthur: haa... A cheese-craving mouse caught in a mousetrap with a hungry cat around is safer than you right now. *pant* There is only one way this can stop, and you need to listen to me. Haa... haa... okay...? Arthur: (It can't be true... this day... it can't be true... I cannot believe I would ever fight a friend or anyone...) Shizuka: *coughing intensely* Arthur: (But Shizuka Joestar... I need to save you.) Arthur: Come at me! Do you give up, my child? Let us leave and never come back! Shizuka: I will *cough cough* defeat you, Arthur!
The priest's eyes lost their vibrant pigment, as he stayed there, mouth wide agape, staring at the persistent opponent. He knew... it was too late.
Arthur: Defeat...? Defeat?! Are you serious, my-- Shizuka: Yes I WILL! That's what I fucking do!
If one could see behind Shizuka Joestar's shades, they would detect a glare of anger and frustration in her eyes. Covered with dust, dirt and some blood, injuries typical of a clumsy toddler, she thought to herself intensely and fast, not breaking eyesight with her opponent for even a second.
Shizuka: (Fire decays the more time passes... I was too stupid to let it grow too big... because I will run out of oxygen and suffocate! And I cannot wait... it's a gamble whether I can wait to make a confident move before... I might pass out before I even get the chance... He is giving me no openings...! I... I CAN'T LOSE! N-NO!)
As if someone pushed her forward, the young girl felt a force behind her leading her towards the man, despite the known danger. Taken aback herself, her legs awkwardly started sprinting with newfound speed.
The priest gritted his teeth, when instinctively a wall of embers was created in front of him once more, Fire leaping from behind him to form it near instantly.
Arthur: I... i-it feels like I'm using this new power too much... d-don't do this, please stop, Shizuka Joestar! What if something terrible happens!? YOU are causing this!
From behind the fiery wall that had made the roughed-up Englishman squint his eyes intensely, the girl's voice echoed throughout the room loudly.
Achtung Baby's thunderous fists slammed against the fire wall one after another with tremendous force. Hoping to shatter this block in her path, the young woman's determination manifested in her twisted smile, accompanied by frowning eyebrows of a pure winner mentality.
But something was wrong.
Arthur: I... I CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE!
The wall collapsed in an instant.
Arthur: RUN!
The new Stand user felt his soul succumb to the sorrow... clinging onto even the slightest hope within him to keep fighting, it was lost completely once Achtung Baby was visible to him. Its empty fist gripped tight shut was menacingly displayed above him, ready to come down...
Arthur's tears swelled up. It was too late.
Arthur: NO! NO!
Fire retaliated.
Uncontrollable, the flames coated the fist, disabling it from coming into contact with Arthur, just 1 foot away from his face. Soon enough, the entire mass of Fire was starting to follow suit, starting to surround Achtung Baby's body from head to toe.
But it did not respond. Like an accordion having every last of its strings detached or cut, there was no way to control Fire.
Shizuka: AAAAAAAAAAAGH!! IT BURNS!!! Arthur:NOOOOOO!!!!
Arthur's tears escaped, cascading down from his face into the ground with tremendous momentum, as Shizuka lay there in mid-air, unable to move from her position, Fire's flames binding Achtung Baby appearing to surround her entire body. There was no time.
Arthur:SHIZUKA!!!
She could not respond, for the oxygen in her lungs was slowly fading away. Her screams, muffled as they were, were muted even further. And soon...
Her whole body seemed to crumble away.
From her hands slowly vanishing within the fierce embers of Fire, to her legs disappearing from the foot to the thigh in a matter of seconds, Arthur knew that her fate was sealed. His eyes widened more than ever before, the eyes of his he could not believe for even half a second. But the image in front of him was true.
He ran. Diving into the flames himself, it faded away to make way for the user. In hopes of pulling the young woman away... Arthur Rown's tears were the only thing to have touched the ground besides himself, hurting his tunic and knees, falling on his side and hitting his head again... the priest's helmet came off, and the flames that once burned strongly on top of it was now fizzled out. Sobbing grossly and incoherently mumbling and stuttering to himself, he found not a single trace of his friend.
Fire kept illuminating the room, slowly decreasing in size... within his depressing state, Arthur reached his hand out... Fire moved along. He had taken control back... but not at the right time...
And then came the screams. Unimaginable horror and anguish painted the tragic man's face, the loyal waving Stand staying there to shed light onto his shame, his sorrow, his agony. Smoke from the put-out flames of Arthur's helmet suffocated the atmosphere where Fire itself could not anymore, continuing to shrink.
Arthur: Shizuka... Joestar... I'm sorry...
Arthur Rown continued to apologize internally, hundreds, thousands of times within the following couple of minutes, which to him seemed like aeons. He stood pathetic to the ground where he dived, on his knees... he wished he could pray but not even he could make contact with God. ''I let the girl down...'' he whispered to himself through the seemingly never-ending crying.
The door was already open.
A creak and a metallic-sounding halt, that went unnoticed by the sobbing man followed the opening of the door. The same door he was laying when Shizuka found him, with a wound in his neck that was gone by now. So it was, for a while until the voice was heard again, but the priest refused to rear his head upwards to see the device or listen to anything, as the headache he had received from his sobbing stood superior.
???: Congratulations. It seems clear it was a wise decision to bring you here... you may now enter through the door when you feel ready. We will speak soon.
And just like that, it was gone once more.
There he was, surrounded by his ever-shrinking Stand. Arthur Rown had emerged victorious.
Arthur: I lost... Shizuka: True. Arthur: *gasp* BANG!
Arthur Rown felt a tremendous blow striking his neck from behind, his spine making a cracking sound in response and his eyes losing their colour... Fire slowly vaporizing into nothingness.
Shizuka Joestar stood there above him, her tactical blow still in contact with the priest's neck, before the latter collapsed into the ground.
Shizuka: haa... *cough* congratulations, though. It was kinda hard but we won. Mostly me, though. You could have made it so much easier...
Readjusting her glasses with both hands, the young girl then opted to use them to clean off all the dirt and dust from her clothing, as well as clumsily hopping on one foot in attempts to empty her shoes of it as well, one at a time. As if she was hoping Arthur could hear her from his unconscious state, she felt obliged to talk to the senseless priest in the meantime.
Shizuka: Stands often protect their users subconsciously... *cough* so if I provoked it, and you, enough to make it go wild, I could enact my perfect plan.
The young girl followed up by giving a thumbs up, before adjusting her glasses with her free hand once more.
Shizuka: If I fooled you and by extension your Stand, into thinking I was dead... haa.... it would stop. Invisibility. And so, the door would probably open, letting more oxygen in which I could seriously use... haa... I feel better now... *cough* aaah... AND we deceived that kidnapping son of a bitch.
The terrible teen looked at Arthur's unconscious body in the ground as soon as she was done cleaning herself up to the best of her abilities. A blank expression on her face, she went on to turn the man over, to see his face.
Shizuka: It's a dick move, I know. *COUGH COUGH* guuugh...d-damn... *clearing throat* aaah... But that's how it is, baby. This... is a Stand battle. Haa... Now...
With awkward movement and utilising exclusively her own body strength, Achtung Baby nowhere to be seen, Shizuka Joestar gave Arthur Rown's comatose body a piggyback ride, unfazed by the serious weight she was carrying, and walked forward to the open door.
Shizuka: Let's give those assholes a piece of our mind, my friend.
The empty room was abandoned, the only light now illuminating it being the middle one hanging from the ceiling... Arthur Rown's helmet stayed there, while the young woman and her blacked-out companion ventured into the darkness beyond.
STAND NAME: FIRE
STAND MASTER: ARTHUR ROWN
Destructive Power: E-A
Speed: E
Range: D-A
Durability: E-A
Precision: D
Development Potential: E
A tiny flame that the user can move at will. Whatever comes into contact with Fire or attempts to affect it will make Fire grow larger, endlessly absorbing what's thrown to it. Even a mere gust of wind can increase its size. Fire's power corresponds to its proportion: in its standard form it can't harm, but when grown, it can be extremely dangerous - aside of its own temperature, which becomes progressively deadly despite it being much less hot than a real fire. The user is exempt from its effects. Over time, its size and mass starts regressing to the original form, unless Fire is repeatedly amplified. Truly unique, Arthur Rown's passion enables this Stand to be a reality.
SPECIAL SEGMENT: Where Are They Now? - Volume 4 - FINAL!
In this special segment, we'll be looking at the residents of Morioh, the characters of Part 4, and what their lives have been since 1999 all the way up to now! For this final segment, all the rest! It was fun doing this segment. Hope you enjoyed!
Shinobu Kawajiri: After Kira's death, she soon found out about her husband's cruel fate at the serial killer's hands. Her period of grief was rough, but soon enough, Josuke and his friends, along with her son, helped her overcome it, and she's now a friendly neighbor to her husband's avengers. She has picked up a job as a flower shop owner and her love of her job has led to the Kawajiri house getting a beautiful flower garden.
Hayato Kawajiri: Hayato in time overcame the death of his father and helped his mother overcome it as well. He's forever grateful to Josuke and the others, becoming a very close friend of them after helping take down Yoshikage Kira, a friendship which has lasted until now. Owing so much to the golden heart of Morioh, his biggest desire is to give back to what has given so much to him. Hayato managed to pass with high marks in a university, however... what's he up to nowadays?
Stray Cat: It was given to Okuyasu's dad, and over time, Stray Cat's new family grew on it, and it seems pleased with its new life right now. Not to mention, it has a long life ahead of it, considering it now has a plant body instead of a cat's one. Things are looking bright for Stray Cat.
Father Nijimura: Since 1999 his life has become much better. He is very proud of his son and always spends time with him whenever he can. Mr. Nijimura however holds a special gratitude towards his son's companion, Josuke Higashikata, who made great efforts to renovate the Nijimura house to a wonderful home to live in. Mr. Nijimura, despite not being free of his Stand's shackles, could not be happier to have a loving family and friends.
Reimi Sugimotoand Arnold: At peace.
Yoshikage Kira: Somewhere without any sort of peace.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT, 10 CHAPTERS STRONG! I promise more to come
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Unknown location, present time.
A man in a uniform is walking through a worn out underground corridor. Blinding lights illuminate his way towards another, much cleaner and sturdy room which he enters. A titanic room...
There is an open middle area with a bizarre object in the middle... some sort of stone structure. Extremely bright lights illuminating the object and by extension, the rest of this place. Ladders hug the walls, leading to small hatches into rooms like the high ground the man is in. A circular tube-like system of rooms surround the near empty area, overseeing it as if it was an experimental laboratory. It could very well be that... and above one larger room, a big screen, visible to all the chambers.
The man stares at the object before focusing on the machinery in front of him. Metallic floor, strange mechanic equipment, a large window going from one wall to another. The person's footsteps causing loud clangs to sound within the room, he remains unphased by the sound of the floor.
Awkwardly sitting on a rolling circular chair, he confidently manages the wide console. Expressionless, he adjusts his hat, his tie and presses a button on the unexplained board. An average person would not be able to tell what was happening. Speakers surrounding him and seemingly the other rooms roar upon activation. The sound clears out. What could he be doing... the uniformed figure pulls back both of his sleeves before closing in to a microphone on his console.
''Achtung, Achtung Kameraden! Aufstehen, die Generälin ist auf dem Weg!'' he shouted loudly, shattering any other noise in these mysterious grounds.
All together, a sound of men standing up was heard. Visible from across each similiar room, the men in each one immediately dropped whatever they were doing and stood at attention. Arms glued on their waists, their boots pressed against each other without a single centimeter of a gap to be found, like military soldiers.
Most wore the same outfit. Some were clad in white, long coats. Just who in the world where these people? What was this underground, strange unit...?
Suddenly, the giant screen flashed open, showcasing the empty room below it, which was noticeably larger than the rest in the tubular network.
The door leading to this room opened up, with a swish. All the lights except one flashed open within this large room, and a figure entered. The door behind slammed shut.
They all saluted, watching the screen, in which the figure appeared on, but their face was covered in darkness still. Strong and confident, their hands behind their back, they leaned forward and pressed a button.
''Sie dürfen sich wieder setzen.'' the mysterious person declared. They seemed to be the leader. Donning a similiar uniform to the rest, but with noteworthy additions. An armband with a symbol, medals, a cape with epaulettes and white gloves.
''Lassen Sie uns mit dem Projekt forfahren. Ab jetzt folgen Sie meinen Anweisungen Wort für Wort!'' the person commanded with a vocal tone that sent shivers down everyone's spine. Stomping their boots to the ground once, seated and in unison despite their separate room locations, everyone responded to the order and saluted once more in collective cheer.
The leader came out of the shadows.
Equipped with a piercing glare of absolute authority and terror, bold-faced and gallant, the gold-haired woman saluted in turn, proudly raised for all to see.
Brigitte is 24 years old! Also, just fyi, her name is pronounced Brie-geet
Edit: google translate disagrees with me, it corrects it as Brie-gee-tuh, and honestly at this point I don't mind at all, both pronounciations work! GERMAN NAMES 4 LYF!
As for the cyborg question... GUESS WE'RE ALL JUST GONNA HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE!
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Enjoy school rn. Pls tell Mikitaka Im very sorry i texted him too but pls do me this favor ok?
