Giovinezza (12)

Capitolo Primo: Giovinezza (12)

The werewolf boy. He was close to wake up.

It's been a full week that had gone by without much of a big issue. Except for the fact that the Stone Mask had been removed from its earlier spot.

To be fair, I wasn't the one to discover this novelty. It had been a confused George to ask around if anyone had noticed the object being taken, or perhaps if anyone had picked it for themselves at the idea it was something that needed to be thrown away.

The piece itself didn't look to be precious, so to expect someone to pick it and consider it thrash wasn't truly a wrong thought. The real issue was that with how my situation was over a certain dark magician, I wasn't putting it beyond him that Wang Chan had decided to finally employ vampires to bolster his current situation.

Magic on its own can do so much until you really need cannon fodders to throw around.

Which is why the first thing I did when Muddiburi presented himself for our regular training session and with the hopes of knowing more about the aftermath about werewolf's situation was to address this very issues. The lecture that ensued created two distinct problems that I was meant to be prepared about.

The first and maybe the worst thing was that Zeppeli was going to get contacted since he was the closest to Britain and could arrive there to 'aid' with the entire ordeal. The second and perhaps the one I was most unsure about was that even the monk's brother had been sent a letter to.

It was curious to know that the Tibetan man wasn't trying to take cheap chances at the possibility of facing a full-fledged army of vampires. The mere thought of it was enough to put me in a state of mental unease, but I wasn't certainly going to hesitate now that I knew that things were going to get spicier.

I could recognize a subtle challenge within Muddiburi's tone. He wanted me to actually try and get things done properly before the group of Hamon users arrived. Before things got to a point where keeping the Ripple a secret was going to be incredibly difficult.

Thus I had to speed up any plan I had thought up to this point so that I could start formulating new world wasn't waiting for anyone, and time was running tight on me.

But for now, plans would've to wait as I dealt with this very concern. The young werewolf, the one that had sow dread in the minds of those living by the outskirts, was now starting to wake up after days of comatose rest.

I considered the lengthy slumber to be one of the many aftereffects from the fact he was purged of any dark magics in his body, leaving his body and mind to recover from that malicious influence driving him to the point of harming people.

The little girl, Sarah, hadn't left his side during the entire time he was slumbering. She would accept food and the child was happy when I had some of my workers put a bed beside her brother's.

I would visit the headquarters as usual, stopping by to chat with the young brunette about how her day had been. Hannah was ecstatic at having someone to dote, especially with how adorable and socially-active Sarah was with people she deemed kind.

I decided to also offer her some lessons of reading, something that was aided by the fact that the former courtesan was eager to offer help and support whenever the child would find an obstacle in the way of her learning. The scenes were… highly-saccharine. The sweetness just helped making paperwork easy to digest and go through in those few days.

When I first received a message from Speedwagon that the long-haired teen had finally awakened, I decided to take the opportunity presented by the fact I had other business in London to visit and check onto the matter.

The building which housed the headquarters had long started to get a bigger crowd of people wandering around since the lessening of the situation by the outskirts.

Many trustworthy merchants that had been informed of what had actually happened (minus the fact that the werewolf was still alive) were quick to jump at the opportunity to open up deals with my group. Some saw with interest the fact I was available to offer a safe service within the capital that allowed them to purchase expensive objects at a discount.

This was a good news since it meant that money was finally flowing inside and that it was now possible to start quickening some of the more distant projects… like the 'acquisition' of new abandoned warehouses in this section of the city.

Legal papers were going to be a pain in the arse to go through, but the rewards that this action was going to were well worth the straining efforts. I was almost giddy at the prospect of having actually succeeded in creating something from little nothing, but I wasn't certainly planning to get lazier now that things were going to get more difficult.

Police, bureaucracy… rival gangs.

Speedwagon had made some progress in getting some trusted contact within the Forty Elephants, but he had yet to secure a meeting with representatives from that gang. It was a step forward, but an uncertain one at best considering the trustworthiness of this organization.

Once I was by the doorstep that led within the room assigned to the two 'siblings', I paused at the noise of something crashing down within the place. I opened the door, preparing for some altercation happening inside… only to be bestowed with quite a sight.

Speedwagon looked nervous as he stared at the growling wolf-like creature that was safely nestling a nervous-looking Sarah close to it. I recognized the beast, but differently from last time I fought it, there was no genuine note of evilness exuding from its form.

As of now, it seemed more of a feral animal than else.

I stared back at the blond, just now noticing that he was holding a plate with a full bread and two turned teacups that probably had some milk filling those… before tipping and making the content fall by the floor.

"You know, you shouldn't be afraid of where you are," I stated calmly, embracing my inner mask to hide away my current uneasiness over the standoff. "Especially when you're among friends."

My voice broke the intense growling, with the werewolf turning its attention right onto me. Feral eyes keeping contact with my frame as I took a couple of steps inside the room, but I was already staring at the unnerved Speedwagon.

"Robert, place the plate by the table and leave us alone."

He looked surprised at the quiet order, but after a few seconds of silent inquiry, I gave him a nod, gesturing him to hasten his thought process. He nodded back, complying to the request and closing the door behind himself once he was out.

I took a few more steps, making sure that I was following a simple path well away from coming too close to the bed occupied by the wolf and the child.

"That's quite a mess," I commented quietly, eyeing the stain of white left by the wasted milk. "But I guess you're not interested in breakfast… yet you should."

I was met with silence, but the posture adopted by the 'big brother' was less threatening than the one he had adopted with the older blond.

"Sleeping for a full week surely has left you debilitated. And the effects of the dark magic that had corrupted you got you weakened even more than a comatose patient," I continued to speak, glancing back at the bed. "But I'm surprised you're not growling at me."

I almost asked him why, but I let my stare play that question for him. He seemed to spot this on pretty quickly, but he hesitated to answer, feral eyes moving away in a moment of thought.

"You… you saved Sarah."

I blinked at that, feeling surprised at the fact even in his furred form he could still speak a humane tongue. Quite impressive, you never stop learning about the wonders of magic.

"From your other self."

The addition of that detail seemed to get a frown out of the wolf. It was easy to perceive that it was connected to the fact he believed himself to be the culprit of that heinous deed that was stopped before full execution.

"I… I almost-"

"Not by your own volition," I interrupted calmly, my attention switching back to the table as I stared at the bread. "Dark magic. The malicious influence that had you attack innocent people, that is to blame."

"B-But-" He seemed reluctant to accept this very explanation. "I- I felt like I was enjoying it. I- I liked it."

"Then you're severely misinterpreting the effects of that kind of magic," I chided quietly, but holding back too much edge to avoid sounding too stern with my words. "Dark Magics play on the fact that influences your mind, it twists it to enable parts of it that aren't generally meant to be your true personality. And to do that, the magic makes sure that something you would generally despise is actually 'lovely' in your mind. That it makes sense."

He looked confused at this, yet he seemed to ponder well about it as he tried to summarize it in a few words.

"It's like… mind-control?"

"On the loose sense of the term, yes. You were controlled, manipulated, by having those parts that made you malicious, that made you enjoy doing horrible things."

The wolf seemed to slowly realize what I was referring to and the more we talked, the more his form started to morph back to his human self.

I patiently waited as I saw the bare-chested young man blinking at the thoughts storming his poor mind. He just woke up and he was supposed to face quite the ordeal. I was relieved that the pants had survived the transformation as I didn't have to try and pry the girl away from a naked werewolf guy.

Still, despite the few moments of silence, I wasn't done with this interaction and I had something in mind to keep it going for a little more. Just enough to get some answers of my own out of the mystery in front of me. Turning my attention at the bread and splitting it in two perfect halves, I turned towards the two siblings and sighed.

"Which one do you want?"

Sarah looked confused at the question directed at her big brother, but I found my theory proven correct the moment I saw the tanned boy flinch at the comment. He seemed unwilling to answer to that and I sighed.

I took a bite at both halves, munching quietly and waiting as the long-haired young man kept staring at my actions. Surprise swelled behind his eyes at the action, yet he seemed to notice that I was studying his own reaction at it.

"Y-You-"

"I had suspected that you would've been against being served food by people you don't know much about," I interrupted again, feeling quite entitled by the cosmic element that was dryness to pry and interject as much as I could. "You might be resilient and quick, but poison is something that you fear."

He didn't confirm nor reply to this very suggestion, letting me finish munching what was left of the bread in my mouth. Sarah looked confused, and a little bit nervous at what I was mentioning like this… but the moment she spotted her brother easing up at my actions, she followed his example.

"Now, which one do you want?" I asked again while lifting up both halves for him to pick.

…

"Both."

I smiled. "I suppose you need all the food we can offer you now," I pointed out as I finally approached both siblings with the bread. I passed the food to the waiting hands of the brother, retreating my own palms away from him… but not backing away from the closeness.

The werewolf regarded it with some uneasiness, but he carefully started to eat the bread… before literally wolfing down the halves in mere instants. He gave me a hungry look and I blinked in surprise at the pace which saw that much food devoured.

"I will see for someone to bring more food… but I hope you can forgive me if I would like to ask you some more questions before doing so," I proposed slowly, careful enough to not make it appear like is was some interrogation. "I will have to leave soon for some important businesses and… I wish to address a few points that I wish to get cleared quickly enough."

He frowned at the request, but he seemed still calm about it. Enough to inquire back about it.

"What kind of 'points'?"

I blinked at that, deciding to ease things up by starting with something incredibly simple and light.

"Before I ask about this first thing, I wish to introduce myself," I stated before giving a small bow towards the two, making the girl smile and let out a brief giggle at my little theatrics. "My name is Dio Brando. May I know to whom I'm speaking to?"

Before saying anything about this, the young man seemed to contemplate about my name, mouthing it as to get accustomed to it. Still, after some time had passed by in the calmest of silences, he decided to address my question.

"It's a pleasure to… make your acquaintances, Dio," He started to greet back. "I'm Bhediya… and I suppose you're already acquaintance with my young sister."

I nodded, giving a small smile to the happy-looking girl. With the conflict-like atmosphere dispersing, the child seemed to have recovered from her nervous state of mind.

"I'm glad that we solved this little issue early on, Bhediya," I said while putting some efforts in not butchering that foreign name. "And I hope that you will find yourself at home during your stay here."

He nodded. "If the owner of this place is happy about it, and we're not imposing with our presence… I don't see why we should refuse this offer," The tanned boy commented, but then he showed a confused look. "By the way, can I… talk to him? I know he has to be a busy individual but-"

"He will surely agree to a meeting. In fact, please consider my words as his," I commented with a hint of smug. "Actually, do think of my presence as his."

…

While he had failed to pick up at the full trick being played, Bhediya seemed to spot on that something odd was afoot. He tilted his head to the side, intensifying his curiosity and suspicions as he finally asked about this situation.

"How much are you close to the owner of this place?" He asked bluntly and I smiled even more.

"Well, the owner and I share the same appearance, the same voice and, surprisingly enough, the same name," I finally replied with a nod. "In fact, you're speaking to him right now."

He snorted. "As if I would believe that someone as young as I am owns this-"

The little refusal was interrupted by the mere sight of me seemingly looking unfazed by this skeptical tone.

"I- you're kidding right. There's no way that-"

"Yes way, I own this place. In fact, I'm the leader of the organization owning this building," I interjected. "Sarah knows that it's true, especially since she got a glimpse at the paperwork I've to go through."

At the mere mention of the dreadful tower of ink and paper, the girl groaned and seek refuge on a hug with her brother. The boy frowned at the sight before giving me a confused look.

"I let her take a read at the paper."

…

"But- But she can't read," Bhediya mentioned with a frown.

"Yes, which is why when she saw fifteen lines of words she deemed it… what did you call the paperwork, sweetheart?"

A huff came from the brunette.

"Boooring."

I shook my head at the child-like voice of the truth, while the werewolf snorted in amusement at the unexpected comment.

"Still… if you're the owner then does that means that-"

"You're free to stay how much you need to," I assured calmly. "The reason that saw me accepting you both in my group wasn't one of exploitation of your talents, but rather because it was the right thing to do and I was capable of taking you both in."

…

"Can you read my mind?" The tanned boy inquired with some interest, making me sigh at the slightly-unexpected comment.

"I don't, no. It's just that I can predict how you will behave by your predatorial instincts," I answered without hesitation. "That and the fact that we both share a similar past. We both survived the streets and we both know how unfair things can be when someone kind 'suddenly' appears to tend a supportive hand."

"You don't seem to have been in the streets," He commented back, to which I gave a slow nod.

"I was blessed by luck about a month ago," I confessed, my orange eyes staring away from the two siblings as I prepared to let out a good speech to finally buy their loyalty. I knew that Sarah was now trusting of me, but the same wasn't for her brother. And that could already change now. "My father, albeit an abusive and dishonest man, had in the past 'saved' a noble and his baby, thus warranting a favor from him in case of need."

"And?"

"And I ended up discovering of this when he kicked the bucket," I continued with a nod. "Convincing the noble that I just wanted a normal life as his ward was simple and… from there, I was freed from the shackles of the street-life."

"But if you're free… then why bother? Why not-"

"Wallow in my happiness? Enjoy the cozy life that a piece of paper had granted me?" I suggested rhetorically. "It sounds idyllic, but I'm… I'm angry at the world."

…

Bhediya kept quiet and the little brunette sitting beside him listened carefully and in surprise. This was the first time I addressed why I did what I was doing here to her.

"My father was a drunkard. He lived by the moment, he despised the past and the present. But I blame society for having allowed someone like him to continue to exist and fester like a parasite up until he croaked his last breath," I ranted quietly, restraining my genuine anger at the topic. "It was a twisted society that got us honest people, those that don't deserve the brutality of the street, to suffer on a daily basis. It's unfair, I hate it."

The werewolf blinked, mesmerized by the words. "You… want to change this? Is… that why you're doing this?"

"That's correct, Bhediya. You're correct in saying that I could've easily lived away from worries. But then again, it would be so dishonest and wasteful of me to ditch my morality for a warm bed," I replied strongly. "I know that things can be changed in due time. It wouldn't take a couple of years- heck, I know that multiple decades will hardly influence the world as a whole. But I know that the world will surrender at my will, I know it. Because I, Dio, want to bring the change and I will not rest until I've truly won."

There was silence, I blamed the intensity of the speech for that. I felt nervous as now that this discussion was mostly wrapped up, I needed to prepare for the next situation I needed to be present by.

I nodded, silently walking by the doorstep and stopping there. I glanced back at the bed, with Sarah looking distracted, with her mind trying to grasp at the might of the words I had just delivered, while the werewolf tried to actually suppress the awe at understanding those.

It was alluring, to just accept the truth and my passionate craving for reform in this sad, unforgiving world. He stared back at me and I sighed before nodding again, this time at him.

"I will take my leave," I stated curtly. "I've… plenty of affairs to deal today and I will be back the day after tomorrow for some more chatting. I will be there for much longer than now and… I hope you will find it easy to approach those I've assigned to keep care of you."

Bhediya nodded slowly at the affirmations, but I wasn't done just yet.

"That means no growling at Speedwagon, Bhediya," I mentioned, drawing a snort and a frown from the long-haired boy.

Without further ado, I, Dio, walked out of the headquarters once I had given new dispositions to the fellow blond about handling the two siblings. Ready to take on the 'school' I've decided to approach as per George's request.

The carriage came to a solid halt as we finally arrived by the middle section of Woodside, Wimbledon. The street was mostly desolate, if not for a couple of ignorant passerby that avoided approaching the part of the sidewalk which I left the carriage from.

The charioteer was given proper instructions to wait until further notice from my part, giving me the opportunity to wait a little more over the building which I was supposed to go into. Two floors, the builder hadn't been precise with the proportions as bits of the roof were dented and curving down to the left.

The place looked fairly abandoned, yet I could see lights coming from the windows. I'm still surprised that George hadn't inquired some more about where I was going to 'study' to, or else he would've forbidden me from ever approaching this part of London.

To be fair, it took me a while to remember a place that would've served both as a mean to expand my contacts and to have some info about 'bizarre' situations happening within London or even within the British Empire.

And that place turned out to be the Ghost Club, the oldest paranormal investigation and research organization in the world. It was created back in 1862 by some fellows at Trinity College, and it counted numerous important characters in British literature and governance.

The first one that would come up to my mind was already waiting by the door, patiently so. I didn't recognize him before approaching, but as soon as I got a better look from his appearance, I was quick to recognize the slimmer and younger form of one Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Yes, the famous writer that was known for his Sherlock Holmes works was part of this club, just not an active one. Actually, the group itself wasn't even meant to be 'alive' after their leading member, Charles Dickens, passed away. With my letter directed at some of the main members still working on the Club's resurrection, I managed to reanimate the group a year earlier than in the 'normal' timeline.

While the claims I had forwarded in that paper should've been regarded with strict scrutiny from the leading members of the association, the fact that these people just wanted a purpose to reconvene proved to be too much intense to actually throw away my letter at a first glance.

The man spared me a surprised look, still failing to digest how young I was, but still giving me a nod and leading me inside the large house, taking just a moment to exchange introductions and pleasantries.

He was still a resourceful medic in this time period, quite nervous and still tentative over starting a writing career out of the various issues correlated to the job. Yet Arthur proved to be capable of offering a pleasant conversationalist with his own perception of the paranormal.

Still, my real problem was manifested by the two figures that represented the leadership of the Ghost Club: Stainton Moses and Alaric Alfred Watts.

Both men were… experienced in the occult. To be fair, I wasn't much trusting of these two specific individuals, knowing perfectly that they weren't the true founders of the Club as they've stated multiple times in their own circles. There was also something that I found uneasy over the strange way they had both replied to my letters.

Quite curt, terribly polite, but, worst of it all, desperate for something to help their efforts to revitalize the group. Real-politick is nice until I'm the one giving orders rather than receiving them.

And this is why, with some careful planning, I decided to limit my 'claims' to just a single element I knew they would've never been able to use against me. Or at least, not without incurring in my wrath and dying by trying any sneaky move on me.

The two elders were sitting one beside another, while the rest of the Club looked… dull. Everyone was bored and discouraged from the fact that the 'grand reunion' had yet to begin. The moment I entered their sight, some looked incredibly irritated at the fact a 'young boy' was here at this important gathering.

I didn't spare this minority much of a simple glance, with my attention quickly fixing at the men that were the most important. I approached the table and Stainton sported a quick smile.

"I suppose you're the one that sent us the letter detailing quite the impressive study on a possible paranormal energy," The old man mentioned with a nod. "Please, do come closer."

I blinked at the tone, feeling rather unnerved by the attention I was receiving, but still sporting a strong outlook as I knew that the moment I displayed any weakness, I was going to get exploited by these dangerous individuals.

They were all for the 'good cause' of spiritualism and paranormal, but they weren't certainly going to step up their level to talk to me with a proper intellectual tone because of my age and height. They didn't know better and they had yet to experience what I'm truly made of.

"That's correct," I politely remarked. "And I suppose I'm talking to Stainton Moses."

The elder nodded, his smile barely changing as he turned to address the man sitting beside him. "Yes and… this is my associate-"

"Alaric Alfred Watts," The fellow old man interjected coolly, his stare setting on me. "I've read your letter with certain interest, young Dio. And I find it ironic that your name is… correlated to the figure of God."

I nodded. "My mother believed in the Lord. And her belief was fueled by the truth within this world. That things are beyond what they seem to be."

He blinked. "Is that so? Then please, do enlighten us about this… truth," Watts pressed on with some insistence. "You mentioned this energy, but surely you understand we can't believe at some baseless claims."

"I'm sure you've also received the drawing attached to my letter. The one which would help understand the process behind the production of such an energy."

A nod, and then he placed by the table the precise drawing of the golden rectangle. At this point, some of the members were sparing interest over this development. I knew that some had some scientific basis, and they were aware of what the 'golden ratio' was.

Without offering any other words about the matter, I proceeded to bring out from my jacket's left pocket a small wooden ball. I showed it to the rest of the group around, gaining their attention as… I started to spin it.

At first there was silence, then some individuals tensed up as the effects of the Spin entered in motion. Shock reigned supreme within the minds of those assisting at this spectacle of light.

The two leaders were both stomped at the sight, with Stainton having lost his smile as his jaws dropped low at the scene. His associate was digesting the situation better, with only his eyes widening at the revelation unfolding before him.

Soon, I could feel the power of controlling the room where I was. No one moved, silently staring as the sphere finally ended with its Spin. I blinked, a small smile spreading on my face as I regarded everyone in that room with a sigh.

"I hope that this was a good enough proof," I inquired calmly. "For I too believe that proof should be manifested with this kind of claims, as only with proof we can know for sure what is true from what if wrong."

They were mesmerized- no, they were allured by my speech because of the shocking sight I have given them. I could see it in their eyes, in their souls. I could see some already praising me quietly as their Lord reincarnated.

It would've been nice to let them profess me as God reborn… but I wasn't really hoping for that. Fanatics weren't what I was searching there, or at least not the ones of the religious kind. I needed servants, faithful and trusted minions that could influence society thanks to their own circles.

Instead of letting the confusion dwindle out in a moment of spiritual zealotry, I merely sighed.

"Of course, I think it's best for me to not let a thought manipulate you to think me the wrong way," I confessed quietly, giving another look around as to make them understand I was talking to all of them. "For it would be wrong to label me as the Lord, or even Jesus Christ. I'm neither of them… but I feel close to their message."

Their moment of religious stupor was dashed away with these words, but they still listened as I was yet to finish and… because I was being honest in a moment of genuine honesty.

"I believe that the world can be better. That we can make it better," I continued with a sigh. "A world were war is a distant memory, where hate can be resolved through talk rather than with violence. That the word shouldn't be shied away from because of how soft it sounds like," I said, pausing just a moment to check on their fascination over my words. I had them hooked up. "And I understand those that find my words idealistic, foolishly so, and I respect them for being this much distrustful. People can abuse trust in the worst of way, because in this world we're implicitly taught to exploit emotions, manipulate minds..."

I made a sharp turn, looking on the opposite direction. I needed to masterfully use all theatrical gestures I could muster up 'without sounding too fake'. And I was succeeding by the way things looked like.

"But I don't care about people as tools. I can see their worth, I can understand their concerns, but I would never go further than using my own body, my own mind, to deal with my own problems," I commented, feeling my heartbeat picking up a little at how much I was winding out this speech. "Which is why I believe it's about time, now that the entire world is known to mankind as a whole, to start taking steps towards the heavens. A just world to match with God's ultimate design."

"World peace," Someone muttered in a whisper.

"Equality," Another whisperer added.

"Justice," A third man echoed from behind some of his colleagues.

I felt the collective thought resonating with my speech with just a handful still looking skeptical. But I was glad of the results as… I knew that words weren't going to be the only thing that were going to prove my vision as the proper one.

It could always get better, but for now the one I actually yearned for was enough to satisfy the occupants of this very room. I could already feel it in the air, as people soon started to 'crave' for answers to their own questions.

My smile widened as I was more than willing to offer them my wisdom, and to show them the right way to follow. While I hadn't gained some cult with the same undying loyalty as Dio's original one, mine was already shaping to be a decent one with the positive reactions I was getting from the all.

For I, Dio, had but just taken the first step in influencing not only the capital, but also the nation as a whole. And my job here was far from done…

AN

Werewolf boy and occult. The surreal and the madness.

Behdiya (भेड़िया) is Hindi for Wolf. Kind of straightforward, but there will be more about the wolf-boy. The name, and the first taste of personality will be just the tip of a massive iceberg dedicated to him.

Now yes, I did just make a sharp turn to give our lovely Lord Dio-Sama a cult filled with notable people.

And before you ask, no. I didn't exaggerate with the 'easiness' this people were manipulated. Some of these individuals were influenced by 'mediums' and other spiritual readers. Religion was the key of success, especially when Dio represents the 'divine alternative' devoid of any scam or fakeness.

Also… why not Hamon? People will surely ask, but I know some already have made this connection. People that learn Hamon can live for a long time and… some individuals there don't deserve that kind of power… yet.

Quick comment: Capitolo Primo will probably end by Chapter 20. Once there, things will take a drastic change from the classic Bizarre Adventure as I plan to mashup some elements from various parts of Jojo to create Dio's unique adventure from that point onward. Expect lots of developments beyond the standards!

Omake 8: My Bizarre Stalker… 2?

Original Idea from: Dyliokhan (SB)

When I imagine a monster that I would genuinely be afraid of encountering in my dreams… I would think about Freddy Krueger.

The crass and insane killer was something that I had developed a temporary fear when I had decided to 'test my bravery' and watch Nightmare on Elm Street when I was a little older than ten.

A being capable of becoming your worst fear and kill you with it? Truly terrifying for a child to be even thinking about. But the truest fright didn't come from the creativity of the disfigured murderer. No, it came from his capacity to deny one the chances of leaving the dreamworld and actively avoid getting killed by the limited bastard.

Now, the issue here as to why I'm referencing to this seemingly unrelated topic is… the nightmare I was currently trying to run away from. Sure, a female and cute Jonathan Joestar might appear endearing and lovely to a clueless spectator's eye, but there were two things that made her adorable disposition vanish at those bestowed with a peculiar sight.

The first one… was the immense plant-like creature that was her Stand, which quickly reminded me of the overly-absurd and thankfully non-canon ability that the 'first' Joestar was capable of mustering thanks to the Arrow.

The second things was-

"Dio~! This isn't the proper time for a fun chase~," The girl shrieked in the middle of her giggles, sending numerous shivers down my spine. "I got the priest, Papa has accepted after some persuasion, and now we can proceed and become more than mere brother and sister~!"

I was running, paying no attention of the madness unfolding behind me as Hamon continued to pump through my legs as to bolster my speed to inhuman level. I wasn't even paying attention to the people nearby, knowing that nothing could save them from the monstrosity giving chase.

Too big, too strong- I knew that nothing in my current arsenal of impressive abilities could've disabled ｢Ultimate Hermit Purple｣ from continuing with its pursuit. The degree of destruction coming close behind me was enough to prompt me to intensify with my efforts to get away from that fucking thing!

I was already starting to freak out at the fact that I was supposed to find a way out of that maddening rush. The monstrous Stand and its crazy user weren't relenting, and nothing here in London could technically damage such a humongous threat.

Note for the future: get some artillery pieces as soon as my economic and social capacity allows me to. Big cannons at that.

Just as I mused over this last detail, I saw a large green tendril slam into the building by my right side. The construction exploded in smoke and falling bricks which forced me to make a leap forward while holding my arms close and protecting my face and head.

The cloud of gray covered the sight the girl had over me, giving me the chance to take a sharp turn to the nearby alley and bolt as quickly as possible. The place was just too tight to accommodate that Stand and I was hoping that Yandere JoJo hadn't noticed where I had gone after that attempt.

Silence was interrupted only by my steps as I made my way through the shadows and the puddles of dirty water. My heartbeat rumbled by my ears and throat as I finally slowed down at the lack of massive trashing happening close behind me.

It took me a while to actually trust the fact I had managed to shake off the crazy girl off my back. I paused, bending down to stare at the ground as I tried my best to recover from that insane marathon.

But just as I felt safe and away from danger, my panic swelled again the moment a soft hand reached me from behind, effectively shutting me from yelling at the situation, while another individual joined to bring me away from the alley and inside a building through the nearby backdoor.

Soon I was released, but not before I was pushed inside the large room there. The dim light forced me to adapt to the new situation, but my guard didn't lower… until I noticed Hannah's smiling face.

I blinked, my tension failing to lessen at the mere idea that there could've been more people with the same disposition as my former pursuer. "Hannah-" I addressed curtly, turning quickly to grace the second individual. Only to stop at the familiar/unfamiliar face I was bestowed with.

Her clothes- those almost made me blurt out a 'Speedwagon' at how closely those seemed to be the trustworthy blond gentleman's… but the slimmer figure, the petite face and the skirt replacing his pants…

…

…

The scar was precise to an absurd degree.

…

"Speedwagon?"

Her brown eyes lit at the address. "Yes, Dio?"

Oh fuck. This- This makes things a lot more… interesting.

I, Dio, felt that the world was trying to balance Jojo's crazy yandere tendencies with a Genderbent Speedwagon.

"W-What's the situation?" I finally asked, drawing both women's attention on me.

"Well, the city is being destroyed by some plant-like monster led by a girl wanting you for… something," Hannah summarized as curtly as possible. "Actually, why is she trying to capture you, Lor- Dio?"

Strange, I wouldn't have expected the dream version of my second second-in-command could've been so faithful for the real individual. Still, I didn't linger further on that topic as I knew that there was something a little more important than this detail.

"She is my step-sister and… she's trying to force me into marriage." I dropped the revelation quickly, letting them experience some surprise for a little amount of time as I wasn't done talking. "This is why, one way or another, we need to stop her."

The girls recovered shortly after, with Speedwaif-Speedwagon taking the lead over the current state of orders. "What do we need to do? Surely, you've a plan to deal with her."

The urgency of her tone was met with a nod as I pondered over what I was supposed to do to defeat something like ｢Ultimate Hermit Purple｣ in a normal situation. Fire was the first thing that came to mind, but there wasn't a mean to produce that much fire in a short amount of fire.

Heck, even boosting the process through the Spin and Hamon would still take too much time to build up the flames, and I didn't have the means to keep the girl and her Stand still enough for that long.

The next idea was… actually sound.

Considering the streets I've been forced to run thorough, I knew that we were close to the Thames. The river had a few bridges connecting parts of London together and… some bridges were older than others, which meant that those weren't capable of holding well against a powerful blast.

"Do we have some explosives?" I asked quietly and half-distractedly.

Speedwagon nodded. "I think we have something there," She stated resolutely. "Any reason why?"

I merely smiled, explaining what my ambitious plan to take down the vine monster was.

Two hours later and an immense amount of dread forming at the fact I had to be the bait for this time-sensible plan, I found myself standing in front of the bridge.

Then the earth started to shake as from the other side of the river, a kilometer away from where I was, I could see something big, crazy and murderously in need to dispense some loving making its way toward me.

I tensed up a little bit, my orange eyes widening as I started to see the small speck that was JoJo rushing quickly and relentlessly.

I couldn't hear much through that massive noise, but by the time I could see her lips and the strange repeated word being uttered by the Yandere.

'Mine.'

I shivered again, but I felt a sliver of confidence form as I saw Hannah waving in my direction and alerting me that the preparations were done. The bridge was primed to explode quite soon. It was now a matter of luck and dumb dream variables.

This was a dream, or rather a nightmare. Everything was now pointing at that and, hoping to be correct over this matter, I braced for an eventual failure in case my hopes had been misplaced on this plan.

Still, Jojo didn't seem to notice anything. In fact, the moment my frame became more visible to her, her speed picked up in an absurd manner.

I wanted to really run at this point, but considering the situation I was betting on, I couldn't afford to leave my trusted and loyal followers behind like this. I would need to cover for their escape if things went south really hard.

Surprise exploded within me the same way the bridge did as the mad Stand User was half-way to cross the bridge. Blue eyes widened in shock at the sudden conflagration tearing apart the ground below her feet. She 'eeped', but the smoke covered for her fall as I started to approach, knowing that things weren't going to be over with that mere fall on the river.

As cold as the Thames was, Jojo should be now capable of swimming and thus avoid drowning at this fall. Speedwagon and Hannah were already on the scene of the 'crime', prepared to subdue the girl in case she was still hanging somewhere in there.

Once I was there, I got sight over the situation and… frowned. Jojo was… bawling. Her arms were tied close to her waist thanks to a rope employed by the blonde, trying to shake the stronger woman off from her body. It looked like a hug from the distance, but it seemed more of a forceful grasp to keep the younger female from mustering her Stand once again.

"D-Dio! Get her off! She is groping me- pervert- crazy pervert!"

I could easily see that it wasn't the case. Speedwagon's hands were perfectly meeting by Jojo's upper shoulder, and the only thing I could barely consider as 'groping' was the fact the blonde was forced to keep herself close to the struggling woman.

Despite the fact the accusations were false, the former gang leader couldn't help but blush as she gave me a serious but embarrassed look.

"T-This is false! D-Dio, I'm not-"

"I'm aware that you're not molesting her, Speedwagon," I interjected calmly, while my brain was putting utmost care to suppress the need to groan at both girls' cute expressions. Jojo was easier considering the rampage she had just executed through London, the blonde was a little more difficult to think less about.

"Still, I think it's time to address the disappointing thing you just did here, Jojo," I muttered dryly, gaining the blue-haired teen's attention.

"W-What disappointment? I did nothing-"

"Look around, dammit!" I exclaimed with barely-veiled fury, aiming my open palm over the destruction left on her wake. "Don't you see the kind of damage you've done in the capital? The lives lost? The fact you did things to your father- and I don't even want to know how you convinced a sane priest to wed two underage individuals-"

"I-I think he knew about you- Kind of strange since he started to muse loudly about you-"

"As I've said, I don't care," I rebuked irritated, unwilling to even accept the fact that a certain priest was actually on the loose now of all times. I don't need to deal with Pucci after the bullshit I had to go through. "You've still hurt people, Jojo. You said you wanted to be a gentlelady, and yet you can't help but try to accuse someone like Speedwagon of such heinous claims."

The yandere flinched, while the blonde blushed again, this time at the implicit compliment thrown her way.

"J-Just, don't try anything now," I concluded with a resolute tone. "I will think about your proper punishment-" While also planning out my way out of this nightmare.

I sighed, unwilling to be influenced by the downtrodden state the blue-haired girl appeared to be as I looked away from her and… right at a nervous-looking Hannah.

"Is everything alright, Hannah?" I inquired quietly, still draining the fury that was bubbling in my chest.

"Just a little… shaken by the explosion," The young woman confessed softly, and now I noticed that she was trembling a little bit. "I'm fine."

…

"Do you need a hug? You seem paler and-"

"I don't want to ask that much. It wouldn't be right for me to ask that since… this happened," She indicated the depressed-looking Jojo.

"You wouldn't be asking for too much. We're friends and… You need to hold on something," I pressed on with legitimate concerns. This was the first time she had seen this big of an explosion and perhaps an embrace would also help me find a balance through that anger inside my body.

She didn't protest any further, but just as I felt her arms wrap around my neck while I had mine around her waist- I felt the world twisting as London disappeared from my sight.

I blinked awake and I, Dio, found myself staring at the familiar ceiling of my room.

I stared at it for a while, getting my entire mind collected and stabilized now that the crazy dream was done for. I felt my body tense and sweaty… but also, I could feel that there was some pressure down below my waist and… within my pants.

I frowned, then face-palmed.

I, Dio, refused to call that madness a convoluted wet dream just to experience a simple hug from Hannah.