The Shadow Walker(1)

(Rome, Italy, Europe - 10:45 PM)

(First Person Pov)

I am Miguel Rodriguez. A human now turned into a Stand that can travel through the shadows, known as Black Sabbath. 

I was born in Madrid, Spain. My father and mother were both from that country, but unfortunately I never knew my father because he passed away when I was just a baby. May God bless his soul. 

My mother was the only one I knew throughout my entire life. She always loved me, like any mother would for his son. She worked as a cook for a restaurant in Madrid and believe me she always makes very magnificent food. Unfortunately, the pandemic began and she had to stay at home due to the restaurants being shut down to keep the virus under control. She did some smaller jobs and my aunt's and uncle's also supported us during the pandemic. 

Ok, now regarding me. Before I became Sabbath, I was 21 years old and had short neck length ginger hair, pale white skin, hazel colored eyes and a slightly muscular build body. But after I received a package with a head of Black Sabbath and put it on my head like a helmet, because I could well... wear the head like a helmet. 

You get the point. 

Since, I'm a bit of a fan of jojo and other anime. As I was wearing the helmet back at my home, suddenly a black hole opened in my room and pulled me in and then the next thing I knew, I was lying in an alleyway in Italy and looked at myself which I now realized that I was turned into a STAND. 

At first, it was shocking but days passed and I started to understand and control my shadow power's more precisely. But sunlight was something that could kill me instantly, if I even made one error while traveling through the shadows. 

Also, I have recently encountered creatures that belong in the scp articles. They were 966. I only encountered two of them in my days being stuck here in this world which, I assume is the world of SCPs and pretty much killed them because they were something that could not be reasoned with and were about to devour people, luckily I saved those people from meeting a gruesome fate. 

I'm also surprised that the golden arrow wasn't in my mouth, but it's for the best since I know what the arrows are capable of. So yeah my days in this world have been mostly jumping from shadow to shadow and hiding from people and keeping them safe from monsters like 966. 

Currently I was standing on top of the walls of the Roman colosseum, looking at the beautiful city lighting itself up like a firefly in the night. I've never been to Italy before back in my world, because of college and a shitload of other stuff but seeing it first hand... It's great.

"Magnífico."

I always love seeing beauty in things, like how you would see beauty in a flower or the one you love. I hope my mother isn't worried about me. It's been days since I've been here, and I miss the feeling of hunger and being human... but for now I can just stick to the shadows and find some people who I can trust. 

Maybe if I can find a foundation member... No, the SCP world and the foundation is sometimes filled with liars and deceivers if I've seen some of the articles and stories related to them. So finding a good person from the foundation might be a rare chance. 

Luckily I haven't encountered any of the other factions like the Chaos Insurgency, the Serpent's Hand or the Global Occult Coalition in my days being here. 

I sighed and jumped off the wall and landed on the ground before jumping into the shadow of a lamppost and emerging from a shadow of a trash bin in an alleyway. 

Pretty much the shadows act as a way of traveling for me. I go into one shadow, then I emerge from another shadow, depending if the shadow is far or close in the area in which I am. Anyways, I then jumped into another shadow and then emerged from the shadow of a satellite dish on top of a building. 

"Viajando a través de las sombras, es una brisa."

(Translation: Traveling through the shadows is such a breeze.) 

As I was looking, I then spotted something flying in the sky. A helicopter. Then I had an idea. I quickly jumped from shadow to shadow and jumped into the helicopter's shadow and was inside of it as I let the helicopter carry me from one area while staying in its shadow, so that I could reach the other area.

(A/n: Ok, for those who did and didn't understand what I meant by the above line is that Black Sabbath can use the shadows of vehicles and flying animals like birds as a way of transportation. This is evident in episode 4 of Jojo Bizarre Adventure Golden Wind anime.) 

I let the helicopter carry me for a good 20 minutes until I saw a rooftop with a chimney casting a shadow, and so I quickly jumped into it and emerged from the shadow of a... musical instrument store?

"Què?"

This was not the place I expected to jump into... but luckily there was no one inside the store and no cameras as well, as it was actually closed from the outside. But I would have no problem since I can just use the shadows as a way to escape. 

"Miremos alrededor."

(Translation: Let's look around. )

I looked around the store and saw what you usually see in any musical instrument store: guitars, saxophones, drums, trumpets you name it. I went upstairs and found even more instruments... and a T.V. 

"Al menos hay algo que puedo hacer para matar el tiempo."

(Translation: At least there's something I can do to kill some time.)

I went back downstairs trying to turn on the power to the store, not the entire store's power, just only in certain areas. 

A few moments later, I was able to get the power back on and luckily the windows and doors were covered in metal shutters from the outside, so no one will suspect a thing. 

So I head back upstairs and turn on the T.V. using the remote I found in the cashier's desk drawer. I used the remote and checked if anything good was coming up. 

But then the channel suddenly switched itself  to a different channel with music playing in the background with the title saying... "Bobble the Clown." 

(A/n: a.k.a SCP-993.)

"Què demonios es esto?"

(Translation: What the hell is this?)

The title then disappeared, as it changed to show the face of a clown who seemed to be looking at me.

[Hey, you!]

"Me?" I said pointing to myself.

[Yeah, you! You don't seem to be a kid... but you're not even an adult as well. Hmmmm. Just what are you?]

I wasn't the best at understanding or reading English, luckily I only knew some words... But I wonder if this clown is an SCP of some sort, because I only read SCPs that are famous and well known rather than the lesser known ones... don't judge me.

"I am Miguel."

[Miguel, huh? Well you don't seem to be affected by my program for some reason. Which makes me wonder whether you're even from these parts... or even from this reality.]

The clown was curious about me, no doubt about it. But I sense some darker intentions behind that curious face of his. 

"You're an SCP?"

[Why yes... well to the foundation at least. Are you an SCP?]

"No."

[For now maybe you're not, but you will be at the foundation soon.] He said with a dark chuckle.  

"What do you want?"

[Well nothing actually. I thought some random kid was going to show up and watch my program and I would you know... give them some lessons on certain things.] He said with a dark smile.

"Riiiiiggghttt... lessons."

I'm finding this clown even more suspicious. I then tried to change the channel but it didn't work. 

The clown laughed at me loudly, like I was making the greatest joke.

[You really think that's gonna work? Because believe me it won't.] He said with a mocking smirk.  

"I'll leave then." I was gonna leave until he said something to me.

[You think you can hide forever? One way or another you'll be captured and believe me you don't want to be with the Foundation. Can you find anyone who is trustworthy, Miguel?]

"You want me to trust you?"

[Now that's up to you. But if you're ready to follow me, maybe I can help you get back to wherever you came from. I mean I do have access to foundation files and their cameras even though they made some improvements in their firewalls, but still I can access the stuff or better yet you help me-]

*Bam!*

I cut off his sentence by punching the T.V, which broke the entire thing in the process. 

"Me niego." I said menacingly.

(Translation: I refuse.) 

I'm not gonna follow the road of evil because of some stupid ass birthday mascot that is obsessed with pre-pubescents. That clown can burn in hell for all I care. I sighed and just decided to wait for the next day to start. 

———

(Rooftop, Site-19, America  - 7:00 PM)

(Third Person Pov)

The sky was covered in dark clouds as it was currently raining obviously. Rodeo was on the rooftop leaning against the railings and looking at the rainy sky. The rain didn't bother him, he just let it fall on him.

"Finally, we found one more Stand, but that too a dangerous one. And of all of the people to become Purple Haze, why Krieg? It doesn't make a nick of sense. Me and Evan are from the same earth and got packages with Stand helmets but why did a video game character like Krieg get Purple Haze of all Stands? Looks like I'll have to ask Krieg himself when I meet him."

Rodeo looked at his hands and once again saw blood again before it was gone in the next instant.

"I hate this, I goddamn hate this." He said, looking at his hands and gripping them tightly.

Rodeo while not being too much affected by the flashes in his head, it still wasn't a pleasant thing for him. 

He wasn't even sure whether his PTSD would go away. Then another thought came in his mind, his family. Will they still see him as the same caring, calm and kind person or will they see him as a killer, a monster who shed the blood of humans. 

Rodeo thought he could just lie to them but he wasn't a liar to his friends or family he would always speak the truth naturally. But lying to his family if he ever goes back home, might be the worst thing to do. And even if he did tell the truth to them how would they react? 

"Rodeo?"

Rodeo turned around and saw none other than Collingwood who was holding an umbrella over her head. She was wearing a dark blue buttoned shirt, gray pants and short heels. 

"Collingwood? When did you arrive?"

"Well, I just came an hour ago along with Lawrence by car and found out that you weren't with Dr. Buck, the guards told me that you were here."

Rodeo ran to her and hugged her, almost startled, but she hugged him back anyways.

"I'm so glad to see you again, Collingwood."

"Yeah, I'm glad as well." She said with a smile.

They broke away from the hug and leaned against the railings. 

Collingwood then asked, "You're not feeling cold? You know from the rain I mean."

"No."

She sighs, "Dr. Buck... told me about what happened to you and what you went through. I'm sorry." Collingwood said with sympathy.

"It's ok. I... was just a target for those GOC. Even Evan was a target."

"Yeah, I met him. He told me his side of the story and pretty much I-"

"Connected the dots?"

"Yeah."

"Collingwood, do you think my... family will see me as the same person again?"

"What do you mean?"

"I kill people, Collingwood. I separated them from their families and loved ones just to keep myself and Amelia safe even though they were hell bent on wanting me dead as well as Amelia... and I couldn't save the MTF team. And if I ever go back home, what will I say to them because I don't want to lie to them because I'm not that type of person. And also can I have a normal life back in my world... while suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.?" He asked with sorrow, guilt and regret.

Collingwood could just only look at Rodeo, his facial expression remained the same, but his voice showed that he's seen too much and done things he regrets. 

Collingwood then gently holds his right hand and says, "Rodeo, you're not the only one who has gone through the same thing. Even Lawrence, Johnson, Simmons and everybody else in the foundation have gone through similar things. Lawrence couldn't save his friend from 106 when he was just a guard, Johnson led many good people on his side against SCPs but not all of them made it, Simmons lost his brother to a GOC soldier and... they to had to take someone's life just to protect others and themselves and they still remember those events to this day." She said looking down. 

Rodeo looks at her and then she continues. 

"Rodeo, you can't save everyone, you can only save those you can and you can't let the past burden you... you can just learn from it, and do better in the future. And you did the right thing Rodeo, you kept Buck safe and came back in one piece. Even Lawrence, Johnson and Simmons learned from their past and did better. Look at where they are right now because they learned from their mistakes." She explained with truthfulness in her voice.

"My PTSD and my parents? What about them?"

"Your PTSD, I'm not sure, but it will go away as long as you don't dwell on the past and... I'm sure your parents will understand you and what you went through, because they know that their son went through something that he  shouldn't have gone through and because they love you. They will not see you as a monster, Rodeo. They will see you as a human being and as family, no matter what you've done or gone through." She said to Rodeo with a reassuring smile.

"Thanks Collingwood. You really are a nice woman."

"Well, that's what I often do to people in similar situations."

"Yeah."

They continued looking at the rainy sky. Collingwood then covers Rodeo with the umbrella along with herself as well.

"You know, I really wish there was a way for you to go home."

"Don't worry, I will someday. But for now let's just enjoy the view."

Collingwood nodded and they both continued to look at the rain.