Chapter Text
The summer of 1989 was one Raiden could never forget, she agreed to go on a trip to Egypt with a bunch of strangers to defeat an evil vampire that has risen 100 years ago. As ridiculous and illogical as it sounded, Raiden couldn’t help but still have uncertainty about stands and vampires, even after witnessing two high schoolers mercilessly fighting each other in the nurse’s office. Receiving a stand first thing in the morning, abruptly leaving Japan to fight with the weight of world on one’s shoulders along with the possibility to die, it was overwhelming. Being overwhelmed, people didn’t make the best of decisions.
Raiden cursed herself when she was standing in front of a large black casket, knowing fully well that two of her greatest companions died before even having the opportunity to see DIO.
It was all too quick, the moment they stumbled across the manor, there were two available choices, go straight in or go back and prepare. Fog clouded Raiden’s visions, she couldn’t tell if it was her nauseating fear or worn out glasses. Abdul and Iggy paid the price for my rash decision and I’ll make up for it, no— It was my fault for not going with them while I had the chance!
Raiden’s looked away from the casket and back up at the other crusaders with her. Jotaro, Joseph, Kakyoin, and Polnareff remained in the group. They were all anticipating the moment the casket will be opened. Raiden didn’t know what they were thinking but could only assume it must have been a prayer and such, maybe even a self reflection. Raiden drew a long breath, calming her already cold and shaking hands.
No matter what, something didn’t feel right, it was all too easy. Raiden’s eyes shifted around the room and then the casket again. She pondered. This man... I don’t think he’s waiting in his casket out of politeness. Why wait like a sitting duck in a tower directly in the sunlight and let us surround him? I... smell a trap...
Her thoughts were quickly interrupted when Nukesaku, in front of the casket, wailed, “Waaah...L-Lord Dio... I haven’t betrayed you...” Raiden quickly drowned out the nuisance of a vampire’s rant and clenched her fist. Something wasn’t right .
“Lord DIO! Get over here and tear them to pieces!”
Joseph hollered, “Here he comes!” Everyone took a defensive stance, raising their guard— except nothing happened.
In the blink of an eye, Nukesaku was shoved crudely inside the casket, he howled in a daze, “Huh? Me?” in a matter of seconds, he was sliced into rings.
It was all so obvious, how could she not have figured out DIO’s abilities earlier?
Raiden bit her tongue to not make a noise when she stood on the roof top, witnessing Kakyoin’s body thrown into a water tower like a rag doll. After Kakyoin had finally shot his final Emerald Splash, Raiden’s blood boil, this was the second time witnessing The World’s ability, how did she not find out on her own sooner?
Joseph was puzzled by the message, thinking, “But why the clock?”
That whole night was a blur, all she could remember was pain and exhaustion, but the fight was not over yet. Raiden tried her best to repress the memories of fighting DIO, it was certainly hellish but now she had another vampire to electrocute. In the dead of daylight, Raiden hurriedly made an excuse to run an errand to go back to DIO’s manor. Into the library was where she was headed.
“Shine a light through this darkness, Pharoah Sanders!” yelled Raiden before diving head first into battle with Vins. All her previous fears of getting hurt has melted away, what was the point of living through this trip if her dearest friends were dead? What was the point of living if she never had a welcoming home to go back to? Home, that was a word that caused Raiden to roll her eyes at.
“Iai Slash!”
Blood sputtered everywhere, staining the floor. Raiden crouched and clutched her bleeding side. A crackle of electricity shot out behind Raiden and aimed at the cloaked vampire. The electricity took a skeletal shape and began to surround Vins and Hanoi Rocks, closing off the gap. The vampire growled and writhed away from the flashing light. It wasn’t until one of the electrical stands charged at her, shocking her body with high voltage electricity. Vins bored eyes into Raiden unamused, it didn’t do much damage.
The smell of Vin’s burnt cloak was very present. Hanoi Rock charged through the electric ring made by Pharoah Sanders and proceeded to charge towards Raiden. With a swift stroke, Raiden spun around to dodge and yelled, “God of Thunder!”
The electrical barrier stopped and merged all into a giant Sphinx statue out of pure energy, crashing onto Vins with a blowback that knocked all the library’s shelves over. Vins wasn’t fast enough to heal completely and ended up in a state of paralyzation.
Raiden growled and stretched the spare energy into a long whip. It crackled with electricity, her eyes were red from pain and declared, “Abdul taught me this technique and I’ll use it to honour him!”
With a hop, Raiden lunged towards Vins, still shaken from the shock, “Lightning Whip!” The long string of electricity wrapped around Vin’s neck, electricity ran straight to her head.
In a catatonic state, Hanoi Rocks slowly dispersed into the air.
Just a little more, Thought Raiden as she tightened the whip, refusing to let go.
In a dying breath, Vins gasped, “No! This can’t be- Wes- My Wes!”, almost like smoke, she disappeared. After Vins’ collapse, Raiden dropped down to her knees and called back her stand, the adrenaline wore off. Raiden was now left clutching her sides.
Raiden’s breathing was erratic as she tried to keep herself up and conscious, she rasped, “A-Alicia, Berlin! T-the book...”
All thinking the same thing, the leather-bound book was torn with a satisfying rip. A white smoke engulfed the room.
“Berlin! M-My body, it’s coming back!”
“Alicia, now you won’t be the one to die in Cape York!”
As the world around Raiden started to blur, she remembered one thing, “The power to change fate is not a stand. Remember that.”
Using the last of her energy, Raiden let out a bitter smile, “Bye bye, take care!”
It was finally over, her job was done. Raiden was left collapsed under the library. She didn’t understand why things were the way they were but only one thing was sure, DIO is finally gone from Earth.
A nostalgic dream flickered in her head, it was of Abdul. The dream was so vivid, so full of life, so realistic that Raiden could—
“Your stand is Pharoah Sanders!”
What?