Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The year was 2012, only a few short months after the defeat of Enrico Pucci. A Speedwagon Foundation expedition was in place in Cape York, the site of a meteor impact from thousands of years ago, known to have been the source of Stand power. A recent discovery of the diary of DIO Brando, the Joestar family's most dangerous enemy, revealed he had visited the site at one point, where he felt an energy similar to his own. The exact details were unknown, as DIO was rather vague in his diary. Stand users are rare among humans. It's estimated that each country has about fifteen to twenty percent of its population be Stand users.

Hamon users are even rarer, only one in ten thousand humans can harness that power. So imagine how rare it is for a person to have both a Stand and Hamon. And two such people were approaching the impact site. One of them was a member of the Joestar family, George Joestar III, son of Joseph Joestar. Though born in 1959, he looked much younger thanks to his Hamon training. With him was his best friend, Gyro Zeppeli, the oldest of the Zeppeli siblings, born in 1945. In many ways, he blended the best of his parents, Caesar and Applejack. He too looked far younger than he should due to constant Hamon training. The two of them approached the site of the meteor impact.

"So this is where it all began," George noted.

Gyro nodded.

"Hard to believe a simple virus could produce such powers. Even powers as mighty as Smile, Gold Experience, or your nephew's Stand, Star Platinum."

George's Stand was called Tusk, and it came in four Acts. Act 1 simply gave him the power to launch his fingernails as projectiles. The nails could be charged with Hamon to cut through almost anything. A secondary effect prevented him from feeling pain when the nails shot off, and they could grow back within a second of firing. Act 2 altered the nails to become effective close-ranged attacks, letting him do slashing damage. Act 3 allowed the nails to create wormholes in whatever they hit, which he could reposition at will or teleport through. Finally, Act 4 allowed the Stand itself to physically attack, its power being similar to other close-range attack types.

Gyro's Stand was Ball Breaker, which had the ability to rapidly age whatever it touched, be it organic or otherwise. He mostly used it against non-living objects, but he did have the option to use it against a living target. While normally a close-range Stand, its effect could be extended by using special spheres it could create charged with Hamon energy. In essence, both Stands were practically designed to work with Hamon. Gyro was born with his Stand, but George got his thanks to DIO's curse.

"Hey," George said as they reached the epicenter of the impact site, "Take a look at this. Doesn't it feel like there's far too much life force coming from the direct center of the crater?"

"Yeah," Gyro agreed, "Almost feels like an entire civilization is around us."

He reached out his hand, and felt it disappear into a crack in space.

"Whoa!," he called out as he pulled his hand back, perfectly fine, "This wasn't here the last time someone examined this place."

George rubbed his chin.

"The last time anyone examined this place was before Second Impact. While it only barely affected the world at large, it did cast out some weird energies, which might have interacted with the virus brought by the meteor. Either way, it's worth investigating as thoroughly as possible. We may find the energy DIO wrote about."

The two nodded at each other before entering the strange crack, expecting a new bizarre adventure to being on the other side.

They weren't the only ones to arrive through the crack. Years earlier a group of thirteen friends had also entered the crack and found themselves inside a vast tomb. They were all former servants of DIO, but had decided to do their own thing after his death. It was only the sudden appearance of the crack following Second Impact that drew them together again. The leader of this group, known only as Momonga, explored the throne room, where several young maids, a butler, and a beautiful woman with horns and wings were kneeling. Over the last eleven years the friends had understood the purpose of the tomb.

The inhabitants had been there in suspended animation for hundreds of years, and would only be released in the presence of a large amount of Stand energy. And all thirteen friends were Stand users. In fact, Momonga was traveling with his Stand, Undead. Undead cut an imposing figure, that of a skeletal lich draped in magician's robes that had an almost royal look to them. Also in the room was Momonga's best friend, Touch Me. Touch Me was encased in his Stand, Neon Knights, a white suit of armor.

"Good to see you here, Momonga," Touch Me said, "I think I may be starting to understand what DIO was referring to. This world also has many Stand users. It's likely the virus somehow seeped into this reality. However, it seems we may not be the only ones aware of it. Special devices in the tomb meant to detect Stand energy picked up two more user suddenly appearing."

Momonga looked surprised.

"Who are these two? Someone from this world?"

"No, the energy is too strong for them to have awakened recently," Touch Me explained, "It seems someone else found the crack."

Momonga nodded.

"We've had eleven years to develop our community within this tomb. The guardians have full trust in us. I think it's about time we show ourselves to the world. Let's start with surrounding settlements. At the very least, they will have knowledge of larger cities that are nearby."

Meanwhile outside the crack, Rusty Dashell, also known as Shining Armor, observed the work being done on the seven Stand arrows. One was broken due to being hit with a bullet, but it still seemed to be as viable as ever. The Requiem arrow still has its shaft snapped.

"Keicho Nijimura feared the arrow would be useless if it was broken, but it seems nothing could be further from the truth."

He then noticed something. The damaged arrows seemed to be mending.

"What could this mean...?"

Clearly something bizarre was happening again.

Chapter Text

In the days when DIO was readying his rise to power, it wasn't out of the question for him to have his allies work in pairs. In Momonga's case, he always got paired up with Vanilla Ice, while Touch Me tended to get paired up with Johngalli A. It wasn't such a bad team-up. Undead could use darkness element to negate Vanilla Ice's Stand, Cream, by creating a counter-void so Momonga wouldn't get accidentally killed by Ice's rampages. Meanwhile Touch Me's Neon Knights was completely impervious to bullets, so he could easily stand in the line of fire from Johngalli and his Manhattan Transfer.

The real problem with Ice and Johngalli was their attitudes, always going on about DIO and extolling his virtues. It's not that either Momonga or Touch Me doubted DIO deserved to rule over all, he certainly had the power for it.

"It was always just a matter of taking it too far," Momonga said.

He sat up in his bed as he noted this. In bed with him was the succubus woman from the throne room, Albedo.

"The sensors are rather weak in detecting the energy you're looking for," she noted, "There was once a great power running through the land that could have made it easier, but it seems to have vanished."

"We'll have to research how to restore it," Momonga decided, "It'll be good to work on a project with people I actually like being around. Even if it's just a pet project. DIO has long been dead, and his ambitions with him. Yet here, I may have the chance to become something greater, yet more humble. No god... But perhaps a king."

The other twelve members of his circle saw him as their leader, and the beings of the tomb considered him to be a king. It would be interesting to be in charge for once, instead of being subservient to another.

Meanwhile, George and Gyro were exploring the world they had found themselves in. They managed to procure horses from a ruined village they had stumbled across not far from the mountain the crack opening up near. Using Hamon to supercharge the horses, the mounts were able to race for hours without tiring. The duo continued to find ruined town after ruined town until they found something new. A group of soldiers shifting through the ruins of a settlement. From the fact that they were helping survivors, George guessed they weren't responsible for what had happened.

What looked to be the leader of the soldiers, a rather large man with tanned skin and a full but short beard, spotted the duo.

"I don't recognize those clothes," he noted, "But those horses were left from one of the settlements we spotted destroyed. I take it you stumbled across it?"

George nodded.

"Yes. It got us concerned, so we borrowed these horses and rode out following the carnage. We've been at it for an hour."

"An hour?," one soldier asked, surprised, "It took us half a day to follow this. Is it some sort of Stand power?"

George looked surprised.

"You know what Stands are?"

The soldier nodded.

"Yes. This world has many Stand users, most of whom work as adventurers or have high-ranking positions in the military or even among the nobility."

He nodded to his leader, indicating he too had a Stand.

"Well, that simplifies a few things," George said, "But it's strange. Although I'm guessing the normal rules regarding Stands apply, it seems more people know what they are."

"We do have Stands," Gyro clarified, "But that's not what we used. We used a power called Hamon, which can amplify life force. Because of that, these horses could run for miles without need for food, water, or rest."

The leader nodded in understanding as the duo got off their horses.

"My name is Gazef Stronoff," the man said, "Warrior Captain of the kingdom of Re-Estize."

"I'm George Joestar III," George replied, "This is my best friend, Gyro Zeppeli."

Gyro tipped his hat in greeting. Gazef rubbed his chin.

"I don't think I've heard of either of those two families."

"No, you wouldn't have," Gyro said, "We entered this realm through a crack between dimensions. We came here to investigate a mysterious energy."

"Plenty of mysteries in this world," Gazef replied, "Biggest of them all is the loss of the Spirit Tracks, powerful energy conduits emitted by the oldest of Stands in this realm. This energy you seek might be connected to that problem."

He pointed to a strange sight in the distance behind them. The duo turned and saw a giant tower, but in pieces, the pieces floating vertically above the base.

"The Stand user is still alive," Gazef clarified, "But something is inhibiting his power. Because of it, the Spirit Tracks have been vanishing. The last of them connects to a settlement not far from here called Carne Village. We suspect that whoever has been attacking settlements recently will head there next. But there's no way we can get there in time."

George narrowed his eyes.

"Me and Gyro can. We'll go on ahead, try to protect the civilians and hold off whatever bandits are attacking until you show up."

Gazef nodded.

"Good luck, and be careful. These are no mere bandits that are attacking."

George and Gyro got back on their horses and charged their Hamon. The horses immediately raced off like they were bullets.

'I still can't shake the feeling that someone is watching us,' Gazef thought to himself, 'My own Stand has been twitching for some time.'

By the time the duo reached Carne Village, an attack was already happening. Soldiers with crests different from the ones led by Gazef were attacking indiscriminately. George growled before aiming with his index.

"Tusk, Act 1!"

A small pink creature with valentines attached to feelers extending from it appeared as George channeled Hamon into his nails, firing them off with his Stand's power, nailing several soldiers from the rate of fire, hitting them right through their armor. Gyro got closer as they got the soldiers' attention.

"Ball Breaker!"

A short green humanoid with spirals for ears appeared and generated a translucent sphere that Gyro started channeling his Hamon into. It launched the sphere at the nearest soldier, surprising him as his armor started to rust almost instantly.

"These people are Stand users!," one of the soldiers realized, "Inform the lieutenant!"

George launched himself off his horse in a sitting position, nearing the now armorless soldier as he aimed his hand in a claw formation, causing the nails to shoot off in a manner not unlike a shotgun, spearing the soldier effortlessly. Another soldier tried to swing his sword to attack, but George was ready.

"Tusk, Act 2!"

Tusk transformed into a larger form, with a more complete torso, actual arms, and a barrel-like appendage instead of legs. George's nails started spinning around his hand, acting like a gauntlet as he blocked incoming attack. He then punched at the soldier, his spinning nails acting like a shredder as he nailed the man's chin. Another soldier came in, but George rushed in an placed a hand on the soldier's armor.

"Metal Silver Overdrive!"

The soldier got a shock as he was stunned by the surge of Hamon channeled by his own armor. Another soldier tried to attack, but got stopped when Gyro extended his arm using Hamon.

"Zoom Punch!"

The soldier was knocked off his feet. With no other enemies, the remaining soldiers having left to report to their lieutenant, Gyro and George looked at the two villagers lying nearby, a man and a woman.

"The man's already gone," Gyro said sadly, "But the woman still has some life in her. Enough that we might be able to save her using our Hamon."

George nodded as he knelt down.

"Alright. Channel a negative Hamon charge through her flesh. That should repair it. I'll channel a positive charge through her blood to draw it back into her body. That way she won't be harmed by the Hamon."

Between the two of them the woman was soon breathing normally, her injuries completely healed.

"T... Thank you... But my daughters..."

"You and that man over there were the only ones we saw," George said.

The woman teared up at the sight of the man, who was her husband, but still looked relieved.

"They managed to escape. I hope they aren't in anymore danger. We don't even know why we're being attacked. We're just a simple village settlement, one of many that's been attacked in recent days."

"By now most of the carnage will have centered in the town square," Gyro noted, "We should head there and make sure no more innocent deaths occur."

George nodded, and they hurried off.

Meanwhile, two young girls, Enri and Nemu Emmot, were running from some more soldiers. Before the men got close, a large portal of darkness appeared right in front of them. Out of it stepped three people. Two of them were Momonga and Touch Me, the third was another of their group called Herohero.

"We caught wind of this horrendous attack through a viewing mirror," Momonga said, "To attack a village unprovoked for no practical reason... That is just despicable! Undead!"

The soldiers looked confused at first, since they couldn't see the massive skeletal mage that Momonga summoned. They soon learned what he was planning as electricity danced between his fingers. He pointed at one of them.

"Dragon Lightning!"

The mage copied the pointing motion before launching an electrical surge that was shaped like a serpentine dragon, striking down the first soldier. The second moved to attack, but Touch Me stood in his way.

"Neon Knights!"

In an instant, he was encased in his Stand, letting him easily tank the sword swing and counter with a strike of his own. A third soldier had a bow and arrow and aimed for the two girls. Herohero quickly stepped in the arrow's path.

"Chemical Romance!"

His body was shrunk down and replaced by a slime version of himself, catching the arrow in its mass before shooting out and crushing the soldier with a powerful extending blow. The girls looked in shock.

"You three are Stand users," Enri realized.

Momonga looked surprised.

"So even settlers know what Stands are. Yes, the three of us do possess Stands."

Albedo soon emerged from the portal in full plate armor.

"Lord Momonga, forgive me for taking so long."

She looked at the dead soldiers.

"It would seem I have taken too long. May I ask what your next task is?"

"Set up a defensive unit for these girls," Momonga said, "Then join me in the village. Doubtless there are more soldiers there."

Albedo nodded.

"As you wish."

"Excuse me," Enri said, before she and her sister knelt on the ground.

The three friends looked at her.

"Thank you for rescuing us," Enri said.

"Thank you," Nemu also said.

"May we... Ask your names?," Enri asked.

Momonga grinned.

"I am Momonga. This is Touch Me, and Herohero. We are three powerful Stand users of a clan called... Ainz Ooal Gown! Remember it well, for we are preparing to make ourselves known in this world. And protecting your village is just the first stop in our goals. But rest assured... We take this first step very seriously."

And with that, the three newly christened Lords walked off to the village.

"Tusk, Act 3!"

George unleashed his Stand again, now in a more humanoid and somewhat mechanical form, resembling a beetle in many respects. He and Gyro were now in the village square, fighting against the remaining soldiers. George fired one of his nails into the ground, repositioning the wormhole near his heart just as a nearby bowman loosed his arrow, letting the arrow pass harmlessly through the hole. Nearby was lieutenant of the soldiers, Belius, and his closest subordinate, Londes.

"Damn it...," Belius said, "We weren't actually prepared to fight a Stand user, just lure one out. And here we have two fighting against our forces. And decimating them, as one would expect."

"Did you see how the first one uses his nails as weapons?," Londes noted, "And the other one seems to be able to age anything he can see. He's already caused the armor of several soldiers to rust. But what's really odd... Is that golden energy they also exude. It's clearly not part of their Stand power, but seems to work well with it."

Just then, the sounds of more of his comrades screaming was heard. He turned to see Touch Me, charging in with his shield out like a battering ram. Herohero landed in front of him before shooting out his Stand in multiple directions like spear-tips. The ground beneath their feet rumbled before erupting into rubble, taking the soldiers with it. Momonga stepped out among the rubble, unaffected by his own spell. Londes grimaced.

"Just great... Now three more have shown up."

During the melee, Momonga managed to catch a glimpse of George and recognized the familiar birthmark.

'A Joestar... But I didn't come here to make them an enemy.'

He then noticed Londes charging headlong at him.

"Ball Breaker!"

The sight of Gyro's Stand caught his attention as it launched an attack that aged Londes's armor to rust. Momonga smirked as Londes soon realized something was wrong.

"Undead! Vacuum Blade!"

He swiped at the air as his Stand mimicking the motion, creating a blade from air pressure that bisected Londes in an instant. The soldier was dead in seconds.

"Where are you going!?," he heard Herohero call out.

He had spotted Belius running for it, and trapped him in his gelatinous form.

"Momonga, I think this one should live to answer some questions."

Momonga nodded, then turned to George and narrowed his eyes. George narrowed his in turn. While neither was sure if the other was an enemy, it was clear they both knew neither was working with these soldiers. But the tension was broken when the village chief approached.

"Excuse me. I wish to thank all of you for saving us. However, may I ask what you plan to do with us now?"

Momonga looked at the man and smirked.

"Well, my friends and I were hoping to learn more about this realm."

By the time Gazef and his troops arrived at Carne Village, finding relief that the village was still intact, Momonga and George had gotten to know the realm quite well. When they were invited to meet the newcomers, George smiled.

"Gazef! You missed the party!"

Gazef smirked.

"George! I thought you were gonna hold them off, not wipe them out!"

The two of them discussed what they had learned from interrogating Belius.

"So the Slane Theocracy made an attack disguising their soldiers as those from Baharuth," Gazef said as the group sat in the main hall, "I might have known."

"But why go to all the trouble?," Touch Me asked.

"I can think of one reason," Gazef admitted, "They were requested to dispose of me by the noble faction of Re-Estize. It's no secret they despise the fact that a common-born like myself rose through the ranks to become what is essentially a general in all but name in the Re-Estize military, and possesses a Stand strong enough to warrant a name. Such a thing is supposed to be unheard of among the lower classes."

"In our experience beyond this realm," Momonga said, "It's not one's class that determines Stand potential, but how willing they are to evolve. By that logic there are bound to be plenty among the common folk who possess Stand potential, and only need the right trigger to awaken it."

"Hey," Herohero said, "Looks like we got company outside. New soldiers, and these ones are more obviously from Slane."

Gazef frowned when he saw the sight of the troops, largely dressed like mages with a troop of humanoid winged creatures with literal porcelain skin.

"Just my luck," he said, "It's the Sunlight Scripture. Their leader, Nigun Grid Luin, has a powerful Stand called Within Temptation that creates and commands angels."

"It's still one Stand user versus six," Gyro noted, "How strong are the individual angels?"

"It varies," Gazef said, "The smaller Affinities we're seeing are barely stronger than the average soldier, though rumor has it he has access to a more powerful angel capable of destroying whole cities."

Momonga met with Albedo outside the hall.

"Send forces to the surrounding fields. We'll be dealing with Nigun and his scripture, and I want our forces ready to capture any stragglers that try to escape."

Albedo nodded.

"Of course."

"So," George said as he approached, "We're going to war then."

"A bit of an exaggeration," Momonga pointed out, "But take a look at their formation. They clearly intend to attack the village. And we just got done saving it. I think you can appreciate how insulting that is to me."

As the village finished burying their dead, and Enri and Nemu reunited with their mother Marian, the six warriors headed out to face the Sunlight Scripture. Albedo went them, wanting to see more of her Lords in action, especially Momonga. Nigun was a little surprised at the sight he saw.

"Well, Gazef, I expected you to finally step in the trap. But I wasn't expecting a few more mice to take the cheese."

"Cheese doesn't suit a mouse's taste," Gyro quipped.

George raised an eyebrow.

"Wait a minute... I get that you were hunting down Gazef. But were you really destroying whole villages just to get that done?"

"He's a personal bodyguard to the king of Re-Estize," Nigun pointed out, "Drawing him out isn't as easy as it sounds. But we knew he'd come running for his fellow commoners."

George sighed as he put his hands on his hips.

"I'm starting to understand Robert EO Speedwagon's beef with guys like you."

Nigun smirked.

"I don't know who you speak of, but you'll soon learn just how superior we are. Affinities! Attack!"

The angels descended to attack with their blade-tipped staves. Momonga smirked.

"Undead! Hellfire!"

A blaze emerged from his Stand's fingertip, engulfing the angels and incinerating them.

"Neon Knights!"

Touch Me donned his armor before slashing through several Affinities.

"Tusk, Act 1!"

George fired his nails off at rapid speed, easily striking through several angels. The ones that were killed quickly faded to dust. Nigun growled at how easily his angels were being dispatched.

"Within Temptation! Come forth, Fairness!"

The crystal glowed before conjuring a four-legged angel that looked to be a cross between a dog and dragon. Gazef just smirked.

"It may be stronger, but when it's one-on-one I can handle it easily. Dawn of Battle!"

Brilliant light engulfed Gazef. When it subsided, he was encased in a brilliant bronze armor, though it kept the familiar X-shaped sigil from his regular armor. The Fairness launched a fireball at Gazef, who grinned as he easily tanked the burst of flame.

"Not enough. Dawn of Battle prevents burning, and my body can regenerate while my Stand is active."

He rushed forward at unthinkable speed, before slashing his sword right through the angel, cleaving it in two easily.

"I can also cut through any defense, and possess endless stamina thanks to my Stand's power."

Nigun was getting irate.

"Soldiers! Make ready to attack! I'll use my strongest angel to finish these fools here and now! Within Temptation! Come forth, Glamor!"

At once, a giant serpent with bird wings and a marbled image of a human face near its torso appeared from a summoning circle. The giant creature launched a massive beam of energy. George grinned.

"My Stand's not the only thing at my disposal."

He drew out a few strands from his hair.

"A little trick from my dad! Hamon Hair Attack!"

He channeled Hamon through the follicles, creating a wide barrier that easily deflected the beam.

"Nice work," Momonga said, "You Joestars certainly know how to pull off the impossible. As for this angel... It's powerful, but I have a perfect attack for such dangerous beings. An attack so deadly even DIO feared it. Undead! Black Hole!"

His Stand pointed, and a singularity void appeared in front of the Glamor, expanding only slight as it sucked in the giant angel with little effort before dissipating. Nigun was left dumbstruck.

"My... My strongest angel... How...?"

The other soldiers were reluctant to attack at this point, as George drew close.

"You've been attacking villages just to draw one man out. One man who, as far as I can tell, deserves everything he got in life. Know this... A Joestar does not forgive such evil."

He narrowed his eyes.

"Tusk... Act 4!"

Tusk appeared, now looking complete with a full body, it's head mounted on its broad chest. Nigun gasped as the Stand made its attack.

"ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA!"

Nigun beaten to a bloody mess, but still alive.

Later, Momonga and his friends returned to the village.

"Momonga," Albedo said, "Was it alright to let those three take custody of Nigun?"

"It'll be fine," Momonga assured her, "We have other plans to make. Gazef extended an invite to Re-Estize. We'll take him up on that, but we won't immediately approach the palace. Instead we'll gather information from the lower parts of the city. Our search for the strange energy similar to DIO begins now."

Meanwhile Gazef and his troops were heading back to Re-Estize, George and Gyro with them. The two horses they had found seemed to have imprinted on the duo, and Gazef mentioned the horses were now theirs by right. Gyro named his Valkyrie, while George decided to call his Slow Dancer. Nigun was being dragged along on a mule offered by the village.

"How will you keep him contained to interrogate him?," George asked.

Gazef held out Nigun's Stand.

"It seems its nature makes it a tangible object, and Nigun can't access it while he doesn't have it."

George nodded.

"We still need to find a way to get to that tower. If it holds the means of finding the energy we seek..."

"There is one person who might be able to help with that," Gazef said, "She's a member of the royal family, and thus has permission to access the tower. Her name is Stella Lux Iumen Ryle Vaiself, eldest daughter of the king. Everyone who knows her calls her Starlight Glimmer. She is also a Stand user. If anyone could help you solve the mystery of what happened with the tower, she could."

Chapter Text

"So this is it," Momonga said, as he approached the gates of E-Rantel, a border town on the edge of Re-Estize.

With him was Nishikienrai, another of his clan, and Narberal Gamma, a doppelganger and spellcaster who acted as a guardian maid within the tomb. Narberal was going under the pseudonym Nabe, and had a traveler's outfit instead of her normal maid regalia. Momonga and Nishikienrai didn't have to worry, since they were relatively unknown and had plenty of traveling clothes thanks to their time with DIO.

"The writing seems similar to Sanskrit," Nishikienrai noted, "Our research shows the translation is identical. It's a good thing we've been here for so long. So what's our first move while we're here?"

"We need to get the buzz from the local populace," Momonga explained, "And that means local taverns and guild halls. In particular, we should get adventuring jobs for those of our group with more combat-oriented Stands and work our way up the ranks."

As they walked into a nearby tavern, they bumped into a woman dressed in leather armor.

"Jeez, watch it!," she called out, "You made me drop my-- Huh?"

She noticed the potion bottle she dropped had wound up back in her hand.

"Sorry about that," Nishikienrai said, "We weren't paying attention."

The woman blinked in realization.

"You people are Stand users."

"Not me," Narberal said, "I am a simple spellcaster. But my partners Momon and Nishi do have Stands."

A dark ninja with chains appeared by Nishikienrai. It was his Stand, Turning Japanese. This Stand gave him skills equal to any ninja, at least ones found in media. He had used his Stand to move at speeds the human eye couldn't track, letting him grab the potion before it hit the ground.

"Thanks for saving my potion," the woman said, "At only an Iron Rank's salary it's difficult to afford the more high-end potions. I'm Brita, by the way."

"You seem to be able to see my Stand," Nishikienrai noted, "Do you also have a Stand?"

"I'd say almost every adventurer does," Brita said, "But mine's a very basic one. Fly on the Wall, that's my Stand, can only let me keep track of any possible enemies when I'm fighting. Good news is I don't really need to start the fight personally, or see an enemy to tag them with my Stand. As soon as someone tries to attack me, my Stand goes off. It's like an early warning radar, so while it's nothing special as far as Stands go, it's far from useless. So, you three are looking to join the guild? No better time to."

"Why do you say that?," Narberal asked.

"Lately the Princess Starlight Glimmer has been asking for strong or capable adventurers to partake in searching the remains of the tower that used to be the source of the Spirit Tracks," Brita explained, "A few years ago they started disappearing, the only evidence of where they were being a strange demon train. That train is likely a Stand of some kind, since those who lack a Stand can't see it."

"Have you seen it?," Momonga asked.

Brita nodded.

"Yes, a few times. It looked black as iron and armed like a fortress, a large demonic visage on the front of the engine."

Momonga and Nishikienrai looked at each other. This certainly bore investigating.

Meanwhile at the palace in Re-Estize, two large men were meeting. One was Marquis Boullope, leader of the Six Great Nobles. With him was the crown prince, Barbro Andrean Ierudo Ryle Vaiself.

"The capture of Nigun puts a wrench in our plans," Boullope noted, "We can't have him released without showing our hand too early. Nor can we have him deported back to the Slane Theocracy. By now they've already given up on him, and will likely execute him for failure."

"We'll find some use for him," Barbro assured his old friend, "His Stand is very potent, after all. I'm more concerned about the five additional Stand users that appeared from nowhere. Tell me, Boullope, when did the glorious power of Stands, that power offered by the gods themselves, fall into the hands of commoners so easily?"

"We don't know enough about these five to assume they are commoners," Boullope pointed out, "For instance, Gazef noted one of them mentioned he was third of his name. That is not a practice commoners take."

Barbro rubbed his chin.

"I suppose it is early to make assumptions about them. But I can't help think they might become obstacles in our plan, and experience has taught me that the lower class always tends to stand in the way of the elite on their way to greatness."

His body glowed with the energy of his own Stand.

"The last of the Spirit Tracks have just vanished thanks to our machinations. Now we can unite this realm according to our ways, rather than that old fool's."

George and Gyro were escorted to the room of Starlight Glimmer, the Second Princess of Re-Estize.

"Your Majesty," Gazef said with bow.

"Ah, I was told you returned," Starlight said as she stood up.

George couldn't help but be awed by her beauty, especially her flowing indigo hair. His eyes were drawn to her small earrings, shaped like a six-pointed star.

"These two assisted me in stopping the attacks on the settlements," Gazef explained, "And now they wish to learn the secrets behind the tower."

Starlight nodded.

"If they could help you escape an obvious trap, they must be skilled."

She approached the duo.

"Your assistance would be most welcomed. It has not been easy getting support to investigate the tower and discover the reason behind the disappearance of the Spirit Tracks, since I am not only a woman but an illegitimate child besides."

George chuckled.

"You and my younger brother Josuke would get along great."

He still remembered when he and Holly learned about their younger brother. Unlike the rest of the family, they were eager to meet him, but George's nephew Jotaro insisted it would be too much family too soon. Starlight giggled.

"I'm glad you can understand my position. Fortunately, since I am still the daughter of the king by blood I do have some political clout, enough to rally strong or capable adventurers to aid me. I've been informed that the last of the Spirit Tracks has just disappeared, so time is of the essence. We'll be leaving for the tower at the end of the day. Gazef, I'd like you to come as well."

Gazef saluted.

"If Your Highness commands, though I fear for your father's safety in my absence."

Starlight chuckled as she shook her head.

"Father's not going anywhere anytime soon. The Noble Faction isn't stupid enough to try political assassination, and despite his obvious age his health isn't fading. He's at least strong enough to walk about the castle without aid. My concern is for the kingdom at large. The Spirit Tracks are what united us, so I want to know why they have suddenly been disappearing. And if there is danger, it's best to have all the help we can muster. Understood?"

"Of course," Gazef said.

Gyro smirked.

"Our fair princess knows how to get work done, right George?"

He noticed George was still staring at Starlight and waved a hand in front of his friend's eyes.

Chapter Text

Several carriages traveled out to where the tower was located.

"The base we are seeing is the true physical form of the Stand," Starlight clarified, "The rest is all forged from its power. I'm sure the Stand user will tell you more when we get inside."

"And who is the Stand user?," George asked.

"No one alive remembers his name," Gazef replied, "We only refer to him as the Ancient One, because he has somehow lived for almost 50,000 years, and his Stand is just as old."

"That coincides with the time of the meteor impact at Cape York," Gyro realized.

"I'm guessing the place you refer to is where our realms converge," Starlight noted, "But your timeline is accurate. From all knowledge on the subject, it's very likely the Ancient One may be the first Stand user to have ever existed."

The carriages stopped outside the tower as Starlight emerged to greet the adventurers. She then noticed four she didn't recognize.

"Excuse me," she said to the obvious leader of the group, a young swordsman with blonde hair, "I don't think I recognize your group."

"Ah," the man said, "Sorry, we're actually a group of workers from Baharuth. We were in Re-Estize for a bit when we heard about this job and thought it might be easy money. Name's Hekkeran Termite."

A half-elf woman stepped forward.

"I'm Imina."

An armored priest nodded.

"Roberdyck Goltron."

A young female caster also approached.

"And I'm Arche Eeb Rile Furt."

Starlight grinned.

"Well, we're already here, so no point in having you turn back. But I'll have you keep close to me. That way I can keep you strong with the power of my Stand."

She turned around, and George realized her dress had no back, leaving a tattoo completely exposed. The design and markings reminded George and Gyro of the Chinese concept of wu xing, or the five basic elements.

"This is my Stand," Starlight explained, "Dove and Grenade. With it I can control the concepts of earth, fire, water, wood, and metal to either enhance or destroy, hence the name."

Inside the tower the group first noticed a large train centered on a rotary platform.

"What is this?," Gazef asked.

"That, my friend," came a voice whose tone suggested great age, "Was the Stand of my younger brother."

The group turned to see an elderly gentleman standing there. His body still looked to be in his prime, but his face, beard, and white hair showed he was quite old.

"You must be the Ancient One," Gyro surmised.

"That is the name I go by these days," the Ancient One confirmed, "After so many millennia, even I have forgotten what my real name was."

"Then this is your Stand we're in right now," George said.

"Ah, so you know of Stands then," the Ancient One replied, "It's a very powerful Stand, in spite of being completely useless for fighting. It is not a power meant to bring harm, or to curse others. It cannot heal, or cause anger, or even manipulate any facet of reality. What my Stand, Down at the Station, is meant to do... Is unite a realm."

The words he spoke actually brought awe to all those present.

"The power... To unite a realm...," Gazef muttered softly.

"But how does that work?," Hekkeran asked.

"Simply put," the Ancient One explained, "Down at the Station extends the Spirit Tracks across the land. The tracks are made from Stand energy, but that energy is so powerful even non-Stand users can see it. Then any train can use the tracks, and even this very station, to move about the realm. The gratitude that comes with that unity travels back here, and makes the tracks more intricate. Eventually it gets to the point where a whole tower is needed just to keep track of all the trains coming and going."

"But what happened then?," Gyro asked.

The Ancient One sighed.

"A mysterious cabal forced its way into the tower using a deadly Stand that resembled a demonic train. They filled the upper floors of the tower with monsters, scattered my old station attendants, and caused the tower to come apart. This caused the Spirit Tracks to start to fade. They worked to break up the unity I had cultivated over centuries, just to weaken my defenses. But my actual Stand is not so easy to destroy. Normally I would have the means to repair the tracks, but the monsters are still on the upper levels. And as strong as I am, I am also old and outnumbered."

"That's why I came here with help," Starlight said, "How do we undo this?"

The Ancient One smirked.

"I see. Yes, with more Stand users it should be easy. We must travel to the upper floor of the station. There we'll find a rail map forged by my Stand. It will restore some of the tracks, enough that they can start to be rebuilt."

He started walking up the stairs in the station, followed by several people, including George, Gazef, Starlight, and Gyro. As it happened, Momonga and his team were also there.

"Interesting," Nishikienrai said, "If this Stand can truly unite a realm, then it's in our best interest to see the Spirit Tracks restored."

Momonga nodded.

"We can make use of the unity created by this Stand to build a small power base within this realm as we seek the source of the mysterious energy."

The three teammates traveled with the others to the upper floor. While up there, they discovered a group of metal armors.

"Strange," George said, "They all look identical."

"The one who summoned them could only conjure a few different types," the Ancient One explained, "But then their leader used a power that seemed to replicate them endlessly."

Many of the lesser adventurers seemed concerned, but Starlight smiled.

"Dove and Grenade! Creation, wood feeds fire, fire creates earth, earth bears metal, metal collects water, water grows wood!"

The outer circle of her Stand glowed as she chanted. The adventurers gasped as their weapons, various swords and staves, glowed with energy. A strong warmth emerged from within them, encouraging them. The very ground beneath them seemed to give them strength. Several armors approached to attack. Gazef made the first offensive.

"Dawn of Battle!"

He clashed blades with one armor briefly before cleaving it in two. Gyro launched his own Stand's power.

"Ball Breaker!"

The sphere of energy hit another armor, reducing it to dust in seconds as rust overcame its form. He then blocked another blade with his Hamon.

"Metal Silver Overdrive!"

Energy coursed through the armor, disrupting the magic that fed its life force and causing it to become a useless pile of scrap on the ground. George used his own Stand to block and cut through the armor creatures, while Starlight focused energy in her hand.

"Destruction, wood parts earth, earth dams water, water douses fire, fire melts metal, metal chops wood!"

The star within the circle of her tattoo glowed as she launched a sphere of elemental energy that spread out after hitting one armor to destroy several more.

Before long the horde was wiped out, letting the group reach a large chamber. The Ancient One approached a stone tablet on a pedestal in the center of the room.

"This is where it all starts. This rail map will energize my Stand's effect, allowing the Spirit Tracks to begin spreading. Now... Down at the Station!"

The tablet glowed before turning into a ball of light that raced through the halls and back to the main station. Down below, the Ancient One looked at the map.

"It's already connecting several former stations," he noted, "Good. One last detail."

"Wait," Hekkeran said, "What about the rest of the map?"

"It's pieces lie on the upper floors of the tower," the Ancient One replied, "But we cannot access them until they are connected to four special magical wells, which help feed magic through the line and allow trains to run without need for fuel. This is not entirely the power of my Stand, just a side-effect of its abilities. That is why the tower became disconnected, because its functions became temporarily obsolete."

He pointed to the large train.

"But that train, my brother's Stand, is the exception. With it we can restore the full power of the Spirit tracks."

"And where is your brother?," Gazef asked.

The Ancient One sighed.

"He's long been dead. However... This Stand has a unique property to it. It somehow merged with ore from the stone that creates Stand power, and thus can continue to exist without him. Every time its user dies, it waits patiently for the next one, a person with Stand potential but no Stand."

He then eyed Hekkeran.

"But you... You were drawn here somehow. Most of the group here came from Re-Estize, but you appear to be from Baharuth. I wonder... Why not try it out for yourself?"

Hekkeran, encouraged by his teammates, entered the train. Instantly, the train came to life, various functions activating.

"As I thought!," the Ancient One said excitedly, "Once again, Ticket to Ride makes ready for the line!"

Hekkeran smiled in excitement as him team boarded as well, Imina hugging him in delight.

"We'll be sure to make use of this gift you gave us," Starlight said.

She, George, Gyro, and Gazef got on as well. The other adventurers chose to remain behind, ready for when the next level of the tower connected. Or at least most of them did, as Momonga and his team left while no one was looking.

"We'll return to E-Rantel for now," Momonga noted, "Our adventures lie elsewhere, but I get the feeling we'll be running into those four several more times as we try to find out who this mysterious cabal is. They are certain to be a great obstacle."

Chapter Text

"Hey did you hear?," came the scuttlebutt around the guild hall, "Some of the Spirit Tracks started reappearing."

"That's good news. Maybe they just needed to do some maintenance on the tower."

"Nah, the tower is made from Stand energy. It's supposed to be indestructible. I doubt it would suffer from wear and tear."

"They sure seem excited," Narberal noted.

"Naturally," Momonga replied, "After all, taking a train to their home settlements is more convenient than a long horse or carriage ride."

"Our main concern should be finding a new job," Peroroncino noted.

He had joined the group after they returned to E-Rantel.

"Hey there," came the cheerful voice of a young man.

The group looked to see another troupe of adventurers.

"You must be the new guys," the man who spoke earlier said, "My name's Peter Mork, and this is my team, the Swords of Darkness."

A smarmy blonde male archer grinned.

"Name's Lukeluther Volve."

A young spellcaster, who Peroroncino recognized as a girl but for some reason was dressed as a man, spoke up.

"I'm Ninya."

Finally there was a heavyset male druid.

"And I'm Dyne Woodwonder."

Peter nodded.

"We were actually in the middle of accepting an escort mission, but monster patrols have been stronger along the path, so we felt that we need some more help. You guys look pretty strong, and you're obviously Stand users like we are."

Momonga nodded.

"Sounds like a good chance to get to know the local area. But why an escort? I've been hearing that the Spirit Tracks are slowly returning."

"Slowly being the operative word there," Dyne pointed out, "Plus even with the Spirit Tracks coming back, until the magic that runs through them is restored, trains can't run as efficiently as they used to. So escort missions are still viable for the time being."

Nishikienrai nodded.

"Fair enough. So what's the job?"

A young blonde man with heavy bangs walked up.

"This is Nfirea Bareare," Peter explained, "He's a potent magic caster and alchemist. His grandmother owns the most prominent potion shop in the kingdom. But right now he has to take a delivery to Carne Village, which is still recovering after the recent attacks."

"I have a friend there that I want to make sure is alright," Nfirea explained, "But the path has become dangerous as of late."

Momonga nodded.

"I see. I'm familiar with Carne Village. We'll gladly accept the mission."

Meanwhile, the Joestar Team had visited the settlement of Whittleton, a logging community. Mercifully it had completely avoided the attacks from Slane, though it likely would have been right in their sights had Nigun's forces not been stopped at Carne Village. The chief of Whittleton directed the group to a small sanctuary that was meant to be charged so as to energize the Spirit Tracks. Once they reached the location, Arche was able to energize the shrine with her magic.

"Looks like it worked," Hekkeran said when he checked the map inside Ticket to Ride, "The tracks have extended to a nearby temple."

"That temple likely holds one of the magic wells needed to energize the Spirit Tracks," George noted, "But in all likelihood, whoever attacked the main station targeted the temple as well. There's bound to be plenty of enemies. Not to mention at least one Stand user."

"And a powerful one at that," Gyro noted.

"If you can drive them out of the temple," Hekkeran said, "I can finish them off. Ticket to Ride has plenty of firepower. And I don't need to be inside my Stand to use them."

Meanwhile, the two adventuring teams had run into trouble as a group of ogres accosted them. Narberal had no Stand of her own, but she did have powerful magic abilities. The others made good use of their Stands.

"Undead!"

Momonga launched a barrage of elemental strikes.

"Turning Japanese!"

Nishikienrai sliced through most of the horde faster than blinking.

"Black Crow!"

Peroroncino summoned his own Stand, a bird man with tan skin and two sets of wings. The birdman Stand conjured a giant tornado from its fists that blew away several ogres. Peter smirked.

"There's no way we're getting left behind! Metheny Group!"

Three copies of Peter instantly appeared, each copying his sword strikes as he slashed through a group of ogres using his Stand's power. Lukeluther pushed his hair back.

"My turn. Roundabout!"

He took aim and fired at several ogres. The arrows instantly grew in size, turning black as they did. They seemed to seek out their targets, freezing them once they were hit.

"You're up Ninya!," Lukeluther called out.

Ninya nodded.

"Jodeci!"

Around the frozen ogres, uniform glass shards appearing, spearing the ogres in short order. Dyne flexed his muscles as the last of the Ogres approached.

"Savage Garden!"

The grass around the charging ogres started to grow exponentially and wrap around their legs to trap them, letting Dyne finish them off with his gauntlets.

"That should wrap it up," Momonga said, "But the sun is setting. We should make camp for the night."

"You guys are pretty strong," Peter noted, "What are you doing adventuring, anyway?"

"I guess you could say it's a way to gather information," Peroroncino replied.

He was going by the nickname "Peron" for the purpose of the team.

"We wound up in this realm through unknown means and were cut off from the outside world for a while," Nishikienrai explained, "So for now we're just soaking up info."

He looked to the other group.

"What about you guys?"

"We have various reasons," Peter replied, "Our primary one is to live up to the legacy of a legendary hero who helped our realm a hundred years ago. A man by the name of Jonathan Joestar."

Momonga raised an eyebrow. He didn't know how the old enemy of his former employer wound up in this world, but it would bear investigating.

"Each of us also has individual reason," Peter noted, "Like Ninya who wants to find her sister. And Lukeluther..."

Lukeluther was busy trying to sweet talk Narberal. She smirked at his attempts.

"Look, don't get me wrong," she said, "You're very attractive, like a beetle with a shiny carapace. But I prefer to get to know a man before I decided whether or not I'll let him in my skirt."

Lukeluther blushed.

"It's not like I was trying that right away! I respect women too much to try that!"

"Then you're already much better than most men who lay eyes on me," Narberal admitted.

That got the group laughing.

The next day, they finally reached Carne Village. But something was different from last time.

"Hey," Peroroncino said, "Was that big fence here last time?"

"No, it wasn't," Momonga noted.

Just then, several green-skinned humanoid creatures wearing light armor and wielding small arms appeared from the tall grass, eyeing the group warily.

"Goblins," Dyne noted, "As long as we make no sudden movements they won't attack. They're trying to decide whether we're a threat or not."

"But what are goblins doing at the village?," Nfirea asked.

"What's going here?," came Enri's voice as she approached.

"Oh, hey boss," said the lead goblin in a friendly tone, "We just saw spotted some newcomers and got a little wary, that's all."

Enri noticed Nfirea and smiled.

"Oh, Enfy. It's okay Jugem, this is a friend of mine. The others were likely escorting him."

The leader, Jugem apparently, nodded. The villagers also recognized Momonga and welcomed him back.

"So you called these goblins?," Momonga asked.

"It's part of a latent Stand that I have yet to fully awaken," Enri explained, "Ever since I was a little girl I've been able to command aid from goblins. Jugem and his troop heard my pleas for help defending the village when it was clear we couldn't survive if a second attack occurred."

"Ever since we've been helping around the village," Jugem said, "Hunting in the woods, building up the defenses, and training the men-folk to fight."

"It's not uncommon for goblins and humans to live side-by-side," Dyne noted, "Out of all the demi-human species, goblins are the friendliest to humans."

Momonga nodded.

"It'll be good for this village to have defenders until the full power of the Spirit Tracks is restored."

He noticed a station just outside the wall that indicated the town already was connected.

'I wonder if George and his team will come here eventually. Well, for the time being we're heading down different paths, so it might be a while before I see him again.'

Chapter Text

"This is supposed to be the place," Momonga said.

His group had traveled all the way to the ancient temple, dedicate to the spirits of the forest, to solve a crisis the people of Carne Village were concerned with. The Wise King of the Forest, a mysterious beast that kept dangerous monsters away from the village, had gone missing.

"Hey, look," Peroroncino said, "That's the same train from Down at the Station. That means George and his team are here somewhere."

"The legendary train," Ninya said in awe, "Legend says that it chooses its conductor at will."

"The legends aren't completely unfounded," Nishikienrai said, "The train is in fact a Stand, and one of its abilities is to accept a new user when its old one dies. The current user is a worker from Baharuth named Hekkeran."

"What took you guys?," came the familiar voice of George.

The group turned to see him on a balcony above the platform, the rest of his team with him.

"We were just about to explore the temple," Gazef said, "Somewhere inside is a magic well that will channel much-needed energy through the Spirit Tracks."

"We're here looking for a wayward forest spirit," Momonga replied, "Our search led us here."

Gyro looked at the four newcomers.

"Friends of yours?"

"We took a job together," Nishikienrai explained.

After full introductions were made, the group started heading through the temple.

Inside were numerous monsters, guarding a winding dungeon gauntlet. It wasn't long before they reached a large room. Within was nothing more than a giant hamster, one with an unusually long and reptilian tail. The creature didn't seem to use this tail very much, however, instead merely charging and trying to run down the crew.

"Something's wrong with its eyes," Narberal noticed, "They're glassed over. I think someone is controlling this beast."

Arche landed after jumping out of the way of one charge.

"I possess a talent that lets me see magic potential and Stand power. Let me see if I can detect something on this creature."

Her eyes began to glow.

"This creature has a Stand of its own but I don't think it's using it."

"Stands are tied to the soul of the Stand user," George noted, "So controlling their body using outside forces won't let you control their Stand. Whoever's doing this either doesn't realize that fact, or doesn't know this hamster is a Stand user."

"There's definitely signs that something is controlling this poor beast," Arche said.

Gyro stood in front of the hamster.

"Then let's see if we can't negate that! Hamon Hypnosis!"

He charged his Hamon through his fingertips and placed them near the hamster's head. The effect was instant, the creature stopped trying to attack and looked around in confusion.

"Where have I found myself?," it said in a high-pitched voice.

"It speaks," Momonga noted, "So it's intelligent. Hamster, do you go by some name?"

"Name?," the hamster replied, "To those in the forest I am known as the Beast of the South. To the humans in the nearby village I am called the Wise King of the Forest. But mere titles, these are. I do not have a true name."

"Then perhaps we can give you a name," Momonga offered.

The hamster nodded.

"Yes, please. And perhaps some knowledge as to how I wound up here. The last thing I remember is an old human. She uttered a phrase that caused this king to fall asleep. Then I awoke within this temple. I recognize the feel of it. The ancient Forest Temple, it is."

Momonga thought for a moment, then came up with something.

"Why don't we name you... Hamsuke?"

The hamster regarded the name.

"Yes, that does sound pleasant. Then I shall henceforth be known as Hamsuke."

"What about your Stand?," George asked, "Does it have a name?"

Hamsuke flexed its tail.

"My Stand does indeed have its own name. I refer to it as Tiger by the Tail. A mere prehensile tail, it is, but it is both strong and fast."

Hamsuke demonstrated by smashing a few large insects that decided to attack.

"And for the record, Hamsuke is a female, so please to do not refer to me as 'it'."

George chuckled.

"My niece-in-law would have a field day with her."

The growing group made their way through the temple, noticing large purple clouds that made Hamsuke's fur rustle.

"My instincts are telling me those clouds are dangerous..."

"Poison perhaps," Momonga suggested, "Likely a natural defense of the temple, now turned against us."

"Leave the cleanup to me," Peroroncino offering, "Black Crow!"

A large gust of wind from his Stand cleared the clouds easily, eventually revealing a small pedestal. Arche examined the pedestal.

"This seems to be a major source of the magic flow from the temple through the Spirit Tracks, but it's not active right now. I've felt it since we entered. The magic of the temple has been drained somehow."

"That bodes ill," Hamsuke noted, "If there is someone able to drain the temple of its magic, they are likely a fearsome and deadly foe. This one suggests caution."

George searched out with his Hamon.

"There is one other living being on the same floor as us, but behind a few walls, in a chamber we can't get to from here. We'll have to press on."

The group soon made their way to the chamber in question. Waiting for them was a figure in a black cloak. A sign of short-blonde hair could be seen, as well as armored leggings peeking from underneath. The subtle bulging near the chest of the figure told the group that this was a woman.

"You'd better have more than leggings on," Starlight noted, "Otherwise that's rather indecent. Assuming you're not some prostitute hoping to seduce us."

The figure smiled.

"Seduce?," she said, her voice confirming she was a woman, "I had considered that, but then I thought it would be so much more fun to torture."

She threw her cloak off, revealing her full figure. The armor she wore was somewhat revealing, showing her naval and a decent amount of cleavage, but was otherwise seen as sensible. Lukeluther grimaced.

"I've heard of this woman. It's the infamous Adventurer Killer, Clementine. They say her armor is lined with the plates of every adventurer she's ever killed."

"It's mostly Copper Plates," Momonga noted, "I think I can gauge your relative strength from that."

Clementine chuckled.

"Clever aren't we? You know, me and my boss had another job we were planning on pulling off, but we were hired for this little gig. Apparently, the one behind the demon train doesn't want people snooping around this old temple. Well, I couldn't care less. Personally, I never bothered leaving the capital, so what do I care what happened with the Spirit Tracks? But... A job's a job."

She grinned maliciously.

"And I just love my job."

She suddenly dashed at speeds so fast, the only reason George was able to counter was because of his Hamon. Clementine looked shocked at this.

"You tracked me!?"

"Your speed can't disguise your life force," he said cryptically, before launching his Stand power into Clementine's exposed stomach, causing her to wince.

She dug out the sharp implement and blinked in shock.

"Fingernails...?"

She then saw the small imp floating around George and grinned.

"I see... Well, as it happens I have a Stand too..."

Her eyes turned solid black.

"Throat Full of Glass!"

George suddenly found himself coughing up blood, and he quickly jabbed himself with a Hamon healing technique.

"That Stand power... I took damage but felt no pain."

Clementine smirked, but then screamed out as shards of glass cut through her exposed flesh. Ninya smirked, having used her Stand to attack.

"When you stand still your vulnerabilities are obvious."

Behind Momonga, a black portal appeared. A middle-aged man, Momonga's friend Amanomahitotsu, stepped out of it.

"Momonga. I've finished it."

Momonga grinned. Amanomahitotsu was speaking of something created by his Stand, Sabaton, a giant crab-like humanoid. The Stand tossed a couple of giant broadswords colored black, which Momonga caught easily. Clementine spat out a little blood.

"Fine... You're next!"

Lukeluther decided otherwise as he took aim.

"Roundabout!"

Clementine at first changed direction to avoid the arrows, but gasped when they continued to turn and move to track her. Her speed finally started to fail her as the Stand hit home, freezing her in place. Momonga chuckled as he approached.

"I'm sure you'd be a significant threat in a world without Stands," he noted, "But here, you're more what we'd call a jobber."

To demonstrate what he meant, he swung his blade, easily cleaving Clementine in two. She was still mostly alive, and tried one more attack.

"T-Throat--"

"Jodeci!"

Ninya proved faster, impaling Clementine's head with a giant shard of glass, cutting her off and ending her terror forever. Ninya stretched out a little.

"That felt cathartic. Clementine's killed several of our friends back at the guild. Glad to finally have her shut up once and for all."

"There's still the matter of her boss," Nishikienrai noted, "Perhaps he can elaborate on their intentions before being tasked with guarding the temple."

"If he is anywhere within these walls," Starlight noted, "It's likely the level above, just before the temple's shrine. And if Clementine had a Stand, he likely will as well."

The group spotted an old man in a black cloak and holding a staff like a walking stick, the disappointment evident on his face.

"So you defeated Clementine. That will set my plans back quite a bit. She was an old friend of mine, you see, and a talented hired muscle for my cult. Taking that alchemist will be much harder now."

"Harder still when we take you out next," Hekkeran bragged, "You're a necromancer, right? Well our two friends here..."

He indicted George and Gyro.

"Have powers custom made for dealing with monsters and undead."

The necromancer chuckled.

"Is that so? Well even if that is the case, numbers may prove the better factor in this case. Ah, but I should introduce myself. I am Khajiit Dale Badantel. And this..."

A small bone dragon about the size of a human appeared.

"Is my Stand, Day of the Dead. Its power is meant to be the catalyst for my plans, but in the meantime it should prove efficient for dealing with you."

The Stand opened a container on its chest, causing various skeletons to emerge.

"Not good," Peter said, "Looks like he's taken a trip to the Katze Plains, home to numerous undead."

"A necessary stop," Khajiit replied, "There are so few corpses to work with here in the Forest Temple. Fortunately, Day of the Dead can contain undead beings within itself to transport elsewhere. Now go, Day of the Dead!"

Day of the Dead roared as the skeletons moved to attack. Hamsuke rushed in first.

"Tiger by the Tail!"

Her massive tail easily smashed a whole horde of skeletons to dust in just one swipe. Khajiit grimaced.

"So you broke the creature free from her control. That makes things more difficult. I'm told her Stand can only work on a monster once. No matter, I made sure to pack plenty of undead creatures, and Day of the Dead can always reanimate more if need be."

To prove his point, he had his Stand release two giant bone dragons.

"Great," Dyne said, "Those things are immune to magic."

"Not entirely," Narberal clarified, "Any magic that is seventh tier or stronger can affect them, but mere humans cannot use such strong spells."

Momonga grinned.

"Allow me to demonstrate with a spell of my own. Undead! Chain Dragon Lightning!"

The massive bolt rocked through the first bone dragon, reducing it to dust in seconds. Meanwhile George rushed at the second dragon, Peter using Metheny Group to clear a path through the skeletal horde. Once close enough, George channeled his Hamon through his Stand.

"Sunlight Yellow Overdrive!"

Khajiit watched in shock as George and his punches created energy that traveled up the bone dragon, causing fissures along its form until it collapsed from the light energy being channeled into it.

"That energy!," Khajiit realized, "Like the Turn Undead spell or revival techniques!"

"You figured it out," Gyro said right behind him.

Nearby, Starlight activated her own powers.

"Dove and Grenade! Pure water, cleanse these undead!"

A torrent of water splashed down on the skeletons, washing them clean and disrupting the magic that held them together without ligaments.

"It doesn't look like you brought any more," Gyro noted, seeing his allies clean up the rest of the undead.

Khajiit noticed Ball Breaker creating a sphere in its hand.

"What is that supposed to do?"

"Oh, this?," Gyro said, "Ball Breaker's power lets it age whatever it hits into dust. And with how old you are already, it shouldn't take long."

Khajiit barely had enough time to gasp in shock as Gyro launched the energy sphere

"Ball Breaker!"

The group looked as the only thing left of Khajiit was his dusty cloak.

"So much for the interference," George said, "But your Stand scares me sometimes."

Just then, Momonga got a call via Message spell.

'We have a problem,' came Herohero's voice, 'Someone took control of Shalltear.'

Shalltear Bloodfallen was one of the guardians of the tomb, a vampire that was centuries old yet still looked like she was in her twenties, petite but still with a decent figure. And much like Albedo, she had developed an attraction to Momonga. Momonga grimaced at the thought of one of his allies getting brainwashed.

"Tell me what happened."

Chapter Text

Prior to the journey to the Forest Temple, Momonga and his group were making plans. Once the Spirit Tracks were restored, they had their chance to stake their own claim on the world. To that end, they needed to learn as much of it as possible, beyond the use of Stands. That meant learning what other powers were possible, what was where, how the political scene worked, and what criminal elements existed if any. The most logical place to start was E-Rantel in the Re-Estize kingdom. Herohero volunteered to infiltrate the higher society of the city as a wealthy merchant, using the re-branded gold from the tomb to show proof of his wealth.

As part of that, one of the Pleiades, special assassins that dressed as maids, was chosen to pose as his wife. The one who volunteered was Solution Epsilon, a human slime who had gained an attraction to Herohero due to the possibilities his Stand presented to her as a woman. In addition, they would be aided by the loyal butler of the tomb, a dragonoid named Sebas Tian. Sebas looked like an old yet fit man, but was actually in his twenties. It wasn't long before Herohero, going under the pseudonym Hiroshi Balba, learned of a group called the Death Spreading Brigade.

Among this group was a mysterious individual who combined Stand power with something called Martial Arts, special techniques that could either enhance skills or deliver devastating blows. Curious, Herohero had summoned Shalltear as extra insurance.

"Despite not having a Stand of your own," he explained, "Your strength may prove the tipping point when encountering him. Please keep in mind that we don't know just what this person's Stand might be, only rumors."

"Of course," Shalltear said, "To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure I'd be more useful with a Stand. Your former master, DIO Brando, gained a Stand after becoming a vampire yet was still defeated."

They were being driven through the city by a man named Zach. Herohero had already pegged the guy as a member of the very group they were targeting and confronted him over it. Once they learned his backstory, that his sister had been sold into slavery while he was conscripted into war, they made him an offer. Betray the Death Spreading Brigade in exchange for assistance in finding his sister. Since said brigade never helped him, and they'd likely do unspeakable things to his sister if they ever did find her, Zach agreed. For his first job Zach was asked to do what he normally did like nothing was wrong, single out rich folk for the brigade to do with as they liked.

And here was a prize the group knew the brigade couldn't resist, a rich merchant with plenty of gold on hand and a flawless blonde beauty as his wife. Before long the group was ready to make its move.

While at a local inn, Solution made a very vocal dislike about her meal and announced her decision to leave. Zach was passed a small communication spell as he left to play his part. Inside their shared room, Solution kept a secret eye on the meeting.

"He made contact?," Herohero asked.

"Yes," Solution said, "He's making an impressive performance, but it seems he understands his place. Though he did make it seem like he's still with the brigands by asking to have his turn inside me. But the charm we slipped on him notes that he hasn't decided to turn on us last minute."

Herohero chuckled. While they did believe Zach's story, they were hardly naive. It would have been all too easy for Zach to double-cross them, so they made sure to have a few contingency plans in place.

Later the group was being driven to the ambush site. With them was Shalltear and two of her brides.

"So, Shalltear," Herohero said, "I don't think I've ever heard of a vampire being born."

"Not all vampires come from the stone masks," Shalltear explained, "True vampires do exist as supernatural entities. Though I have heard of stone masks appearing in this world somehow."

"Just one more thing we'll have to look into," Herohero decided.

'Heads up,' came Zach's voice through the communication spell, 'I've just sent the signal.'

"Very good," Herohero said, "Shalltear, you head out first. It will get the brigands to lower their guard. The first one to approach will likely be the leader. Feel free to kill him, it will send the others in a panic. The rest must be captured to sort out back at the tomb. And above all, we need to find their hideout."

"Of course," Shalltear said.

The carriage was quickly stopped and a gruff voice called out, "All right, come on out of there."

Shalltear grinned as she complied. The brigand had a leering look as he spotted the pale beauty.

"Well now. We weren't expecting extra company, but I won't complain. I trust you won't resist."

He reached out to grab Shalltear's breast, only to gasp in shock and pain when his hand came clean off.

"I'll thank you not to touch without permission," Shalltear said, slicing through the brigand leader's neck to decapitate him.

The two vampire brides emerged next.

"Remember, the others are to be taken alive, but feel free to remove the odd limb if necessary."

Zach watched from a safe distance as the brigands were corralled and captured. One spotted Solution and Herohero and made to run them through. Solution smirked as she stood in the way of the blow, but Herohero saw the blade was longer than it looked.

"Chemical Romance!"

Zach gasped as Herohero's body got sucked into a small sphere, only to be replaced by a gelatinous copy. The brigand, having not seen this, thought he scored a victory, but gasped when he saw no blood coming from either target.

"Lord Herohero," Solution said, "May I have this one? Please?"

Herohero shrugged.

"I suppose he deserves a harsh lesson for his arrogance."

Zach watched in disgust as Solution's slime body absorbed and consumed the brigand, his screams quickly being drowned.

"Glad I wasn't serious about wanting to be inside her," he noted, "It would not end well for me."

"Mistress," one of the brides said as she held up one of the captive brigands, "This one has knowledge of their base, where a powerful Stand user resides."

"That would be Brain Unglaus," Zach said once he saw the melee was over, "Not only is he a Stand user, he has powerful Martial Arts. He was able to fight on equal level to the legendary Gazef Stronoff."

"Gazef is a powerful Stand user in his own right," Sebas noted, "Lord Herohero saw his Stand's power first-hand. If this Brain can fight on equal level, he is one to investigate."

"Then with your permission Lord," Shalltear said, "I shall attend to this matter personally."

"Very well," Herohero replied, "But remember that Brain must be kept alive. Keep in mind that even if he cannot handle someone of your power, that does not mean he is weak."

Shalltear nodded.

"Yes, I remember. It's all about the context. What of anyone else that may be inside the base?"

Herohero shrugged.

"We have plenty of subjects for experimentation right here. Feel free to dispose of anyone else you find."

Shalltear smiled, then rushed off at surprising speed.

Brain was quick to hear about the vampire ravaging through their hideout and went to investigate. He gasped when he saw the young woman, having finished feeding on one of the other brigands.

"You must be Brain Unglaus," she said, "I am Shalltear Bloodfallen. I've heard you possess some unique skills. I've come to test them."

Brain chuckled.

"So you came all this way just to see me. I gotta say, I'm flattered. But given you finished eating one of my allies I doubt you have any good intentions regarding me."

He placed a hand on his katana, and suddenly a field of energy surrounded him.

"This is a Martial Art I developed on my own. It's a sword field that increases my perception to its utmost limit. I've learned a few Martial Arts over time, and can combine otherwise incompatible ones using my Stand..."

A golden energy surrounded him.

"Hybrid Theory!"

Several flashes of color appeared, and Shalltear licked her lips as she felt his strength increase.

"This should be fun. Allow me to test the limits of your skill."

She stepped into the field without fear, then began to quickly block a number of sword slashes that seemed to come from all angles at once, before blocking a more frontal attack with just her palm. She was pleasantly surprised to feel some blood seeping out.

"That's impressive for a human. That Stand of yours means I actually have to try and defend myself."

Brain backed off for a moment as he saw Shalltear heal herself.

"Looks like I'm not strong enough yet."

Shalltear's nose suddenly twitched.

"Seems there's interlopers outside. I must not be the only one to have ferreted out your little hideout. We'll have to continue this another time. But I will say this much..."

She started to turn around.

"You'll never get stronger simply preying on the weak. Your talents would be far better suited fighting those that are strong."

And with that, she rushed outside. Brain sighed.

"Something tells me she only showed a fraction of what she's capable of. Maybe I should take her advice to heart."

Back in the present, Herohero finished the story.

'The last thing we heard was Shalltear encountering a group of adventurers, likely tasked with removing the brigade on the payroll of Slane. One of them was the adventurer Brita, who explained that their handler, an elderly woman named Kaire, took control of Shalltear using her Stand, Calling All the Monsters.'

"Likely the Stand that took control of Hamsuke," Momonga noted, "Where are they now?"

'She spoke of joining an ally at the Forest Temple,' Herohero explained.

Momonga nodded.

"Alright, thanks for the intel."

He stopped the spell.

"There are two Stand users waiting for us at the top of the temple, one of them has control of a valued friend. George, Gyro, I should mention this friend is a vampire, so..."

"Relax," George said, "We'll aim for the one controlling her. Our Hamon should be able to pick them out. It's this other unknown Stand user that concerns me."

They started to approach the top floor.

"Why bring this vampire here?," said a large humanoid figure.

In front of him was the elderly Kaire, Shalltear next to her.

"I thought our faction's leader could make use of such a powerful being. My Stand had yet to take control of a vampire, and I could not pass up the chance."

"Our leader has more than enough muscle for our plans," the figure said, "In fact, he has no more need for you. Which is why I will be doing nothing to prevent your assassination."

Kaire looked confused.

"What assassination?"

She then found herself frozen before several sharp nails ran through her throat. As she lay dying, the figure smirked.

"That assassination."

Shalltear started to regain her senses as Kaire finished dying.

"Good, you're feeling better," came a warm voice she was grateful to hear.

"Lord Momonga!," she called out as she turned around, seeing the familiar armor of her master.

Sobbing in relief, she ran to hug him.

"I have no idea what's going on, but I realized that someone was trying to control me! Thank goodness you came to save me!"

"Quite the reverse," Momonga said with a grin, "It's more like you were brought to me so I could save you."

"So much for allies," Hekkeran noted.

The figure approached, revealing himself to be a lizardman.

"That woman had been useful for gaining soldiers, but our leader can copy them endlessly with his own Stand."

"Well," Peter said, "Now we have a clue as to what he does. So what of you? Why's a lizardman working in this project? If anyone needs the Spirit Tracks, it's your people."

"They are not my people anymore," the lizardman replied, "I was exiled from my tribe because I backed a leader that encouraged cannibalism as a means to survive during a food shortage."

He breathed deep.

"Now I, Stagnox, have been tasked with making sure this magic well remains closed. And so I shall... With the power of my Stand! The Beetle!"

Instantly a suit of armor appeared over him, looking like an armored carapace seeping with poison mist, the horn looking like that of a rhino beetle, and possessing wings as well. He rushed in to attack, prompting Hamsuke to make the first move.

"Tiger by the Tail!"

Stagnox found himself having to block to avoid damage, and even then he was sent flying across the room.

"Beware the mist!," Starlight called out, "It's poisonous, and likely a by-product of his Stand!"

Stagnox quickly charged at her, but she was ready.

"Dove and Grenade!"

Her body became covered in metal, including a protective covering for her mouth and nose, as she used the added durability to stop Stagnox's charge. She then stomped on the ground, sending him flying when the earth erupted beneath him. Quickly he stopped himself in mid-air using his Stand's wings. He quickly flew in with a diving charge, knocking Starlight over, where she was caught by George.

"Thank you," she said, "But he hits hard, and his Stand provides solid defense."

Stagnox charged again, this time slamming into Momonga, though Momonga's own armor and swords allowed for a stalemate, causing Stagnox to throw Momonga behind him using his horn. He then took to the air again as Peroroncino attacked with Black Crow.

"There's no way you'll find the strength to overpower me!," Stagnox declared as he dodged the whirlwinds.

"Hekkeran!," George called out, "Now's the time to use your Stand's munitions!"

"On it!," Hekkeran replied, "Ticket to Ride!"

Stagnox looked surprised when the legendary train appeared and surrounded him with its tracks.

"It has a new user?"

He didn't have long to ponder this, as he found himself having to defend against the four powerful weapons that Ticket to Ride had on hand, especially its powerful mortar launcher. As Stagnox plummeted to the ground, George ran to intercept him.

"Tusk, Act 4!"

The Beetle got slammed with Tusk's Hamon charged fist, and it just kept on attacking.

"ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA!"

Stagnox got flung across the room, his Stand holding but showing signs of damage. He charged again, this time managing to slam into George, who only barely managed to put up a Hamon defense to prevent major damage. Momonga rushed in and batted Stagnox aside with his blade before calling on his own Stand.

"Undead! Vacuum Wave!"

A secondary wave of cutting air sliced through the room, nailing Stagnox as he put his guard up.

"George! Gyro!," Hekkeran called out, "We've got one more trick up our sleeve! Follow me!"

He leapt onto Ticket to Ride, George and Gyro following. The train Stand sped up until it began to charge right at Stagnox, before opening its cockpit to allow the two Hamon users, mounted on their steeds, to shoot out at high speed.

"Tusk, Act 4!"

"Ball Breaker!"

Both of them launched their signature projectiles, charged with Hamon.

"Complete! Twin Railgun Overdrive!"

Stagnox was hit by both attacks, which finally broke through his defenses, striking him down.

"My only regret...," he said as he started bleeding out, "Is that I never... Got to see my sister Crusch... Find a mate..."

He collapsed, his Stand dissipating. Starlight then approached the magic well in the center.

"Now... How do we activate this...?"

Her answer came when the well seemed to activate on its own, glowing as a device rose out from its depths, before twisting like the gear it resembled, finally shooting a beam of energy that ran along the Spirit Tracks, returning to Down at the Station.

"That's created a few new tracks," Starlight noted, "Perhaps the Ancient One can explain how the magic well reactivated without us really doing anything."

"We have our own plans to make," Momonga said, indicating his faction, "But if our paths cross again, we'll be willing to lend our aid. Good luck in your quest. May we all get what we desire from this venture."

And with that, Momonga's group left.

"We should head back to the station tower," George noted, "This mission has only yet begun."

Chapter Text

"I think half the kingdom saw that light," Boullope noted.

He and Barbro had spotted the flash of light that indicated the magic well in the Forest Temple had reactivated.

"Stagnox is dead then," Barbro said, "I had higher hopes for a prime example of the lizardmen's physical superiority. Or perhaps... He was simply overwhelmed."

"And Kaire has been slain as well," Boullope said, "But that's of lesser concern. With your Stand's power, my prince, we no longer need her ability."

"Speaking of that," Barbro said, "Perhaps you should unleash a certain ability your Stand possesses, Boullope. With the Spirit Tracks returning, trains will start running again. Whoever defeated Stagnox is likely riding on such a train."

He grinned.

"But ordinary trains cannot stand up to your power. Our plans are not stymied just yet."

Boullope smirked.

"Yes... I believe a few terrors on the tracks should drive the point home. That our organization will not tolerate usage of those tracks, unless we permit them."

Gazef got a pleasant surprise when he noticed Brain sitting in a local tavern.

"Hey," Brain said, "It's been a while."

Gazef chuckled as he sat down.

"I thought you joined a bandit camp hoping to get more chances to fight."

"Ah, it wasn't all it was cracked up to be," Brain explained, "Plus, just the other night I ran into a powerful vampire. She was crazy strong too. The only reason I even drew blood was because of my Stand's power. She broke off the fight to deal with another issue, but suggested I stop trying to get strong by preying on those weaker than me."

Gazef chuckled.

"It's strange times when monsters make sense. Then perhaps you'd be willing to offer some assistance. I don't know if you've heard this, but Princess Starlight is working to restore the Spirit Tracks."

"Yeah, I saw a massive flash of energy travel along the familiar tracks as I entered the kingdom," Brain noted, "I heard some scuttlebutt about a collective intending on uniting the realm under their own terms, and needed the Spirit Tracks out of the way to enforce that."

"They'll find themselves hard pressed to enforce their will," Gazef said with a smirk, "Starlight has surrounded herself with powerful allies. And one of them even awoke the legendary train, obtaining a Stand called Ticket to Ride. I saw it happen with my own two eyes. As we continue on this endeavor, an extra blade would be appreciated, especially if it has a Stand behind it. You're probably one of the strongest men in the realm, and by now criminal elements may be at work to consolidate their holdings."

Brain considered it.

"Why not? Being a bandit did nothing to improve my skills. Defending the kingdom can't do any worse. But from the sounds of it, there's some powerful political games being played even as we speak, and that concerns me."

Gazef nodded.

"No doubt. Even Starlight has her own reasons for needing the Spirit Tracks restored. But at the same time, she has not only the kingdom's best interest in mind, but the whole realm's."

Momonga had returned to the ancient tomb, which the clan had come to call Nazarick.

"How are our goals proceeding?," he asked of Demiurge, the loyal demon who served the tomb and its masters.

"Lord Herohero is looking into the matter of a group called Eight Fingers that operate within the Re-Estize Kingdom," Demiurge noted, "Lord Ulbert is aiding him. Lord Takemikazuchi is making ready to enter negotiation with the lizardmen tribes. With any luck we can get them united in time for the Spirit Tracks to reach them."

"The Ancient One said his power was to unite," Momonga noted, "But from the way he described his power, it's clear he cannot do so on his own, and must rely on the power and influence of others to spread that power. Knowing this, forces that desire to see the realm united once more will be working towards that. But what of the faction that had the Spirit Tracks erased?"

"We're still investigating," Demiurge admitted, "Whoever they are, they likely have either great authority or great power. Likely both."

"And what of our protectorate in Carne Village?," Momonga asked.

"That young alchemist convinced his grandmother to join him, having her business sold to our holdings," Demiurge replied, "The research Nfirea can accomplish is definitely worth the investment. We have Lupisregina Beta looking over the village. The goblins that were summoned have increased the defense of the town and begun training able-bodied members of the community to defend themselves, in the event of further attacks."

Momonga nodded.

'It feels strange, being in a position of power like this. I'm glad I have friends to share it with. This would likely be a trial on my own. In the meantime, I wonder how George and his group are handling things. We caught our mutual enemies off-guard this time, but we won't be so lucky now that one of the wells is restored.'

"This journey has only begun," he noted, "And when the dust settles, the realm will be born anew. I look forward to seeing what sort of world gets created."

Hekkeran grimaced as he blasted another dark train.

"They showed up out of nowhere. Guess we pissed off the one behind the demon train."

"At least we're finally back at the tower," Starlight said, "Now we can continued our course."

Inside, the Ancient One awaited them.

"I sensed what had happened through the tracks. It seems someone had linked their life force to the magic well, sealing it off. That's powerful, ancient magic. Not easy to come by."

"That explains why the well opened when Stagnox was killed," George noted, "And there's likely other such guardians working for whoever attacked the tower."

The Ancient One nodded.

"No doubt. But with part of the tower restored, I can begin to expand the Spirit Tracks further than before. Before long they will cover the entire realm once again. The next set of tracks should reach into the marshes and mountains just to the north."

Starlight nodded.

"Let's get moving. The sooner the tracks are complete, the better for everyone."

She was followed by George, Gyro, and a group of other adventurers.

Chapter Text

The Swords of Darkness mentioned a time when Johnathan Joestar saved their world. How this came to be is an interesting tale, and one that must be told to understand. It was a day like any other in 1889. It was getting near the end of the year. The Joestar manor was back to its original splendor, and Speedwagon and Twilight had returned with some delightful news. While they failed to find Nathaniel Twilight's arrow, Speedwagon had stumbled upon a natural oil well that was unclaimed, making him a very wealthy man in his own right. It wasn't long before the Speedwagon estate was officially founded, and before long the papers were calling him the Oil Baron of Britain.

His holdings were modest, and having become used to getting many things himself he only hired a handful of servants. And he only hired any at all because the estate was so large. On this particular day Speedwagon and his wife Twilight awoke to greet the dawn as normal, followed by the exasperated sigh from their butler, a young man named Sebastian Michaelis.

"I do wish you'd allow me to do my duties, Master Speedwagon. This is only my first job as a butler, and I'm something of a perfectionist."

Sebastian was by no means opposed to serving a man who once came from the streets, but that still meant he had to deal with Speedwagon doing plenty of things by himself.

"There's no need to be so formal," Twilight said as she came back out from the divider, fully dressed, "After all, you have enough on your hands with the rest of the staff."

Sebastian chuckled.

"The rest of the staff is only three people. Anyway, I have your morning paper and tea."

Speedwagon took the paper and looked it over.

"Baron Reinfelt opens another tea route... I believe we scheduled a meeting with him, correct?"

"Yes, sir," Sebastian confirmed, "Along with your friend, Master Joestar. I believe it is in regards to your new shipping routes."

Speedwagon had been making some impressive investments with his newfound fortune, deciding that he needed to make good use of his sudden success to help others not so fortune as to have his luck.

Sebastian walked through the halls as the other three servants made preparations for the evening's dinner. Mey-Rin, the bubbly young maid, had just finished sorting out the laundry.

"Ah, Sebastian!," she said in excitement, having harbored a crush on the young and handsome butler, "The laundry's just finished. Oh, and some of Master Speedwagon's friends from London are here. They offered these lovely flowers."

She showed the basket that was provided.

"Wonderful," Sebastian said with a smile, "These will be perfect for tonight's centerpiece. It's a good thing I've yet to decide on the plating, as this will make the decision much easier."

As he finished setting the table and heading for the greenhouse to fetch some more roses, he ran into the estate's teenaged gardener, Finnian, or Finny as he was often called.

"I've got the roses all taken of, sir!," he said in a cheerful voice, "Oh, and some of Master Speedwagon's friends dropped this off."

He presented a freshly caught pheasant.

"I guess they did a bit of hunting on the grounds."

"Splendid," Sebastian replied, "This will make an excellent main dish. I'll have this brought to Bard. He should be able to make something rather delectable."

He headed down into the kitchen, where Baldroy, or Bard as he was known on the estate, set to preparing dinner.

"Got something lovely for the dessert too," he noted, "Some of Master Speedwagon's friends dropped off a few roasted nuts they came across on their way in from London. Thought we might like to have them."

Sebastian placed a hand on his chin.

"Master Speedwagon's friends seem to hang around the estate quite a lot. I don't mind it since they mind their manners, but it's rather unusual for those in the working class."

That evening, Speedwagon and Twilight were joined by Johnathan and the Baron Reinfelt.

"I was hoping Erina would be here as well," Twilight noted.

"You'll have to excuse her," Johnathan said, "But our son, George II, was just recently born and Erina insisted on taking care of her own child."

The group sat in discussion for a bit in the dining room, but Speedwagon could tell something was off. His keen senses, developed from his time growing up on Ogre Street, told him there was a foul stench about Reinfelt. It was almost as bad as that of Dio, but not quite. As the dessert was brought out, Reinfelt had a smile on his face.

"You know, there are two things that always irked me. One is a soft-hearted noble who thinks the common-folk deserve a helping hand from our hard-earned fortunes. And the other is an undeserving thug who just happened to catch a lucky break."

The nearby clock chimed.

"Eight o'clock! Time's up for both of you!"

And with that, he dove under the table, leaving the others confused.

"Did we have something planned for eight?," Speedwagon asked.

"I don't believe so, sir," Sebastian said, "Though I do find the baron's words rather curious."

Reinfelt poked his head out, confused as to his surroundings.

"Are you quite alright?," Johnathan asked.

"Uh, yes...," Reinfelt said as he sat down.

"Anyway, your words lack a bit of bite to them," Speedwagon said, "Why, everything that makes rich life worth living is made by the hands of the middle classes, so why not show appreciation?"

"Yes, and helping those less fortunate can only help the economy in the long run," Johnathan argued.

"Take my old gang from Ogre Street," Speedwagon clarified, "After Johnathan helped them all find jobs, they chose to pay him back by keeping an eye out for his enemies. They also show there's still loyalty among us by doing the same with me. Hell, throughout the day they've been busy clearing the outer parts of the grounds from would-be assassins."

Reinfelt's eyes went wide.

"It's the damnedest thing too," Speedwagon continued, his smile dropping, "Some of them claimed to have been hired by you."

Johnathan narrowed his eyes.

"Baron Reinfelt, I may be a gentleman, and somewhat naive, but I can still tell when someone is after my life, and that of my friends."

Reinfelt pulled out a gun and made to fire.

"Time in a Bottle!," Sebastian called out.

Everything around him slowed down, and he quickly caught the bullets that had fired long before they had the chance to reach Speedwagon.

"Glad to see you're still practicing your Stand," Twilight said, "But you do remember that I also could have-- Love is in Bloom!"

She had spotted Reinfelt aim for her and activated her own Stand, causing the bullet to bounce off while Reinfelt's gun exploded in his hand, causing severe powder burns and deep cuts from the shrapnel.

"As I was saying," Twilight said, "My own Stand is fully capable of deflecting a gunshot, so long as I can see the shooter."

"Apologies, Madam," Sebastian said, "But it is my duty as a butler to protected those I serve. Shall I call the authorities then?"

As Reinfelt was arrested for attempted murder, the group met with the new chief inspector of Scotland Yard, Fred Abberline.

"I realize it's strange to come in person," Abberline said, "But Her Majesty has heard of your supernatural powers and is making a request. By the by... She also mentioned you dealt with Jack the Ripper?"

Twilight and Johnathan looked a little guilty, knowing Abberline had been on the Ripper's trail for months until they encountered him as a zombie and destroyed him. Abberline sighed.

"Guess that's one mystery the world will never know the answer too. A shame... Anyway, there's been several children being kidnapped right off the street, only to be returned days later, with no memory of the time they were captive. This is the only real lead we have in regards to this mystery."

He presented Speedwagon with a set of tickets.

"The Noah's Ark Circus?"

"That circus is touring London for the next few days," Abberline explained, "They might have some knowledge as to why these kidnappings are occurring."

The trio looked at each other, knowing a new bizarre adventure was waiting for them.

Back in the present, George and his group had found the map piece that allowed the Spirit Tracks to extend into the mountains. In addition, it opened up an extension to Ticket to Ride, which accepted Imina as its user.

"This is Love Train," the Ancient One explained, "An extension of the legendary train that will prove useful. It can act on its own, or in conjunction with Ticket to Ride. Head for the mountains, and restore the temple there. Be careful, as there is likely to be opposition."

The group nodded and hopped on the train.

Chapter Text

Hekkeran finished docking at the capital of Re-Estize. The idea for the group was to get information in regards to the mountain regions, where the lizardmen tribes dwelled. In particular, Starlight wanted to know the reason why one of the tribes would need to resort to cannibalism just to survive.

However, as she got off the train, she heard a cheerful voice calling out, "Sister!"

She suddenly found herself glomped by a shorter girl with long, blonde hair.

"Renner?," Starlight asked in shock, "What are you doing out of the palace? I thought you never leave."

"Who is this?," George asked as he disembarked.

"This is my sister," Starlight explained, "Renner Theiere Chardelon Ryle Vaiself."

"A pleasure," Renner said as she did a quick curtsy.

"Anyway, about my earlier question," Starlight said.

"It's not like she's out here alone," came another female voice.

Approaching were six people, five women and one man. The man was young, but held himself like a soldier, and was dressed as such. One of the women was blonde and more relaxed, one was rather large and heavyset, and the other two seemed to be twins, rather short and dressed as ninjas. The last one wore a cloak and mask.

"I should introduce the others as well," Starlight said, "This young man is Climb, a brilliant young soldier of the kingdom."

Climb nodded.

"An honor, sir."

"These other five are the members of the Adamantite Rank group known as Blue Rose," Starlight explained.

The blonde woman, the apparent leader, stepped forward.

"Nice to meet you. I am Lakyus Alvein Dale Aindra."

The larger, muscular woman grinned.

"Hey there, name's Gagaran."

The mask woman nodded.

"Evileye."

"Name's Tia," one of the ninjas said.

Her sister replied, "And I'm Tina."

"Starlight, there is something important we must discuss," Renner said, "But not at the palace. Too many prying eyes working for the nobility. I believe a brisk trip to the countryside would be in order."

"I see...," Starlight noted.

She looked to Hekkeran, who nodded.

Soon enough, the group was riding to Carne Village.

"The energy of the tracks is not yet fully charged," Renner noted, "I suspect that the various main stations have yet to be recognized."

"Yes, that's true," Starlight said, "But we've no way to make those stations official."

"We do now," Renner said with a smile, presenting a large book.

George checked the book with his Hamon.

"There's a powerful energy to this book."

"It's linked to the magic that runs through the Spirit Tracks," Renner explained, "Smaller wells can be found in various locations along the tracks. When connected to this book, the tracks become anchored, and magic flows freely from the wells to the main station."

"A copy of this book was held in the palace archives," Starlight noted, "Father held a decree that it was not to be touched. But just prior to the Spirit Tracks disappearing, the book was removed. Marquis Boullope cited it was because such a musty old book would ruin the rest of the archive, even though the book was as pristine as they day it was bound."

George and Gyro gave each other a bemused look.

"Yeah...," Gyro said, "That's totally not suspicious."

"Father was similarly suspicious of Boullope's intentions," Renner noted, "And commissioned an identical book to be created. Luckily, the knowledge of how to make it had been passed through many generations for just such an occasion."

"That's why we need to find the magic wells at each station," Lakyus explained.

"And in doing fully charge the Spirit Tracks so that other trains can run on them," George noted.

'We're approaching Carne Village,' came Hekkeran's voice over the intercom.

The group looked out and got a surprise.

"The wall got a lot bigger," George noted.

"Are those goblins patrolling the outside?," Tia asked.

"Yeah, they got recruited to defend the village," Gyro explained, "They're surprisingly friendly, so long as you come in peace."

Once they explained the situation, Jugem led the group to the monument in the middle of the village.

"According to the instructions in the original book," Renner said, "All one must do is take the ink well from the monument and stamp it on an empty spot in the book. This will let the two magics interact and do the rest of the work."

She took the stamp and placed it in the book, causing it to glow. The monument also started glowing, launching energy through the tracks.

"There's one more thing to consider," George said, "The Ancient One said he had people working at the station because of how expansive the Spirit Tracks were getting. But they all fled when the tower was attacked. What do you think happened to them?"

"They may be wandering the realm trying to find help," Lakyus suggested, "We should mount a search for them, in case they are targeted."

Near the mountain region, Warrior Takemikazuchi was traveling with the mighty Cocytus, an insect-like warrior from Nazarick.

"The lizardmen value strength above all else," Takemikazuchi noted, "We show them our own strength, and it will open the door for negotiation."

"Of course, Master," Cocytus replied, "And in doing so, we can find out where the nearby temple is."

He breathed in to check the air.

"It seems rather cold for this region. Too cold, perhaps. I understand there is ice and snow closer to the mountains, but it has traveled too far to the south."

"It might be why there was a shortage of resources," Takemikazuchi noted, "But the Spirit Tracks have begun to expand into the lizardmen's territory. If there is a station nearby, they can use it to open trade with the human settlements, insuring another conflict between tribes does not occur."

"What of the unnatural cold in the region?," Cocytus asked, "Simple magic? Or is a Stand user involved?"

"Hard to say," Takemikazuchi replied, "There may be magic capable of causing such long-lasting effects, with the right rituals. On the other hand, I've heard of Stands powerful enough to create such extreme weather effects. We'll know soon enough."

"Barbro may well be the one behind these events," Renner said, "In spite of my recently passing a law that outlawed slavery. However, most of the Noble Faction backs the criminal element that loves to take advantage of such laws. And... They also support Barbro's claim to the throne."

"Who?," George asked.

"Our brother," Starlight explained, "Barbro Andrean Ierudo Ryle Vaiself. He's the First Prince and Heir Apparent to the throne, but he does less politically then the rest of us."

"What would his motive be?," Gyro asked.

"He likely saw what the Ancient One intended and wanted the same thing," Renner noted, "But under his own terms, with him as the leader of the whole realm. And it would not be good for anyone."

'The question is,' George thought, 'Would he then set his sights on our world? Well, even if he succeeded in finding his way, he'd find his forces completely overwhelmed by modern technology. That is, if they didn't freeze to death in Greenland's frigid environment. But I won't even let him get that far. My Joestar blood would not permit that...'

Chapter Text

After dropping Renner off back at the capital, the group continued into the mountains. Work was already proceeding on locating the Ancient One's missing workers, and in the meantime a new discovery was made. An ornate archway standing in the middle of the fields, right over one of the tracks.

"I've heard of these," Starlight said, "They are teleportation gates created to streamline travel across the Spirit Tracks. Once activated, they link to another gate elsewhere. It would be useful to activate them all."

Meanwhile, Takemikazuchi and Cocytus had been permitted by one of the lizardmen tribes, the Green Claw, to join them in an important meeting. This was accomplished when Takemikazuchi successfully defeated the tribe's leader, Shasryu Shasha, in honorable combat with the help of his Stand, Battlecry. Battlecry offered little in the way of defense, but was strong, fast, and could be projected far from Takemikazuchi to act as a noble samurai warrior. Shasryu now sat next to his brother, Zaryusu. Zaryusu had a peculiar tattoo on his chest, which the others explained marked him as a traveler.

This was not the same as an exile like Stagnox, as travelers were allowed to return to their tribe, although it was rare to do so.

"Your arrival comes at a opportune time," the tribe's elder said, "We recently received an ultimatum from the feared demon train. It was invisible as the rumors say. At least... To all but Zaryusu."

He pointed to the icicle-like weapon at Zaryusu's hip.

"That is no mere weapon," the elder explained, "But a Stand, a rarity among lizardmen."

"I'm not surprised," Takemikazuchi said, "Stands are an extension of one's fighting spirit. For a traveler or chieftain to possess one is simply a matter of logic. So, about this ultimatum."

"The owner of the train threatened us with genocide," Zaryusu said, "Apparently, we are supposed to be the second to fall. But that provides us with a chance to counterattack."

"What my brother is suggesting," Shasryu explained, "Is that we unite all the different lizardmen tribes, thereby throwing off the demon train's perception of our strength."

"Is such a thing possible among different tribes?," Cocytus asked.

"It's happened before," Zaryusu said with a nod, "During the recent war over resources, our own Green Claw tribe made an alliance with the Small Fang and Razor Tail tribes, fighting against the Yellow Speckle and Sharp Edge tribes. Our combined numbers proved superior, and both tribes were dissolved, only to be absorbed by the Dragon Tusk tribe."

"If it came down to it," the head priestess said, "The Small Fang and Razor Tail tribes would agree to an alliance once more. But that leaves the Dragon Tusk and Red Eye tribes to convince. And those members of Dragon Tusk that once belonged to Yellow Speckle and Sharp Edge may hold a grudge."

"Then your best bet is to begin with Red Eye," Takemikazuchi suggested, "From these talks, it seems clear that they found a way to stay out of the conflict."

"That brings terrible implications," Cocytus noted, "Stagnox mentioned that his tribe resorted to cannibalism because of low resources."

"But remember that he was exiled for backing the leader who encouraged it," Takemikazuchi pointed out, "Clearly, whichever tribe he came from has a new leader."

"The Red Eye is the only tribe that recently gained a new chieftain," the elder noted, "Zaryusu, your emblem marks you as being outside the jurisdiction of the tribes. Thus, you are the best choice as an ambassador to the Red Eye and Dragon Tusk tribes."

Zaryusu nodded.

"I'll speak with the leaders on our behalf."

Later, as Zaryusu saddled up his pet hydra Rororo, Takemikazuchi approached him.

"So, how do travelers operate in this society anyway?"

"We are meant to bring ideas from the outside world to our tribes to improve them," Zaryusu explained, "In my case, I learned of a means to farm fish for our tribe to live off of. It wasn't easy, and many mistakes were made. But luckily with my brother as chieftain, he insured I would be given my chance to perfect the technology."

"If you possess a Stand," Takemikazuchi noted, "Than your brother likely also has the potential. Has he shown such power?"

"Not as of yet," Zaryusu replied, "But the elders say it's only a matter of time. Personally I would not be surprised if the current conflict awakens it."

The trio headed off, soon reaching the territory of the Red Eye tribe. Word had already reached them, and they were permitted entry.

"Our official leader is inside this hut," one of the members said.

"We are not meeting the chieftain?," Zaryusu asked.

"For better or worse, our chieftain is a figurehead," the lizardman explained, "Our true leader is in here, but she cannot go out in the sun because of her mutation."

"Sounds like an albino," Cocytus noted, "They tend to be more sensitive to sunlight."

Inside the hut there was a single female, lithe and pure white.

"Greetings," she said, "I was told to expect you."

Zaryusu was rendered speechless at the sight of her. The female chuckled.

"I see. So even a legendary Stand user of the lizardmen people finds my appearance strange."

She was quickly proven wrong, however, when Zaryusu took a few steps forward, before falling to his knees and unexpectedly uttering a high-pitched screeching noise. The sound of it got the female flustered, and suddenly Zaryusu snapped out of his stupor and got flustered himself.

"S-Sorry! That just slipped out of me!"

"What was that?," Takemikazuchi asked.

"I believe it was a mating call, my lord," Cocytus clarified.

Takemikazuchi cleared his throat.

"Anyway, I don't believe we caught your name."

"Sorry...," the female said.

She was still embarrassed that any male, especially a stud like Zaryusu, would offer her a mating call.

"I am Crusch Lulu, acting chieftain of the Red Eye. I assume you are here about the warning from the dreaded demon train. We could not see it directly, but it sent an envoy, a horrid maneater."

"An insect that dwells within a collection of skulls that it uses as a nest," Cocytus explained to his master.

Takemikazuchi nodded.

"I suppose it makes sense. Normal beings cannot see Stands. Zaryusu, did this maneater appear to your tribe as well?"

"Yes," Zaryusu said with a nod, "That leads me to believe whoever is behind the demon train does not know our tribes have any Stand users. That could be to our advantage."

Soon enough Cocytus and Takemikazuchi left Zaryusu and Crusch to discuss the alliance.

"Momonga," Takemikazuchi called out using a Message spell, "It seems the cabal you uncovered is targeting the lizardmen tribes."

'That is something we cannot permit,' Momonga replied, 'We have some issues to deal with here in the capital, but by now George and his group will be heading for the temple's location. Meet up with them and deal with whoever you need to. I'll also send Bukubukuchagama and the twins to assist.'

"Very well," Takemikazuchi said, and he cut the message.

Zaryusu soon emerged, along with Crusch, who was covered in a cloak of foliage.

"Our alliance with the Red Eye is official," Zaryusu said.

"And perhaps it might become more... Permanent," Crusch suggested, a hint of blush on her scales.

"Well that's for you to work out," Takemikazuchi said with a grin, "But that just leaves the Dragon Tusk tribe. Still, with four tribes working together, I doubt the fifth will be against negotiation."

They headed for the Dragon Tusk territory. Once there, it seemed there was a large party waiting for them. Among them was a lizardman male that seemed more crocodile than true lizard.

"That must be the chieftain," Zaryusu noted.

Sure enough, the male stepped forward.

"I am Zenberu Gugu, leader of this tribe. Your envoys have already told us of your intention."

He grinned.

"Considering you seem to have convinced the Red Eye tribe, I suppose it's wise to consider your offer. However, you'll have to prove this alliance can be strong enough."

Takemikazuchi then noticed something.

"You have the same mark as Zaryusu. So you were a traveler as well. Yet you lead your tribe?"

"I proved myself in honorable combat," Zenberu explained, "So, which of you will face me know to prove your strength."

The group considered it.

"I think you should go, Zaryusu," Takemikazuchi suggested, "These are your people after all, so it would be a more meaningful victory."

Zaryusu nodded.

"You'll be facing off against me."

"A fine choice," Zenberu admitted, "I'm told you possess a Stand. In that case..."

He tossed his pole arm aside.

"I won't be needing this."

He breathed deep and focused, channeling energy through his body.

"So he's a monk class," Zaryusu noted, "That makes things a little challenging."

He picked up his Stand and took a fighting stance. As the two males clashed, it was clear that in terms of strength they were surprisingly even. However, Zenberu had the edge in defense, until Zaryusu decided to pull out his trump card.

"Cold Wind Blows!"

He swung his Stand to attack. Zenberu made to deflect it, only to pull back as he felt a freezing sensation just from touching the blade.

"So that's the power of your Stand," he realized, "It can freeze whatever it touches."

"More than that," Zaryusu clarified.

He struck the ground with Cold Wind Blows, causing the area to turn into an arctic tundra. The frost reached Zenberu's legs, freezing them in place. Zaryusu took advantage of this, racing forward with his Stand inactive, stopping a inch from Zenberu's throat. Zenberu chuckled.

"Looks like I'll have to yield. You proved your strength, Zaryusu."

Both fighters relaxed as the frost receded.

"The Dragon Tusk tribe accepts your alliance," Zenberu said.

As he said this, Ticket to Ride was seen rolling past.

"Come to think of it," Zaryusu said, "There is a station at the edge of Green Claw territory."

"Let's go meet our allies then," Takemikazuchi offered, "We have much to plan here."

Chapter Text

"They still won't lend us Six Arms?," Barbro asked Boullope.

"Eight Fingers's holdings have been attacked by Blue Rose," Boullope explained, "The leadership of Eight Fingers needs the extra security."

Eight Fingers was a criminal empire that worked within Re-Estize. It was named for two things. One was a legend that the God of Theft had eight fingers on each hand. The second was that they divided their organization into eight departments, slave trafficking, assassinations, smuggling, larceny, drug trade, security, banking, and gambling. Because of their connection to the noble faction, Eight Fingers more or less ran the kingdom behind the king's back and without his knowledge. Barbro sighed as he heard Boullope's explanation.

"It's not like we can command them to stop, or it would paint a target on our backs that either Momon or Joestar would aim for. Still, with how they were able to defeat Stagnox I thought it necessary to gather stronger forces."

"I'm not sure they qualify regardless," Boullope noted, "None of Six Arms are Stand users. And it takes a Stand user to beat a Stand user."

"Maybe so," Barbro agreed, "But I was of the mind that they could test the Stand powers Joestar and Momon's band possess. The more knowledge we have of these potential enemies the easier it will be to remove them. And then we can move to undo the progress they made in restoring the Spirit Tracks. And it must be done soon. Our agents have informed me that the Spirit Tracks have extended into the lizardmen's territory. If those dirty reptiles are once again permitted to have open trade with our fair kingdom, it could sully the thoughts of all involved about racial equality. This is the reason we worked to remove the tracks... To remind people that humans are superior to these demi-human races."

Elsewhere in Re-Estize, Sebas was busy on an errand for Herohero. With him was Touch Me, who went by the adventuring name Tucson to avoid awkward stares from his code name. Touch Me was acting as a personal guard for Herohero, not that he truly needed it but it was best to keep up appearances. Both men got plenty of adoring stares from various women in the magic shop they entered. Spell crafting was such a simple task in the alter verse that most utility spells could be sold in bulk, the runes or incantations infused into parchment for this purpose.

The errand is question was that Herohero wanted to purchase a Floating Board spell, designed to carry large loads for projects, in the hopes that it could streamline future actions. However, he was busy acting in his role as a wealthy merchant, which meant getting deep into the major trading districts. As such, Sebas and Touch Me were sent to make the purchase instead. With the scroll purchased, the duo started to return home. However, Sebas smelled something odd on the wind.

"Copper...? No... More like blood..."

Touch Me got concerned.

"That could mean someone is hurt badly."

He turned to his shadow.

"Inform Herohero that we will be a little late."

A sudden shape dashed out from within the shadow and sped off. It was one of Nazarick's shadow demons, skilled messengers and spies that, as their name suggested, dwelled within various shadows, although that did not stop them from moving through light in the course of performing their duties. The duo walked nonchalantly in the direction of the smell, and spotted a large sack in the middle of the street.

"It's coming from there," Sebas noted.

He raised his hand before waving it in such a way that a vacuum was created in the air which sliced the tied off part of the bag open. He was careful to aim in such a way as not to further damage whoever might be inside. He slowly approached, and got surprised when a young woman's hand suddenly grasped his ankle.

"Please...," she said weakly, "Help... Me..."

Touch Me approached and carefully pulled away some of the bag, recoiling at the sight. It was indeed a young woman, perhaps around the same age as Sebas, but heavily bruised, bleeding, and that was just what he could see on the surface.

"Hey!," a man called out as he came out of the nearby building, "What are you doing with her!?"

"You know this woman then?," Sebas asked, in a rather angry tone.

"Yeah, she's one of my employees," the man explained.

"Then why was she so carelessly tossed out on the streets like this!?," Sebas demanded, grabbing the man by his collar and lifting him up a few inches off the ground.

"And don't try to feed us any garbage about taking her to the temple for healing," Touch Me pointed out, "Else you would not have gone back inside after dumping her here. Unless this is how you treat all your employees."

The man's eyes shifted around, and it was clear Touch Me's words had backed him into a corner. He sighed.

"The truth is... She'd gotten too banged up from one of my regular customers, and my boss decided she was useless. Bastard didn't even have the decency to stock healing potions. I was told to just dump her and not ask questions. I... Kinda thought that if I left her in the middle of the street someone would pick up the sack, take it home, learn what was inside and heal her up."

Sebas dropped the man.

"So why bother us if you intended to pass her onto someone else?"

"Well, I wasn't expecting you to actually open the bag," the man explained, "Now there's a chance we could get in real trouble from Eight Fingers. They're the criminal organization that runs this city."

Touch Me tapped his chin.

"We happen to be in good with the royal family of the kingdom, and I'm sure you know of Princess Renner and her passing laws to abolish slavery. If we offer to buy this girl's contract and have it destroyed legally, that would leave Eight Fingers no choice but to resort to drastic measures."

He smirked.

"And I assure you whatever enforcers they possess are no match for us."

The man noticed Touch Me's Adamantite plate.

"I guess that's doable, but I'd still need protection until it's time to testify."

"That can be arranged," Touch Me assured him.

The man was sent via a Gate spell to a holding cell within Nazarick, where the best spies in all of Eight Fingers would never find him.

As for the girl, Sebas carefully carried her back to the mansion where Herohero made his estate.

"I was wondering what was taking so long," Herohero said, spotting the poor girl, "We intended to find some way to handle Eight Fingers at some point. Criminal organizations tend to thrive when a kingdom is divided, so they would benefit from seeing the Spirit Tracks gone."

He pointed to the girl.

"So, what shall we do with her?"

"I was hoping we could heal her damaged body," Sebas suggested, "Though her mind..."

Herohero waved a hand dismissively.

"Not a problem. Tabula Smaragdina has a Stand well-suited to handling psychological trauma. Solution, we should get to work."

Solution nodded reluctantly.

"If you wish."

As Sebas brought the girl upstairs, Solution waited until he was out of earshot before adding, "But I don't understand his reasoning for this."

"I thought you were well-versed in the concepts of love and compassion," Herohero pointed out.

"Yes, for those one knows well," Solution clarified, "But to show such things for a total stranger?"

Herohero chuckled.

"If one applies such things to a stranger, it is possible for that stranger to become a friend, or even more."

Solution's face showed she came to understand Herohero's reasoning.

Later Herohero and Solution had laid the woman out on one of the beds. On Herohero's insistence, they contacted the head maid at Nazarick, a cu sith named Pestonya Shortcake Wanko, whose appearance was that of a beautiful woman with a dog's head. Despite her gruesome appearance, she was actually quite benevolent and even motherly. This made her despair as she assessed the woman's condition.

"It's just gruesome," she noted, "The brothel where she was being forced to work clearly didn't care about their employees as much as their profits."

"What's the damage?," Herohero asked.

"I can't say what her mental state must be in," Pestonya admitted, "But her physical state is a doctor's nightmare. At least three sexually transmitted diseases, one of which being syphilis, several cracked ribs and fingers, torn tendons in both her arm and leg. Her teeth have been forcefully removed, and I think you can imagine why. She also has an anal fissure, and there's evidence of severe drug usage, enough that it's likely she's been forcibly addicted to it."

"No regular doctor could repair all that damage," Herohero noted, "Luckily we have various healing spells and potions to do the job instead, but this will require removing much of the diseased and damaged flesh. Solution, I think you know how to dispose of it."

Solution smiled.

"It would be a pleasure to act as such, my beloved."

Thanks to their assortment of magical healing items, it took about an hour before the woman was completely healed of all her injuries and illnesses. Still, the extent of the damage sickened even Solution.

"It was enough to sour the flavor of her flesh," she noted, "Whoever did this to her is enough of a monster to make those of us in Nazarick seem like saints in comparison."

Shortly after the healing was done, Tabula emerged from the gate.

"Is this the girl?," he asked, pointed at the woman, now sleeping, albeit fitfully.

Tabula narrowed his eyes.

"Looks like my Stand will have plenty to work with. Tears for Fears!"

A humanoid figure dressed in a cloak and having a head similar to a squid appeared, and was quickly drawn into the woman's head. Seconds later, her sleep became more sound, her breath becoming regular.

"She'll remember what happened," Tabula pointed out, "But now it will only seem to be a horrible nightmare. The rest should be left up to Sebas."

He and Pestonya returned to Nazarick through another gate.

"I guess that's it then," Solution said.

"Not yet," Herohero said, "This is only the beginning."

The woman found herself waking in a comfortable bed, as Sebas came in with a tray holding a bowl of hot soup.

"You seem to be feeling better," Sebas said, relief in his voice.

"Yes," the woman replied, "I'm not sure why, but for some reason I feel as though all my horrible experiences were just a dream. I know they were real, but... Well, it's hard to explain."

Sebas smiled warmly.

"Here," he said as carefully placed the tray in front of her, "You must be hungry."

The woman tasted the soup, and suddenly couldn't stop herself from eating it. It was the first warm, delicious meal she'd had in months.

"I don't think I've asked your name yet," Sebas noted.

"Tuareninya Veyron," the woman replied, "Those closest to me call me Tuare."

Sebas raised an eyebrow.

"Do you... Happen to have a sister named Celicia, by chance?"

Celicia was Ninya's real name. She had taken her current name hoping it would help her find her sister. Tuare's eyes widened.

"You know where Celi is!? We lost track of each other during a previous war when my father..."

Tears fell from her eyes. It was clear her troubles did not end with just slavery, that was merely the worst that had happened to her.

"I know where she can be found," Sebas assured her, "And she'll most likely be relieved to hear you were rescued."

Tuare smiled.

"Thank you. But... What happens when they come for me again?"

Sebas grinned.

"No need to worry about that. As it happens my master already took that into consideration. If they try force they'll find us fighting back with more muscle than they can overcome. If they try subtlety they'll find us far more clever. I assure you, you will be safe in our care."

Tuare nodded, finding herself comforted by Sebas's words.

While this was happening, George and his group were traveling through a cave on the way to the sub-well that would allow the Spirit Tracks to expand to the Snow Temple, up near the mountains north of the lizardmen territories. Traveling with them was Zaryusu, Crusch, Shasryu, Zenberu, and the other two tribal chiefs, Kyuku Zuzu of the Small Fang, and Sukyu Juju of the Razor Tail. As the Green Claw's priestess predicted, neither tribe was opposed to an alliance with their old friends in Green Claw to deal with the forces of the demon train.

The group was now looking at the smoldering carcass of the maneater, which had attempted to ambush them in the cave. The skull nest was easy to crack open with Ticket to Ride's weapons, and Imina was able to utilize the offensive power Love Train had to offer once the insect inside the nest was exposed, the white-hot plasma launchers easily incinerating the creature. Kyuku snorted at the monster.

"Insect not tough. Mere voice for demon train. Should not have bothered to fight."

"The sanctuary should be just past the cavern," Zenberu noted, "But there's something else to note. The area around the temple is covered in a massive blizzard."

"I can feel our way through it," George assured him, "The real problem will be whoever is waiting to attack us inside the temple. At the very least, whoever was sent to keep the magic well inside the temple shut will be there."

They got back on the train and hurried off, their path to the temple clear yet murky.

Chapter Text

The group stepped into the Snow Temple as Ticket to Ride came to a stop. Despite the large blizzard, George and Gyro had been able to guide the train along the Spirit Tracks by feeling out the large amount of life force from within the temple.

"This part of the region has always been cold," Zaryusu noted, "But now the temperature is so low my Stand might be of little use."

Just up the stairs was a young woman wearing all pink, alongside two prepubescent dark elves. Gyro raised an eyebrow when he quickly realized one was a girl wearing boy's clothes, and the other was a boy wearing girl's clothes.

"Why do you have two cross-dressing dark elves with you?," he asked the woman.

"Oh, sorry," she replied, "I should introduce myself. I'm Bukubukuchagama, and these are the twins Aura Bella Fiora and Mare Bello Fiore."

"That... Didn't answer my question...," Gyro pointed out.

"Bukubukuchagama is into 'gap moe'," Takemikazuchi explained, "And the twins look up to her like a big sister. Which is odd since they're both twice her age..."

He then found himself clobbered by Bukubukuchagama.

"How dare you insinuate that I am old!? I'm still attractive by any species standards!"

The rest of the group looked flabbergasted at the sight, until Imina cleared her throat.

"Pure-blooded elves, whether high elf or dark elf, have longer lives than humans. As such they age slower. These two are likely in their seventies, which would still make them preteens."

"Still doesn't explain the cross-dressing thing," Gyro reminded her.

"Big Sis thought it would look cute on us," Aura explained, "I gotta admit, I kinda like it."

"Speak for yourself, Sis," Mare said, "This cold atmosphere is not meant for skirts. The only thing making it bearable is the bloomers Lady Bukubukuchagama asked me to wear."

"Bloomers?," George asked.

"I thought having Mare wear panties would be unsightly should anyone get a peek," Bukubukuchagama explained, "So I suggested he wear bloomers instead. They're pretty much gender-neutral in terms of clothing, after all."

She started walking into the next room, only to have something echo through the halls and hit her, splattering her across the entire room.

"Lady Bukubukuchagama!," the twins called out in shock.

"What the hell was that!?," George called out.

"Got one already," a voice replied, "I'm a little surprised. I didn't think my power was so strong."

A grown woman carrying a large weapon that looked like a remix board shaped like a cannon.

"The name's Tolkien," the woman explained.

George and Gyro looked at each other in bemusement, since the woman's name was similar to popular fantasy author JRR Tolkien.

"So just what let you destroy Bukubukuchagama like that?," Takemikazuchi asked.

"I dunno," Tolkien admitted, "Normally my Bass Renaissance isn't so powerful. Here..."

She lifted the cannon.

"Let me give you a demonstration."

At once, the cannon fired out a massive sonic pulse so strong the entire group found themselves having to cover their ears.

"That sound is too strong!," Starlight realized, "We can't get close or use our powers unless we want to risk permanent damage!"

"Me, Gyro, and Takemikazuchi can still fight!," George pointed out, "Tusk, Act 4!"

"Battlecry!"

"Ball Breaker!"

However, the three Stands found themselves getting pounded by sound waves, causing damage to Gyro and George, though Takemikazuchi didn't take damage thanks to his Stand's effect. Tolkien laughed.

"So long as I hold you here, you'll never reach the magic well. And before long, the constant sound pounding against you will cause your hearts to explode!"

"I think the sound will cut out long before that happens," came another familiar voice.

"What!?," Tolkien asked.

She whirled around, and was surprised to see Bukubukuchagama standing there, smirking as she cracked her neck joints.

"Gotta hand it to you," she said to the bewildered woman, "That blast was enough to take me out temporarily. Lucky for me, my Stand was already active."

Tolkien grimaced.

"Bass Renaissance!"

She fired out a burst of sound, but Bukubukuchagama split apart to dodge it and reformed behind Tolkien.

"I notice your Stand only fires in one direction," she said, "But my Stand, One Minute Man, turns me into liquid that can travel according to my own will."

To demonstrate, she flew right into Tolkien's ears before she could try another attack. Then she launched herself out of the woman's mouth, causing her to cough terribly.

"I could have done worse in there," Bukubukuchagama noted, "But then your blood would have gotten on my nice clothes. See, I can't absorb any other liquid into my body, as that would interfere with my normal mass."

She shot forward as a blob of water that slammed right into Tolkien's stomach, knocking the wind out of her.

"I still have options though."

Tolkien got up to try another shot and managed to catch Bukubukuchagama off-guard, blasting her again. But before she could turn on the others, Starlight took action.

"Dove and Grenade!"

Right as Tolkien tried to fire, she was encased in a metal box, her brief scream indicating that she had been hit with her own power. When the box was lowered, she was unconscious but alive.

"I think we should take her into custody," George suggested, "She can be made to give us information on the forces working against the Spirit Tracks."

Moments later, Shasryu returned, rubbing his neck.

"Had to keep her down in chains, but we finally have her contained. She kept yammering on about needing to kill Fraaz, the Elf King sent to guard the temple here, for the sake of her daughter Zesshi."

Starlight looked shocked.

"I know that name. She's a member of the Slane Theocracy's Black Scripture. She's considered one of the most powerful beings in this world. And she doesn't even have a Stand."

Some of the others looked worried, but George allayed their fears.

"Unless our goals put us in conflict with Slane, we won't have to worry about her. Besides, Starlight said she was only one of the most powerful, and that's without a Stand. I can name plenty of times when a strong warrior was defeated because his opponent possessed a Stand. For now our focus should be on releasing the magic well and linking the Snow Temple to the station."

The group nodded, and continued on.

Barbro was speaking with Boullope in his quarters when the door opened, revealing Barbro's younger brother Zanac Varleon Igana Ryle Vaiself, along with his closest friend Elias Brandt Dale Raeven.

"Now this is an unusual sight," Zanac noted, "My brother actually making plans? I didn't think you had the motivation."

Barbro gave a wry grin.

"Just making sure our kingdom is prepared for when the inevitable happens in the wake of the Spirit Tracks disappearance."

Zanac chuckled.

"Have you not heard? Or are you merely blind? By now the whole kingdom is abuzz with talk that the Spirit Tracks are starting to return."

He and Raeven shared a grin.

"Personally I'm looking forward to it. I've missed the taste of elven wine. It has a far more natural feel to it than what we produce here."

Barbro laughed.

"Why trade with them when we can simply take over their country?"

Raeven chuckled lightly.

"If the whole of the Theocracy has been unable to conquer them, then what chance has our smaller kingdom? Especially when our 'military' is composed entirely of conscripted soldiers that barely know how to defend themselves, let alone fight a war."

"And what few true soldiers we do have are only trained to defend our father, His Majesty Ramposa III," Zanac noted.

Barbro frowned.

"Say what you will, but when my plans are finished Re-Estize will stand atop this realm. And nothing my foolish sister does can stop my plans."

"Would you be speaking of Starlight perhaps?," Zanac questioned, "She told me of her plans, by the by, and I was the one who provided her with several high-ranking adventurers that would prove useful. Last I heard she and her party were heading for the mountains near the lizardmen territories."

Barbro smirked.

"I can just imagine what those barbarians would do to her when they spotted her."

"Probably nothing horrible," Zanac noted, a hand on his chin, "After all, while their technology is nowhere near our level, in terms of civilization the lizardmen are actually quite sophisticated. They simply make do with what they have."

He grinned.

"Every civilization looks at their own as superior, but it takes a truly sophisticated eye to see other civilizations as being just as advanced, in their own way."

And with that, he and Raeven left.

As the two of them walked down the hall, Raeven noted, "Barbro is clearly up to something. I don't think I've ever seen him scheme before, so this is clearly something he's been building up to."

"Personally I wouldn't be surprised if he had a hand in the Spirit Tracks vanishing in the first place," Zanac admitted, "The only question is... Is he the one pulling the strings, or is it Boullope? Both of them have powerful Stands, it could truly be either of them."

Back in Barbro's quarters, Boullope stroked his beard.

"Do you think they could be on to us?"

"Maybe," Barbro admitted, "But even if they are, there is little they can do. Among the royal children, only Starlight and myself are Stand users. Our other three siblings have no such power. All we have to do is place our agents in the right locations and have them perform their special powers."

He grinned wickedly.

"And then... My own Stand can repeat that action, ensuring that even if that agent is killed, we can still access their power."

The path through the Snow Temple led down into the basement.

"It's like the dungeons in modern RPGs," Gyro noted, "I'm kinda getting a Legend of Zelda vibe from this."

"Huh...," George said, "Now that I think about it, there is a Zelda title called Spirit Tracks. One of Jolyne's favorites."

"Jolyne?," Starlight asked.

"My grand-niece," George explained, "It may not seem like it, but I am far older than I appear. One of Hamon's powers is that it slows down the aging process, though it cannot actually stop it."

He continued on.

"He seems quite motivated," Shasryu noted.

"It's finally his chance for destiny," Gyro explained, "Despite being the son of a man secretly responsible for saving our world, George has had to watch while destiny passed him over in favor of his brother-in-law, his nephew, his half-brother, his biological uncle, and his grand-niece. Five holders of the title of 'JoJo', one of whom doesn't even have Joestar blood. I'm not surprised that he's so motivated now that it's finally his turn."

George quickly stopped and leapt back as something dropped down with all the force of a jackhammer. It quickly unfurled itself to reveal a humanoid harlequin.

"A pleasure to meet you!," the being said, the voice revealing itself to be male, albeit high-pitched, "I am the court jester Dahlman! Spelled with an A-H-L, for the record. I have been tasked with killing you all and preventing you from reaching the center of the temple! And with my madcap Stand, Baha Men, I'll be sure to make quick work of you!"

Gyro put his hands on his hips.

"You ever notice how Stands tend to have a musical reference in there somewhere?"

"I have no idea what you speak of!," Dahlman said.

He then crumpled up again and leaping like a Jack-in-the-box to slam into Gyro, catching him off-guard and slamming him into the wall. He continued to attack, taking down each group member in turn, easily dodging their projectiles. The whole time he was laughing.

"As long as I have room to work with, you'll never be able to hit me! And even if you could, only sharp weapons can actually injure me!"

Starlight wiped her lip as she got up.

"Then let's see you dodge an attack from every direction. Dove and Grenade!"

She pounded the ground, causing wood to sprout up everywhere, breaking through the ice.

"Huh?," Dahlman said in bewilderment.

He tried his best to stay a step ahead of the sharp branches that were cropping up everywhere. Before he could get far, however, he was quickly frozen up to his neck when Zaryusu stepped in, tagging him with his Stand.

"Looks like elemental techniques work just as well," Zaryusu noted, "And it has the added bonus as being a prison you can't wriggle your way out of."

Dahlman gave a quick sneeze.

"I'll be out when this ice thaws. And sticking me a cell afterward would be useless."

"Fine," Starlight said, "Then we'll just finish you off here."

Dahlman soon found himself screaming as the ice was quickly melted, only for him to start burning as Starlight's fire magic went to work. He was finally silenced when George launched a fingernail through his brain.

"That was for Gyro," George said.

Gyro coughed.

"I'm not exactly dead yet."

George chuckled.

"Yeah, but I've always wanted to say a cool line like that."

Gyro laughed.

"Seriously? This isn't the seventies you know."

He shook his head.

"Anyway, there should be one final opponent higher up. Let's get moving."

The group hurried through the various rooms to reach the upper level of the temple, but Starlight couldn't help but think on what she had learned regarding George.

Meanwhile Gazef was meeting with Ramposa in his throne room.

"So Starlight is choosing to find out how to restore the Spirit Tracks," Ramposa noted, "It's fortunate I studied how they were crafted to begin with. But I do grow concerned, since there are likely forces stacked against her."

"I share those fears, Your Highness," Gazef said, "But Starlight was wise enough to surround herself with powerful allies. And she has access to the legendary train. Still, it won't be easy. Already we faced a powerful Stand user that pushed us to the edge through stamina alone."

"I also worry about Renner's state, should Starlight be gone for so long," Ramposa said, "Having someone her intellectual equal is good for Renner, but if Starlight is gone for an extended period, she could relapse back into her emotionless state."

Gazef nodded and grimaced. Thanks to Starlight, Renner was learning to have genuine emotion. But at the same time Starlight was the primary catalyst for that. If something were to happen to her, it could turn Renner back into what Zanac often described her as. A monster.

On the temple's second floor, Starlight saw something that made her chuckle.

"Well, well. Count Lytton."

George looked and saw a rather middle-aged man in upper-class finery.

"Someone from Re-Estize?"

"He's one of the Six Great Nobles that leads the Noble Faction against my father," Starlight explained, "I take it then that you are part of the conspiracy to remove the Spirit Tracks?"

"Their presence prevents noblemen like myself from achieving greater glory," Lytton explained, "With them gone, we can finally achieve true power."

Starlight had a bemused look on her face.

"You know I could probably kill you right now and Boullope and the others wouldn't care."

Lytton shrugged.

"Well, if you could even reach me. But you'd have to get through my Stand first. Jingo Jungle!"

A troop of about eighty soldiers carrying firearms appeared. They took aim and made to fire, George acting quickly as he pulled out a few strands of hair.

"Hamon Hair Attack!"

The conjured barrier blocked the shots, but it was clear the Stand was designed to fire multiple times, threatening to eventually break through the barrier. Gyro took a look at the Stand and snapped his fingers.

"I think I remember reading about this formation. Nobunaga Oda loved the idea of firearms on the battlefield, feeling they would revolutionize warfare. But he was also a realist that recognized the long reload time and single shot capabilities of the early rifles were a liability. So when he pitted his rifle battalion against the cavalry of the Takeda clan, he came up with a perfect work-around. He had three lines of riflemen set up, with one line firing while the other two reloaded. Using this, he could maintain a constant stream of fire that wiped out the Takeda cavalry."

"Are you going somewhere with this?," Zaryusu asked.

Gyro nodded.

"Look at how Lytton's Stand is set up. Doesn't it look exactly like what I described?"

Zaryusu looked and saw Gyro was right.

"But it only seems to be positioned in front of Lytton. If he's attacked from behind..."

He picked up his Stand and struck the ground.

"Cold Wind Blows!"

The icy tendrils from the Stand quickly reached Lytton's boots and started to freeze.

"What!? Wait! Stop this!"

His Stand suddenly stopped firing, causing his eyes to widen as he realized he accidentally deactivated it with his words. This gave George and Starlight the opportunity to move in and attack.

"Dove and Grenade!," Starlight called out, coating her arms in metal.

George joined in.

"Tusk, Act 4!"

Lytton soon found himself pounded by both fighters at once.

"ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA!"

Lytton was quickly tossed into a nearby wall, heavily injured but still alive.

"No need to finish him off," Shasryu noted, "If it can be proven that he came here with the other two, that proves he's part of the conspiracy. We lizardmen know about politics as well, albeit simplified, so I can tell that discrediting Lytton could prove a heavy blow against his faction."

Starlight smiled.

"Agreed. I think it's better if we keep him alive. It's a good thing we spared Tolkien. I'm sure she'd be willing to speak out against Lytton if it meant her freedom. But first we need to finish what we started here."

Chapter Text

The group of George, Gyro, Starlight, Zaryusu, Shasryu, Takemikazuchi, Bukubukuchagama, Aura, and Mare entered the shrine where the magic well was supposed to be held. As they did, two flames, one red and one blue, lit up, revealing a dark-haired elf dressed in royal finery. The haughty look on his face reminded George of the time he was watching anime with Jolyne. Something about this man made him think of Gilgamesh if he had black hair and green armor. Of course, this meant George couldn't help but dislike him right away.

"I take it you're Fraaz?," Starlight asked.

"I see my name precedes me," Fraaz acknowledged, "Must have been that annoying woman. I only needed an heir from her, but she had the gall to steal her away and have her raised among the pigs in Slane."

He then noticed the dark elf twins.

"I didn't know there were descendants of royals among the dark elves."

He pointed to his own heterochromatic eyes.

"That is a trait only those of royal elven blood possess. Once I've dealt with the rest of you, I think I'll spare them and adopt them to take my bastard daughter's place."

He held out his hands.

"Of course, first things first... Hot Night...!"

The red flame jumped to his right hand.

"In a Cold Town!"

The blue flame, which seemed to be pure cold, jumped to his left hand. The twin flames were Fraaz's Stand, Hot Night in a Cold Town. The red flame launched first, causing searing heat that had everyone put their guard up. The blue flame headed right for Bukubukuchagama, instantly encasing her in ice. She wiggled around trying to morph her way out, but it was useless.

"I was able to observe your fight with Tolkien," Fraaz said, "I think it's better if you remain solid and intact, lest you strike at me when I am most vulnerable. Though it seems you are immune to freezing, not that it will help."

He then redirected the blue flame to the others. Starlight moved to act quickly.

"Dove and Grenade!"

She launched a fireball that managed to negate the oncoming cold blast.

"Nice instinct," Fraaz admitted, "My twin flames are vulnerable to their opposite temperature. But I can control both flames simultaneously."

Starlight then felt the red flame approaching, just before George leapt in the way, getting himself scorched for his trouble. Luckily he had put up a Hamon barrier to avoid immolation, but the sheer heat caused damage regardless, causing him to drop to one knee.

"Thanks for the save," Starlight said, smiling.

"No problem," George replied, smirking, "But I need some time to recover while my Hamon lets me heal."

"I think you won't have to worry about that in a moment," Fraaz pointed out, launching his two flames again.

Takemikazuchi was able to block the blue flame with Battlecry, but it got frozen solid as a result. Zaryusu had more success using Cold Wind Blows to deal with the red flame, completely nullifying it with the blade's frozen nature. The sight of it made Fraaz pause.

"That level of cold... Even my Cold Town does not compare..."

He crossed his arms.

"But both of my flames together should more than be enough."

He threw his arms outward, launching both flames at high speed. Zaryusu found himself unable to determine where to move as the flames split into multiple streams.

"Brother, look out!," Shasryu called out as he got in front of Zaryusu, his arms crossed.

Thinking quickly, Zaryusu slammed the ground with his Stand, hoping to at least protect his brother from the burning flames. That turned out to be all he needed to do. As the pillars of ice blocked the red flames, a sudden circle of fire manifested around Shasryu's arms, completely blocking the freezing flames. Fraaz looked in complete shock at what he was seeing. The others were also surprised. Shasryu looked as he uncrossed his arms, the circle of fire now becoming two burning wheels that acted much like bucklers. Zaryusu smirked.

"Looks like you awakened to your Stand, Shasryu."

Shasryu smiled.

"And at just the right time, too. Now that I have this new power, I shall name it... Saint Elmo's Fire!"

He grabbed the twin bucklers in both hands and tossed them like frisbees, aiming for the frozen Bukubukuchagama and Battlecry, the sudden heat thawing them out instantly.

"Ugh...," Bukubukuchagama said as she shivered, "I feel like I was stuffed in a freezer..."

Fraaz growled.

"There's no way I'll let you ruin my chance at a legacy! Hot Night in a Cold Town!"

He launched his flames at tremendous volume.

"Useless!," the Shasha brothers called out as one.

"Cold Wind Blows!"

"Saint Elmo's Fire!"

Columns of heat and cold erupted at their call, negating the flames of Fraaz's Stand. They then raced right at the Elf King, determination in their eyes.

"Frost cold enough to freeze fire!," Zaryusu called out, striking the ground and pinning Fraaz in place with a veritable tundra.

"Flames hot enough to melt ice!," Shasryu called out, his burning fist plowing into Fraaz, knocking him out of the pin and into the wall.

"Between us brothers...!," Zaryusu started, taking a battle stance.

"Is cold blood with a warm heart!," Shasryu finished, taking his own stance.

"Cold Wind Blows!"

"Saint Elmo's Fire!"

They launched their attacks as one, the twin bucklers moving parallel to a moving stream of ice on the ground. As they reached Fraaz, he found himself boiling and freezing simultaneously, causing him to die from the shock. Upon his death, the magic well in the middle of room cracked open, sending waves through the Spirit Tracks leading to Down at the Station.

Herohero narrowed his eyes at the disgusting pig of a guard that was called by the man named Succulent, who claimed to be in charge of the brothel where Tuare was once forced to work. The guard, Staffan Heivish, was greedily eyeing Solution. Herohero was half-tempted to let Staffan have a go at her just to laugh at his reaction as Solution devoured him. Succulent, meanwhile, was growing increasingly irate. Their first plan was to try labeling Sebas guilty of theft right away, circumstances be damned, then try to extort him to recoup the losses, or perhaps convince him to return the girl.

Herohero dashed that plan quickly. Not only did he give testimony stating that Sebas had bought and destroyed Tuare's contract on his permission, he could back that up thanks to the brothel worker Succulent had ordered to dispose of her.

'Our spy network wasn't able to find that man. If he's able to give testimony in a court of law...'

Even worse, Tuare seemed to be in good health and sound mind, able to point out Heivish as the one who so cruelly tortured her. Succulent had to admit, he was disgusted at the look at bewilderment on Heivish's face. It's not that the man didn't know what he was doing, he knew all too well. He just thought it was his right to do so. Cocco Doll, the real power behind Eight Finger's brothels, actually said he was looking for an excuse to have Heivish removed as a regular customer. Not only did his misogynistic activities sicken everyone in Eight Fingers, the working girls he wound up killing with his torture fetish were expensive to replace.

The fact that Heivish couldn't see his fetish as sick and twisted made Succulent sick to his stomach, but he was a professional. But that professionalism came with as many liberties and it did limitations.

"Heivish," Succulent said as he got up to prevent the bastard from getting violent with Sebas, "I think it's clear we don't have the legal high road. Perhaps it's better to drop the issue. I apologize for wasting your time, Master Balba."

He practically dragged Heivish out of the manor.

"What is the meaning of this?," Heivish demanded.

"They have us by the balls from a legal perspective," Succulent pointed out, "Any further action on your part and you'll be exposed as the corrupt guard you are. And that's not a threat from Eight Fingers, that's a logical conclusion to your attitude towards Master Balba and his household. They clearly have connections to the royal family, a position not even Eight Fingers can touch."

Heivish growled.

"Curse that Princess Renner and her actions, removing slavery as a legal practice."

Succulent smirked.

"Calm yourself. Remember, I said 'from a legal perspective'."

Back at the manor, Sebas looked at the door the duo had left from.

"If that man is the manager of that brothel than I'm as old as I appear."

Herohero nodded.

"Yes. It's clear he's merely an enforcer, meant to try and intimidate us. I almost wish he was more stupid. Then he would have attacked us and been shown how out of his league he is. But he was cunning enough to know that he was being outmaneuvered. However, now that legal pressure has failed, he's likely to try other methods. We'd better use caution going forward."

Sebas nodded.

"Of course, Lord Herohero."

Chapter Text

While Starlight returned to ease Renner's recent worries and check on the status of the restoration project, George and Gyro decided to hit a nearby tavern. George was surprised to learn that the name of Joestar was well-known around the area.

"Apparently my great-grandfather, Jonathan Joestar, somehow found his way here," he noted.

"I don't see how that's possible," Gyro pointed out, "The crack that let us into this realm only appeared just over a decade ago, yet when Jonathan was seen in this realm, he was still rather young."

"That crack's not the only one that exists," came another voice, and the duo turned to see Brain sitting nearby.

"You must be Brain Unglaus," Gyro realize, "Gazef mentioned you a few times."

Brain nodded.

"But yeah, about a hundred years ago, similar cracks have been opening up across the world, and sometimes people from your side slipped through them. They never stayed long though, just long enough to explain that the cracks were connected to certain energy pathways."

"Ley lines," George realized, "They've dotted our world since the dawn of civilization."

The three of them were walking through the streets of Re-Estize when they came across a crowd gathered around something. It seemed a group of thugs was harassing a young man who's only sleight against them was accidentally bumping into them.

"You get these kinds of gang violence all the time around here," Brain noted, "Because of it, not even the local guard minds if a few decently-ranked adventurers, or anyone with equivalent strength, intervenes."

George smirked as he got the hint, and he and Brain moved to take action. But as it turned out, they didn't need to bother. Sebas had shown up at that exact moment. When one of the gang members tried to turn him away, Sebas responded with a quick strike that left the man clutching at his stomach while kneeling on the ground. George gave an impressed whistle.

"Pretty strong for a butler. Almost reminds me of Roses."

As Sebas proceeded to deal with the remaining thugs, Brain noticed Climb move in to help the victim. After Sebas walked off, Climb started to follow him.

"Hello," Brain said, "What's going on there?"

He and George looked at each other and nodded, deciding to follow, Gyro staying behind to make sure the thugs didn't go anywhere until the city guard showed up.

When they finally caught up to the duo, Climb had his sword drawn and was breathing hard, but was otherwise unharmed. Strangely, Sebas was also unharmed.

"This is a bit on the unusual side," George side.

"Oh, George," Climb said, recognizing him.

"Been a while, Climb," George replied, "I guess you're not always sticking close to Renner."

"Her Majesty is safe enough within the confines of the palace," Climb assured him, "And while I refuse to believe she's the monster some people claim her to be, there's no denying her intelligence. I doubt she'll fall so easily to poisoning."

Brain nodded with a knowing smile.

"I get it, the princess wanted you to take some time off."

"Actually, she was meeting Lakyus about the recent concerns involving Eight Fingers," Climb clarified.

"Come to think of it," Sebas said, "My master, Lord Balba, also got accosted by Eight Fingers after I rescued one of their prostitutes who was being disposed of. Of course, they simply tried legal pressure, but Master Balba was already one step ahead of them."

Climb nodded.

"Yeah, the Blue Rose have been putting them under a lot of pressure lately by targeting and burning their drug farms. But their real goal to is find and arrest the ringleaders."

Just then, a couple of men in dark robes approached the group, small blades in hand. Three more appeared behind them.

"Those people look like they mean business," Climb noted.

Brain noticed something purple clinging to the blades.

"Careful, the blades are tipped with poison. These guys are likely assassins."

"Poison has little effect on me," George assured him, "With my Hamon I can force it out of my system before it kills me."

"I believe each of us can deal with the poison in one way or another," Sebas noted, "Their blades can't even scratch me. I know enough about Brain to know he has poison immunity. And Climb has finished explaining his Stand power to me."

George looked at Climb.

"It's a simple power," Climb admitted, "But still strong enough to let me keep up with more combat-oriented Stand users. It let's me survive otherwise lethal situations. And every time I do, I feel myself get just a little bit stronger. I've come to call it... Living on a Prayer."

George chuckled.

"Well, if these guys are after something, I doubt they're willing to leave witnesses."

"I believe it's me they're after," Sebas noted, "That said, I won't begrudge the assistance."

"Me and Climb can take care of these two," Brain said.

Sebas nodded.

"Then me and George will deal with the three behind us."

The assassins made their attack, but it was soon clear they were outmatched. George and Sebas made quick work of the three they chose to fight, Brain the same with his chosen dance partner. Climb did get a quick nick from the poisoned blade, but that just let his Stand do his work, allowing him to use the extra strength the defeat the assassins.

"We left one alive to interrogate," Sebas noted.

"Let me handle this," George offered, "My grandmother taught me a useful skill for Hamon that let's a master hypnotize a target."

Sebas sat the man up as George applied his fingers to the sides of the assassin's face.

"Now, why were you after Sebas?"

"Eight Fingers...," the man said in a trance.

He soon gave information pointing to the brothel Tuare had been tossed out of.

"So Succulent is responsible for sending these men," Sebas noted.

"He's known as a member of the Six Arms," Climb said, "The security detail of Eight Fingers."

"How dangerous are they?," George asked.

"Their skills are Adamantite level," Climb replied, "But luckily none of them are Stand users."

Sebas nodded.

"Well, if Succulent is willing to use illegal means to get his point across, that should give me carte blanch to see his establishment dissolved entirely. While one brothel brought down would hardly make a dent in Eight Fingers's operations, it would help Tuare sleep better at night."

Starlight finished her visit with Renner to calm her nerves.

'That girl would devolve into a sociopath if not for my guidance. It's almost frightening.'

She then saw Gyro walking through the halls.

"Oh, Gyro. Where's George right now?"

"He headed off to see how Climb's been doing," Gyro explained, "And he wound up joining a group to take out Eight Fingers's last brothel. The city guard was just cleaning up the mess. In addition to capturing one of Six Arms, several patrons of the brothel, all of whom were part of the noble faction, got killed. Oh, and Constable Heivish."

Starlight grimaced.

"I knew he was involved somehow. He's always been leering at Renner and despised her for abolishing slavery. Is everyone involved alright?"

"Climb needs some minor medical treatment, but he'll survive," Gyro assured her, "The others never even got so much as a scratch. Why? You worried about George?"

He gave a wide grin that revealed his gold-plated grill, which would have been unusual to Starlight if she wasn't flustered at the question.

"Hey! We are far from an actual couple!"

Gyro snickered.

"But you're not denying an attraction. He's been attracted to you for a while, too. He just waits until he gets to know a woman before acting on such things."

Starlight turned red as a beet.

"Is that Gyro?," Renner asked as she walked up.

She then noticed Starlight's face.

"Ah... You brought up her crush on George, didn't you?"

"Renner!," Starlight called out indignantly.

Gyro couldn't help but laugh at that scene, as the two sisters teased each other over their personal crushes.

Chapter Text

Continuing the story from the past, it was the night after Jonathan and Speedwagon were given the circus tickets. They along with Twilight and Erina were heading for the large tent.

"Reminds me of PT Barnum's show," Twilight noted.

Jonathan stopped just outside the ticket booth and chuckled.

"Come to see the show, Master Zeppeli?"

Sure enough, Zeppeli surprised the group by stepping out from the middle of the crowd.

"My word, JoJo, how on Earth could you tell it was me?"

"You might have been able to mask your presence," Jonathan explained, "But your Hamon signature is still strong enough for me to detect."

Zeppeli chuckled.

"Still keeping up with your practice, I see."

Jonathan shrugged.

"Just because we defeated Dio doesn't mean other undead foes won't show themselves. We never did finish off all his followers."

Zeppeli nodded.

"Yes, tracking these zombies is what lead me here. I have reason to believe some undead are hiding among the circus folk. With the natural oddities one finds among the circus's whimsy, it would be easy to blend in."

"We came here on request of Her Majesty," Speedwagon explained, "To track a mystery behind disappearing and reappearing children."

Twilight looked at the tent.

"A house divided perhaps. We spoke with the children involved. None of them were undead, and had no memory of their time while missing. The last thing they remember is being invited by colorful circus performers to a sort of wonderland before waking up in their parents' homes."

Zeppeli stroked his mustache.

"Most peculiar. Perhaps we'll get more answers within."

Inside the tent a young gentleman with bright red hair and bearing a skeleton-like prosthetic hand greeted them as ringmaster.

"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen all," he said in a pronounced Irish accent, "I am Joker, your Master of Ceremonies for the evening."

He continued to speak as he juggled a few colored balls.

"It is our hope as the proprietors of the Noah's Ark Circus that you all leave here with smiles on your faces. Or else our jobs are for nothing."

He took a quick bow as the balls he was juggling bounced comically off his head, getting some early laughs in already. The performers that night included a tightrope walker named Doll, a young teenage girl dressed all in white, the animal tamer Beast, an older woman with black hair, the knife thrower Dagger, a blond-haired young man, the fire eater Jumbo, a large tattooed man, and the twin trapeze artists Peter and Wendy, a boy and girl who seemed almost joined at the hip when not performing.

After the show Joker surprised the Joestar group by approaching them.

"I see you got our invites."

"I didn't know you were the one sending the tickets," Jonathan noted.

Joker led them backstage.

"Me and my friends have known about the kidnappings for some time now. In fact, we almost got roped into them."

"How do you mean?," Erina asked.

"We used to be a bunch of orphans," Joker explained, "Until our current patron, the Baron Kelvin, took us in. We worked for the sake of the orphanage we came from, him always dangling that fact over our heads."

He clenched his good hand.

"But when he spoke of kidnapping kids for reasons unknown, I had to assure myself it was for a good cause. So I went back to remind myself what I was working for."

His eyes misted over with tears.

"Imagine my shock to learn the place had closed down, all our friends gone. I brought the others and they were just as horrified. We suspected Kelvin was behind it. He must have realized his hold over us was null, because he dropped our end of the bargain. He still let us work here and get our prosthetics maintained, he was decent enough for that."

"So then why have the kidnappings still happened?," Erina asked.

"It's because Kelvin made a offer to the second-tier performers," Joker explained, "If they could bring him enough children, he would promote them to first-tier."

He closed his eyes and sighed.

"There wasn't anything we could do to stop it, but we could mitigate the damage."

Twilight's eyes widened.

"I knew your energy felt familiar. You're a Stand user, like me."

"You have it too, then?," Joker replied, "All us first-tiers, plus the doctor taking care of us, have Stands."

"And this helps you release the children?," Zeppeli asked.

"After a while," Joker said with a nod, "For starters there's my Stand, which I call Winkin' Blinkin' and Nod."

He manifested a cloaked figure, a serene porcelain face behind the hood.

"It's a simple mist that puts anyone I want into a dreamless sleep. While in that state, anyone who doesn't have my express permission can neither touch that person nor wake them up. And if they try, my Stand violently rejects them while protecting the subject. Kelvin and his cronies learned that the hard way. He's still sporting the injuries."

Joker led the group to the medical tent, where Beast was getting her left leg checked over by a doctor. Erina noticed that the leg was prosthetic.

"Do all your friends have prosthetics?," she asked.

Joker nodded.

"Me, Beast, and Dagger lost limbs, Doll's missing her eye, Peter and Wendy had replacement hips. It's all been taken care of by Doctor Frankenstein here."

"Victor Frankenstein," the doctor said, "A pleasure to make your acquaintance. You'll have to excuse my rudeness, but I tend to get absorbed in my work."

Zeppeli noted the corpse parts.

"Freshly dug from local graveyards," Frankenstein explained, "Kelvin wanted to use children's bones, but I told him that first, such an act is amoral even by the actions I've taken in the course of my research, and second, the bones would be far too small for adults. I've found it better to go for quality over quantity, finding corpses that are roughly the same size as my patients. And if there are discrepancies, which are likely to occur, then I have my Stand to fall back on."

Twilight noticed a large, patchwork man standing behind Frankenstein.

"You can see it, yes?," Frankenstein as he looked back at Twilight, "This is Doctor Feelgood, the perfect medical assistant. With him I can alter biological matter at the cellular level. It can work on plants, but I normally work with animals, humans in particular. It's especially useful for insuring the prosthetics fit perfectly and are not rejected."

Erina walked over.

"May I examine your work? I happen to work in nursing."

Beast nodded as Erina examined the prosthetic.

"I see... It almost resembles the real thing, and it's smoother."

"So, Doctor," Jonathan said, "You said Kelvin originally wanted to use children for this?"

"Yes, horrible as it is," Frankenstein explained, "People called me a maniac for trying to craft life through science. And maybe I did lose my marbles temporarily in the course of conducting my research. But Kelvin is a true monster far worse than any I could craft with my own two hands."

Back in the present, George was going over the story as his father told it. Jonathan had apparently written everything in his journal.

"George," Gyro said, "We're getting ready to start."

"So we're planning on taking out Eight Fingers before continuing to restore the Spirit Tracks," George noted.

Gyro nodded.

"We can't have those guys using the Spirit Tracks for their own criminal schemes, after all. Especially since the Ancient One said the tracks are getting to the point where the energy of people can continued to expand them."

The two friends walked out to where the rest of the adventurers were waiting.

Chapter Text

Numerous adventurers, all of them at least above Silver rank, were gathered in the castle grounds, along with George and Gyro. Lakyus stood to address the group.

"Listen up! Tonight we have eight strongholds of the notorious criminal organization Eight Fingers to raid. Our goal is to hit them all at once. This way we will at least cripple them heavily. I want everyone prepared to fight whoever is guarding each stronghold."

"We'll be hitting the center of the drug trade," George noted to his old friend.

Gyro nodded.

"As I recall from the report, the head of that division is a former prostitute named Hilma. She's used to using her feminine wiles to seduce men and either control them or kill them. Half the Noble Faction is wrapped around her finger. There's also the possibility of confronting Six Arms. Shouldn't be a problem for us, since they aren't Stand users. Though I wonder why Eight Fingers wouldn't consider hiring Stand users for security."

"Probably because most Stand users are adventurers," George noted, "But they tend to be focused on clearing out traveling roads."

Lakyus then walked up to the duo.

"Some of the other strongholds might get cleared out before you even show up, so it's likely that you'll get reinforcements. That said..."

She smiled at Gyro.

"I hope you stay alive out there."

Gyro grinned, his grill flashing.

"Not to worry. A Zeppeli doesn't go down easy."

Lakyus smiled as she sashayed off. George chuckled.

"Something... Going on between you two?"

Gyro smirked.

"You start talking about your relationship with Starlight, and I'll start talking about me and Lakyus."

George just gave his old friend a quick jab in the shoulder.

Meanwhile, Herohero and his group entered their estate to find it burglarized.

"This doesn't look good," Sebas noted, "Tuare was left here to look after the estate."

Touch Me noticed a note on the ground. He picked it up and read it.

"I see... Seems Eight Fingers has lost patience and wants retaliation. Well, at least this gives us an excuse to up our timetable in regards to them."

Herohero nodded.

"I'll contact Momonga. I believe he and his group are nearing the capital for a job, so this works out nicely."

George and Gyro arrived at Hilma's estate only to find a bizarre sight. A swarm of insects were flying away from the mansion carrying several items, and waving at them was what looked like a young girl wearing Japanese maid clothing, a dismembered arm from a man held in her hand. Or at least, they assumed she was using her hand, since the sleeves of her outfit were long enough to hide her limbs.

"What in the heck is that?," came Gagaran's voice.

The duo turned to see her walking up.

"Finish your own assignment then?," Gyro asked.

Gagaran nodded.

"Tia went to make a report. She should be joining us soon."

They heard something crunching and turned back to the maid. She was holding the severed arm up to her face and eating away at it. Creepier still, she wasn't holding it up to her mouth, but just under her chin.

"Some sort of man-eating monster?," Gyro asked.

That got the girl's attention, as she turned to look at the trio. The signs that she wasn't human continued, as her face had an unnatural stillness to it, and both her mouth and hair didn't look natural.

"I didn't know Eight Fingers employed monsters," Gagaran said.

"I don't think she works for Eight Fingers," George noted, "We were the first ones here, so that unfortunate victim must be someone who works here. Meaning we're not the only ones after Eight Fingers."

"Well, yeah," the girl said, though her mouth wasn't moving, "I'm sorry, but could you just pretend you didn't see me?"

Gagaran chuckled and readied her hammer.

"Sorry, kid. But as an adventurer, it's my job to deal with monsters, no matter who they work for."

She swung to attack, only hit something solid. It was a beetle, large and durable enough to act as a buckler shield for the girl. She giggled.

"Hard Armor Bug! I'm an entomancer, you see, so I can call all kinds of insects to my side. Here, watch."

A flying mantis approached and latched onto the girl's other arm, configuring to become a sword.

"Blade Bug!"

She swung to attack, but Gagaran was ready.

"Indestructible!"

The Blade Bug hit a solid barrier surrounding Gagaran. The girl gave a sound that showed she was shocked.

"You're a Stand user?"

"You know about Stands, huh?," Gagaran noted, "My Stand is pretty aptly named. Indestructible creates an unbreakable barrier around my body. A simple but effective power, the only drawback being I need to stay still to use it."

The girl turned her attention to George and Gyro.

"Maybe they'll be more killable. Hard Bullet Bugs!"

Thinking quickly, George pulled out a few strands of his hair.

"Hamon Hair Attack!"

He threw up his protective barrier just as the barrage of bullet-like bees hit it.

"Time for some return fire. Tusk, Act 1!"

He aimed both his index fingers like guns and fired off several fingernails. The girl quickly moved to block with her Hard Armor Bug, though a few nails were able to tear through her dress, revealing disturbing black flesh underneath.

"I'm starting to think this girl's just a hive queen," Gyro noted, "So tell me. Do you go by a name?"

The girl stood up.

"I'm known as Entoma Vasilissa Zeta, a servant of the tomb."

She held up her shield again to block Gagaran's hammer attack.

"That won't work. My Hard Armor Bug is as durable as your Stand."

"Not quite," Gyro said as he got between them, "Indestructible can't be affected by this. Ball Breaker!"

He Stand struck the Hard Armor Bug with one of its spheres. Entoma gasped in shock as the shield instantly rotted away. Quickly she leapt back.

"I'd better keep this one safe just in case."

She held her forearm up to her chin, and a pale worm with a pair of lips slithered out of her chin. Gagaran grimaced.

"That's a Lip Bug, a type of worm that devours the vocal chords of a human and perfectly mimics their voice."

"I normally don't like revealing my true form," Entoma explained, her voice now much deeper with a distinct echo to it, "But that power of yours is a danger to me. The Lip Bug is the most valuable part of my disguise, since it's not easy to replace, unlike the rest of the insects disguising me."

She sent a flying insect to carry the Lip Bug off, then whirled her head around as she quickly dodged a few throwing knives. The source of them soon became apparent as Tia dropped down from a nearby branch.

"I see there were some complications in the mission. Everyone else is cleaning up."

"Entoma," came a deep, imposing voice.

The group looked to see a humanoid man in a dark orange suit and wearing glasses descend on leathery demon wings. From his pointed ears and reptilian tail, it was clear he was not human.

"It's clear these forces are too much for you," the demon said, "And we are already prepared for the next phase. Retreat for now."

Entoma nodded.

"As you wish, Master Demiurge."

A large flying insect flew down and attached itself to her back, allowing her to fly off.

"Are you gonna fight us instead?," Gagaran asked.

"I got the impression from your fight earlier," Demiurge noted, "And while I might be able to win, I certainly wouldn't get out unscathed. I merely wanted to pass on a message, to all the heroes of this city who are out tonight. A circle of hellfire will soon cover a section of the city, one that holds an item that I am looking for."

"Why warn us about this?," George asked.

"I'd rather not cause more suffering than is needed to fulfill my mission," Demiurge explained, "And I assure you that anyone who enters this ring will suffer a slow and painful death. Well, farewell."

And with that, he flew off.

Demiurge soon landed where several of Momonga's group was positioned.

"Well, I delivered my warning as instructed. Though I did have to evacuate Entoma from a sticky situation. She stuck around for too long and caught the attention of some local adventurers. Seems we're not the only ones targeting Eight Fingers."

A man in a green cloak, Punitto Moe by name, smirked.

"Well, it matters not. By the time our plan is finished, no one will suspect a third party. Ready, Bellriver?"

Bellriver, a young man in armor, nodded.

"Then let's begin," Punitto said, "Welcome to the Masquerade!"

A large, plant-like collection of vines appeared, spraying mist in all directions, which seemed to create the ring of hellfire Demiurge mentioned. Bellriver conjured his own Stand, a humanoid creature with multiple mouths all over its head.

"Offspring!"

The various mouths emitted smoke, from which various demonic creatures emerged. Welcome to the Masquerade was a Stand of illusions, while Offspring was a Stand of summoning. Between the two of them, they intended to cause enough confusion to cover their group's tracks.

The appearance of the ring of fire sent a silent panic through the city. Luckily, Renner was able to gather the city's adventurers and make ready to enter the illusion and deal with the demons within. Starlight headed for the armory to get her chain mail when she spotted Zanac donning his own armor.

"Zanac, you can't fight," Starlight pointed out.

"Maybe not," Zanac admitted, "But I really don't have to. The sight of a royal prince in armor assuring the people should be enough to quell everyone's fears. Besides, I may be conniving but I'm no coward. The only member of the royal family not leaving the confines of the palace is Barbro."

Starlight realized the implication of those words. If Ramposa were to travel to the front lines, the royal guard would be obligated to go with him for his protection, meaning they would be free to attack the enemy. She smiled as she inspected the chain mail Zanac tossed her.

"Looks like everyone but Barbro is doing their part. Makes me wonder about him. I think we both have our suspicions about his intentions."

They hurried out to join the others involved with the defense of the city, their brother's suspicious actions still on their minds.

The battle was a little touch and go. The various demons just kept on pouring in as the front line adventurers kept them busy, while a small detachment went to look for the civilians that were trapped and likely held prisoner.

Lakyus struck through a large group of hell hounds before calling out, "Call of Justice!"

Her Stand, which took the form of nine floating weapons, struck against the winged gazer demons, destroying them instantly. She looked over to Gyro, who was focusing more on his Stand instead of his Hamon. Lakyus noticed he was breathing heavily.

"This fight is wearing me down," he said, "My breath is getting more ragged, cutting off my Hamon supply."

"Between that and the healers running low on mana," Lakyus said, "We're starting to run low on forces. I hope George can reach those Stand users."

George and Gyro had detected the presence of at least four Stand users within the fire ring, and most likely they were the source of all the chaos. George went on ahead to track them down.

"I didn't know that special power of yours could track Stand users," Gagaran noted.

Gyro smirked.

"Hamon is life energy. And Stands are the power of the soul, of our fighting spirit. Meaning they are full of life energy. As it happens Stand users tend to have more life force than normal humans or even Hamon users. As such, a well-trained Hamon master like myself or George can track down a Stand user just by feeling out their life force."

He was finally able to catch his breath while talking, letting his Hamon flow once more.

"All these monsters... I can only assume a Stand user is behind this endless horde."

George soon reached where they presence he felt was. He already knew Momonga was busy in the central square, fighting with the demon Demiurge. Meanwhile Brain was leading Climb and the thief Lockmeier in rescuing the captive citizens. He saw a man standing on a roof, dressed in a black suit, a humanoid figure with a goat's head and dressed in similar manner behind him. The man looked at George and the goat man, clearly a Stand, made to attack. George scoffed.

"Tusk, Act 4!"

His Stand effortlessly knocked the enemy Stand aside, knocking the man off the roof.

'That was too easy,' George thought, 'I hope I'm not falling into some sort of trap.'

He then approached where he felt the other three users.

"Well, well," Punitto said, "Looks like our friend, Ulbert Alain Odle, was messing around again. Yamaiko, we need to buy a bit more time."

A tall female dressed in a large overcoat and hat that seemed to protect her body stepped forward. She raised one of her arms, and George saw both of them were equipped with massive gauntlets.

"Sixx AM!"

Parts of the gauntlet moved to reveal a large revolver chamber. The large projectiles that were fired off looked too large for George's normal barrier.

"Time to improvise," he decided, and breathed deep as he concentrated his Hamon, "Sunlight Yellow Overdrive!"

His fists moved at blinding speeds, knocking the projectiles out of the way. Yamaiko kept firing at a higher rate, prompting George to take further countermeasures.

"Tusk, Act 4!"

Now with two sets of fists to work with, George started moving forward as he parted the wave of gunfire.

"ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA!"

The last attack managed to strike Yamaiko in the face, knocking her out. Bellriver got up.

"Damn it. I'll just have to step in."

"No time," Punitto said, "I just got word from Demiurge that the item we were looking for has been found. We have all we need here. Let's grab Yamaiko and Ulbert and get out of here. Welcome to the Masquerade!"

The plant-like Stand grabbed their two allies before emitting more mist, allowing them to disappear. George scoffed.

'What could they have been looking for here? Just what is Momonga's group up to?'

The aftermath of the chaos was bittersweet. The horde of demons was cut off and obliterated, and most of the citizens that were captured were rescued. However, several had been taken away, all of them single men and women between the ages of twenty and thirty. Climb mentioned that Six Arms was finished, most of them killed by Sebas, save for Succulent who was captured and arrested. If there was any trace left of Eight Fingers, it was all underground and not likely to emerge anytime soon. In the meantime, it was safe enough to unlock the next section of the Spirit Tracks, which would lead to the nearby sea.

"This could prove tricky to negotiate," Starlight noted, "That region is close to the Slane Theocracy, and we have several non-humans with us."

George scoffed.

"If they think they can do anything to us, they're welcome to try."

Gyro looked at his friend. This was a little more aggressive than normal. In the meantime, a new connection for Ticket to Ride was activated. Roberdyck was granted use of the Stand Peace Train, a more melee-oriented train car.

"Keep an eye out," the Ancient One said, "By now the people's gratitude is charging the Spirit Tracks and can expand them."

The group nodded, and made ready to head out.

Chapter Text

Hekkeran pulled Ticket to Ride up to the station at Carne Village, giving the group a surprise. The high fence had been developed into a large solid wall, complete with a massive gate. Tolkien was the first to step out. She had made a deal with Renner to provide information on the group intending to disrupt the spread of the Spirit Tracks in exchange for her freedom. And since the expedition was soon to near Slane, where her daughter was stationed, it seemed a good time to join the team. Once the goblins at the gate opened the doors for the group, they stepped inside, and George gasped at a familiar face chatting with Enri.

"OH MY GOD!," he called out, in a manner not unlike his father Joseph, "Holly, what are you doing here!?"

Sure enough, it was George's sister Holly Kujo.

"Oh, Georgie!," Holly said in her usual carefree manner, "Well, believe it or not I was getting a little bored around the house. What with Sadao still touring and Jotaro and Fluttershy researching marine life in the Amazon, I figured it was about time for a change in scenery. So I made a call to Morioh!"

She motioned over to Josuke Higashikata, their half-brother, who was using Crazy Diamond to arm wrestle one of the stronger goblins. Shizuka, their adopted sister, was nearby cheering Josuke on. Starlight blinked.

"Georgie?"

George sighed.

"This is my older sister Holly. She was born about three years before Gyro."

Hekkeran blinked. Holly really didn't look like she changed much since the 1980s.

"But you guys are about sixty years old, and yet she barely looks forty! Is she a Hamon master too!?"

"No, she just hit the genetics jackpot," George clarified.

"Maybe she got it from your mom," Gyro suggested, "Even at her age she's as sassy and vibrant as when our dads knew her."

"This coming from the guy whose mom can bench press an oak tree!," George pointed out.

"Is he always like this?," Josuke asked, having left the goblin with a sore arm due to Crazy Diamond's strength.

"He usually doesn't raise his voice so much," Holly noted, "I always thought Jotaro had more of Daddy's attitude, albeit more subdued."

Josuke chuckled.

"Yeah, he does have that tranquil fury thing going down."

As the group boarded the train to head for Slane, they swapped stories. The other three Joestar siblings were brought up to speed about the situation with the Spirit Tracks, and everything that had happened since the two friends arrived. Holly, in exchange, mentioned how Enri had officially been named the new village chief.

"She's heading for Re-Estize later to purchase supplies and armaments," Holly said, a twinge of worry in her voice, "It seems the goblins have been training the people of the village to defend themselves."

"Some of their weapons and tools have been worn down to the point where they're breaking," Josuke noted, "Crazy Diamond has been busy."

"Josuke's Stand can repair objects and heal wounds," George explained, causing Starlight to nod in realization.

Zaryusu looked over to Shizuka.

"So what of your power, little one?"

Shizuka smirked.

"Let me show you. Achtung Baby!"

In an instant, Shizuka disappeared.

"A teleportation Stand!?," Tolkien asked.

"On a moving train?," came Shizuka's voice, and they quickly realized it came from the very spot she disappeared from.

Gyro laughed.

"Shizuka has the power to turn herself or those around her invisible."

"Gave me, Pinkie, and the old man a lot of trouble when she was a baby," Josuke grumbled.

"You've had this power since you were a baby?," Starlight asked as Shizuka reappeared.

"It's not so unusual," Holly pointed out, "My granddaughter Jolyne also awakened her Stand when she was a baby."

"What about you, Holly?," Starlight asked.

"Oh, my Stand isn't awake right now," Holly explained, "I do have one, which means I can see other people's Stands. But apparently my soul can't really handle using one. The last time it was forced to awaken..."

Her face turned sad.

"I nearly died from it."

George explained in brief the family's history with DIO, and how his use of the Stand arrow caused George, Joseph, Jotaro, Josuke, and Holly to gain Stands. Though in the case of the latter two it nearly caused their deaths, Josuke because he was too young and sheltered, and Holly because she was too gentle. Neither of them had faced any real hardships, though Josuke eventually awakened Crazy Diamond for real when his constant worry due to his mother pining for a man who likely didn't even remember either of them existing weighed down on him.

"I vowed to be the one to protect Mom since Dad obviously wasn't going to visit," Josuke explained, "I chose to live my life like the man who helped Mom in our moment of need. That's when my soul became strong enough, and Crazy Diamond began to manifest. Latter it fully awakened when I briefly got confrontational with Jotaro."

"Oh yeah, that reminds me," George said, "Don't make fun of Josuke's hair. It's a surefire way to piss him off. I lost count of how many people had to learn that the hard way. So far only Jotaro has gotten away with it."

Josuke started muttering, "Stupid time freezing powers..."

Shasryu leaned over to his brother.

"At least that explains why my instincts are telling me his hair might be dangerous," he whispered.

Zaryusu nodded.

As the train neared the border of Slane, Hekkeran found himself having to brake, and for good reason.

"End of the line folks. Spirit Tracks keep going but the bridge underneath them is out of commission."

The group disembarked, only to be met by a young woman with hair that was silver on one side, and black on the other. Tolkien look shocked.

"Zesshi. Why are you here?"

"The pontiffs of the Slane Theocracy have noticed the Spirit Tracks extending into out territory," Zesshi explained, "Despite their views on human superiority, they are willing to allow non-humans into their borders in order to trade for goods such nations can more easily produce. However, some fanatical members of our nation thought otherwise, and caused the bridge to collapse. We're trying to locate a bridge worker to repair it."

Josuke smirked.

"No need. Allow me. Crazy Diamond!"

The familiar bright pink form of his Stand appeared and struck the ground near the bridge. Zesshi looked surprised as the remains of the bridge rose out of the waters below, dried off, and pieced themselves back together until the bridge was as good as new. She smirked.

"I'll be sure to inform our scout of this. He hasn't had any luck so far, from what I understand. But why is your Stand pink?"

Josuke blinked.

"How could you see my Stand? I was given to believe you don't have one."

"That's not entirely accurate," Zesshi clarified, "It's just that my natural strength is such that I don't need to one to fight. But a Stand does not always need to have a offensive power."

A female figure appeared behind her. It was black on the left and white on the right, the colors split down the middle. A demon wing could be seen on the black side with an angel on the white side.

"My Stand is called Black or White. Its power is a passive ability that allows those around me to see me only for my talents and what I can do, rather than what race I am. How else could a half-elf rise to such a prominent position within a human-dominated government?"

George sighed.

"I guess I should have figured, since your mom is a Stand user."

Zesshi smiled.

"And on that end, my next task is to help you on your quest."

The entire group got back on Ticket to Ride as it took off once more.

Chapter Text

Hekkeran shook the hand of the pontiff who wished to be escorted to the meeting place where George and his group were having a meal. The sight of the two lizardman brothers was unnerving to some at the tavern, but no one brought anything up out of respect for the rest of the group.

"I got a good idea of what the Ancient One was talking about," Hekkeran said as he sat down, "As the pontiff showed his gratitude for the ride, I felt something warm flow through Ticket to Ride and the rails beneath it."

"The idea of travel by rail being available again opens up many possibilities," the pontiff explained.

"First thing I think we should get off the table," George said, "Me and Gyro saw firsthand the devastation created by the actions of the Sunlight Scripture. So you can understand if some of us aren't entirely trusting of your motives."

"Yes, I agree," the pontiff admitted, "Part of that responsibility must fall on our shoulders. We foolishly told Nigun to eliminate Gazef by any means necessary. Had we known the lengths he would go to, we would have chosen our words more carefully."

He closed his eyes.

"Nonetheless, we cannot let such barriers of hatred come between us. This world needs the Spirit Tracks. While the Theocracy's stance on human superiority stands firm, that does not mean we are about to completely dismiss the culture of other races. There are some things humans just cannot do, after all. Our working with Zesshi, a half-elf, has proven that no race can hope to stand alone and survive."

He smiled.

"We have her Stand to thank for that."

Zesshi smirked as she closed her eyes.

"So you knew."

"Only my fellow pontiffs and I are aware," the pontiff clarified, "Our magic gives us the ability to read a person's soul. It seems to me the nature of your Stand emerged in response to your incredible power. You are so powerful already that no Stand power could possibly add to it, so instead you gained an ability that let people see you for who you are rather what you are."

He leaned back.

"Which leads me to the crux of our arrangement. From now until the Spirit Tracks are restored, the council has decided that Zesshi will be traveling with your group."

Tolkien squealed as she hugged Zesshi, who groaned in embarrassment.

"Isn't that great sweetie!? Now we can start to catch up on our mother-daughter bonding time!"

Holly chuckled nervously.

"I'd make a comment, but I'd be the pot calling the kettle black..."

Roberdyck then approached Hekkeran.

"We got some information from E-Rantel. A new job at the guild cropped up. Seems the acting chief of Carne Village put in a request to defend the village against the Giant of East and Serpent of the West."

The group looked at each other.

"You should hurry to the village's aid," the pontiff offered, "The temple where the next magic well is won't be going anywhere. But if we lose one of the stations holding the Spirit Tracks, all your hard work would have been for nothing."

As the group left, the pontiff contemplated to himself.

'We meant for Re-Estize to be a nation of heroes... Our hope for a brighter future for humanity… Hopefully once the tracks are restored it can be... '

Ticket to Ride docked at the Carne Village station, where Enri was there waiting.

"Thanks for coming," she said.

"Why the sudden request?," Starlight asked.

Enri walked with the group as she explained everything.

"It started during an expedition into the forest to gather enkaeshi, a type of herb that only grows in the forest near the village. The search actually went pretty well, but we got a surprise when a young goblin child named Agu came running out of the forest, a barghest hot on his heels."

"A barghest is a horned, wolf-like monster covered in chains that it can control at will," Zesshi explained to George and Gyro.

Enri nodded.

"Luckily for us the scent of the enkaeshi leaves kept the barghest off our trail, but poor Agu wasn't so lucky. It took some convincing on my part, but Kaijali and the other goblin scouts that were with us agreed to help Agu."

"It wasn't an easy fight," Kaijali noted, "Luckily it turns out Enri's still-developing Stand can give goblins direct commands they obey instantly. Works even better than instinct. Didn't hurt that Nfirea's potions easily rendered the barghest vulnerable to attack."

Enri chuckled nervously.

"I was really just trying to warn you. I had no idea my Stand activated. Anyway, after that we healed Agu's wounds and brought him here, where he explained everything."

Her face and tone turned solemn.

"It seems the Giant of the East heard of Hamsuke's disappearance and wanted to take advantage of it by attacking the village when he thought it was vulnerable. He pressed the Serpent of the West into service and took over all the ogre and goblin tribes, using them as soldiers and, in the case of the goblins, a source of emergency rations."

George clenched his fist.

"Goblins are just as sentient as humans. To use them as food so casually makes the trolls no better than zombies."

Enri nodded.

"When we heard this, I had to travel to E-Rantel to post a quest at the guild to deal with the situation. I was going anyway to sell the potions we make from the herbs so we can replace our weapons and cutlery, since we don't have a blacksmith."

"You still didn't get one?," Starlight asked, "Father lowered the taxes for the village and had you exempt from military service until you could get back on your feet, but I would have thought you'd at least get the basics set up."

The group was lead to the village longhouse, where they were greeted by Momonga, Nishikienrai, and Peroroncino. There was also Brita, who had long since moved to the village, and a young goblin child George assumed was Agu. In the back was a large creature. From the waist up it looked like a humanoid man, albeit emaciated and seemingly albino. But from the waist down he was clearly a serpent.

"Is that a naga?," Hekkeran asked.

"Yes," Momonga said, "He's the so-called Serpent of the West."

"My name is Ryraryus Spenia Ai Indarun," the naga said, "Recently devoted servant of Lord Momonga."

"How did that happen?," George said, and Momonga couldn't help but notice a twinge of bitterness to his voice.

"When Enri made her request to the guild," Nishikienrai explained, "Herohero offered to be her patron so the village could afford to make the job an Adamantite level one, thus attracting the strongest adventurers to aid the village. He's so influential in Re-Estize the guild matron offered to discuss the request with Enri over tea, and even called her 'Lady Enri'."

Enri chuckled in embarrassment.

"We along with our friends from the Swords of Darkness investigated where the Giant of the East's lair was supposed to be," Peroroncino said, "It was a large cave with nothing more than a trio of ogres for guards."

"As for the so-called 'Giant'," Momonga said, "It was nothing more than a war troll named Guu."

"Well, it's certainly a giant creature," Zesshi admitted, "But not a true giant. How did the fight go?"

"As could be expected," Momonga said, "Neither Guu nor Ryraryus have Stands, unlike Hamsuke, so they were powerless before our combined might. Ryraryus surrendered quickly, hence the devoted servant part, but Guu was another story."

"We weren't able to actually kill him then and there," Peroroncino clarified, "His regeneration factor proved too durable for that. But the amount of pain we put him through convinced him that he and his troll horde needed to retreat and relocate. However, he promised to attack the village soon. We contacted the guild in E-Rantel, and they agreed to send the Blue Rose to assist. They should be here long before Guu's promised attack."

"We also managed to earn the trust of a few ogres," Enri said, "They've agreed to help rebuild the village and protect the wall. It seems my Stand is able to command them as well."

"Guu gave a deadline that ends tomorrow night," Momonga said, "Which gives us time to prepare."

"Then we'll need to start talking strategy," George said, "Find out the easiest way to stave off the enemy. Where they might come from, how they will attack--"

"Easy, George, easy," Starlight said, placing a hand on his shoulder, "Let's wait until Blue Rose gets here, then start finding out how to deal with this."

Beneath his helmet, Momonga had a look of concern.

'Ulbert said George attacked his Stand during the incident in Re-Estize. His strong willpower is keeping the effect at bay, but until George confronts Ulbert again these sorts of outbursts will just keep happening .'

Chapter Text

Things were busy in Carne Village in the wake of Guu's threat. After Blue Rose showed up, the bunker that was made in preparation for such attacks was further fortified. Amanomahitotsu showed up and provided better weapons and arrows for the villagers using Sabaton. The outer wall was made of strong, thick oak that even a steel axe would need hours to break through. Additionally, the adventurers that arrived positioned themselves along the inside of the wall in case of an attack from the rear, while the village militia would be stationed at the gate.

"It's sufficient to hold off Guu's forces," Ryraryus said, "But he's as stubborn as he is stupid, if not more so. He will continue to fight until he either wins, or all his forces are killed, himself included."

"If it comes down to that, so be it," Momonga said, "But then we'll need a replacement to keep a balance within the forest, to hold off the dragons that live on the other side of it."

"I do have a war troll of my own as a subordinate," Ryraryus offered, "Not quite as strong as Guu, but a little smarter and very capable of leading the other trolls."

Momonga nodded.

"Good. Then it looks like everything is settled."

Guu made his move on the night he promised. Shuringan and Gurindai, the two goblin archers, spotted the incoming horde of ogres, barghests, and serpents. They quickly sounded the alarm. Immediately all the women and children were brought to the bunker, while the men and goblins took position. The village ogres set up a series of fences just inside the gate. Agu and his tribe was nearby, ready with some potions designed to turn sticky when they made contact with the air. Enri was overseeing the whole operation.

"Is it safe for her to be here?," Evileye asked.

"She is the recently elected village chief," Gyro explained, "She basically has a duty to be here."

Soon enough everything was ready.

"I'll make a final sweep through the village," Enri said, "I need to make sure everyone got inside the bunker."

"I'll go too," Nfirea offered, "You need to be kept safe."

"I'll search too," Shizuka said, "I can easily remain unseen."

"Not without my supervision, you're not," Holly reprimanded her, "Papa would have a fit if anything happened to you."

Shizuka pouted.

"At least I can control my Stand now, unlike when I was a baby. But your Stand isn't even awake yet. In fact, as I recall, the last the time it awoke it nearly killed you."

Holly made an identical pout, which caused Enri to chuckle.

"They may not be blood siblings, but they're still two peas in a pod."

Outside Guu and his forces reached the gate.

"Now, crush this village!"

The ogres rammed into the gate, only to be met by a hail of arrows, which killed several barghests and wounded the ogres. Guu growled in frustration. He wasn't expecting it to be easy, he wasn't that stupid, but this was far too calculated of a counterattack. He turned to his troll subordinates.

"They were clearly anticipating an attack of any kind. Take some of our tribe around back. Try to climb the wall. We'll hit them from two sides."

The smaller trolls nodded before heading off. He then turned to the ogres.

"Take down the guard tower!"

One ogre took a large rock and threw it. It only clipped the tower, but that was enough to send it toppling, causing Shuringan and Gurindai to fall to the ground, injured but alive.

"Got ya covered," Josuke called out, "Crazy Diamond!"

Josuke's Stand quickly pulled double duty, both healing the two goblin archers and restoring the tower. Unfortunately they had fallen away from the tower debris, so while Guu was taken aback by the tower's sudden restoration, he was emboldened when he saw it empty.

"Now's our chance! Break down the gate!"

The ogres bashed themselves against the gate, and finally one of the doors gave way, letting them into the village. But this was just a trap set by the village. In fact, the right door of the gate was left deliberately fragile to funnel in enemies into the narrow fence area built inside the gate. It was so sturdy the enemy ogres couldn't break it down, leaving them no choice but to follow the alley to enter the village, slowing them down considerably.

"Like fish in a barrel," Lukeluther said as he notched his arrow, "Roundabout!"

Several ogres got hit with his Stand, freezing them long enough for the other archers to finish them off. The smaller barghests avoided the arrows, only to be met with spears from the militia and clubs from the village ogres. A few serpents tried to slither through, but they didn't far.

"Savage Garden!"

Dyne activated his own Stand, using some hanging vines he created with his druid powers to easily strangle the serpents, leaving even them to take the funneled path. Outside, Guu growled in frustration as his subordinate tribes were easily cut down.

"Fine!," he called out, "Then I shall lead the fight myself!"

He took his magic weapon and swung through the gate, smashing a wide path into the village. He soon found himself confronted by Ninya and Lakyus.

"Jodeci!"

"Call of Justice!"

Guu soon found himself impaled by shards of glass and several steel weapons. The weapons were pulled out in short order but the glass stayed embedded in his flesh, especially a rather annoying one in his eye. So long as those stayed embedded his couldn't properly heal. He then spotted Enri and Nfirea running through the village and grinned. He'd been told there was a new village chief.

'It has to be one of them.'

He swung his sword, causing Ninya and Lakyus to leap back, letting him run ahead.

Meanwhile several trolls managed to get over the wall, only to be met with powerful resistance from the adventurers. One lone troll managed to escape the massacre of his tribesmen, and happened to spot Shizuka as she came out of a nearby house.

"I got this one!," he called out as he moved to smash her with his club.

Holly spotted the troll and called out, "Shizuka, look out!"

All of a sudden, she saw several thorny vines emerged from her back and slammed into the troll, knocking him away and dealing serious damage. Holly suddenly remembered the brief fifty day sick spell she had, during the time Jotaro and Joseph left for Egypt with some friends. When Jotaro returned he explained they had made the trip just to cure her, saying that for a while her body looked like it was covered in such vines.

'This must be the Stand that was causing me to be sick all those years ago. But I feel just fine now. So then... This is actually my Stand?'

The other trolls must have spotted the assault of their fellow, because they started to approach. Holly frowned.

"I think you all need to cut out this nonsense right now!"

Several flowers on the vines emitted a thick smoke. As the trolls breathed it in, they suddenly found themselves losing the will to fight and slumped to the ground, several of them falling asleep. The first one didn't seem affected, and angrily charged at Holly, only for her to wrap him up in a vine-based stranglehold.

"This must be how Fluttershy feels whenever she uses this trick," Holly mused.

George walked up to her.

"So you finally found your fighting spirit," he noted, "Guess it triggered when you saw Shizuka in danger."

Holly grunted a little when she felt Shizuka run into her and hug her.

"Thanks, Big Sis."

Holly smiled.

"You're welcome. But what am I going to call my new Stand?"

She thought for a moment, then her eyes lit up.

"I know! Chumbawamba!"

George blinked.

"That is literally the weirdest name for a Stand I have ever heard. And there was a Stand called Cream."

Just then they heard a roaring sound.

"That must have been Guu!," Momonga realized, "He's gotten into the village!"

The adventurers hurried in the direction of the sound, hoping Guu hadn't tried to break into the bunker yet.

As it happened, Guu had other concerns on his mind. He had reached the young couple and was about to attack Enri, but Nfirea got in the way. Instead of facing Guu's club directly, however, something surprising happened. A mysterious figure wrapped in a cape and wearing a wide-brimmed, pointed wizard hat appeared, reflecting the blow. Nfirea gasped.

"Is this... My Stand?"

The figure turned back to Nfirea and gave a silent nod. It then opened its cloak, revealing it to actually be bright yellow wings. It had a green jacket, a red undershirt, and a large pendant with a pink gemstone, as well as blue boots. Guu tried a second attack, only for the Stand to block it with a magic circle.

"Enphy…," Enri said in awe.

Nfirea nodded at her.

"I can do this. Let's protect this village together... Majin Gattai!"

Guu tried to attack again and again, only to get blocked.

"Your weak attacks can't damage Majin Gattai!," Nfirea said, "Phantom Illusion!"

A magic circle appeared beneath Majin Gattai, causing several ornate swords to appear and fling themselves at Guu, impaling him in several locations. This was the roar the other adventurers heard. Guu was looking very ragged at this point. Too many of his wounds weren't healing due to all the objects impaling him.

"In serious pain, you seem to be," came a familiar voice.

Guu turned to see Hamsuke appearing.

"The Beast of the South? But I thought you disappeared."

"Returned I have, thanks to Momonga and his friends," Hamsuke explained, "Also, Hamsuke I go by now. Very foolish, you were, Guu, to attack this village I have sworn to protect. Now fated to fall by these humans' hands you are. Fortunately, chosen for you a replacement has been."

Guu looked confused, until he spotted Gyro leap up behind Hamsuke.

"Ball Breaker!"

Guu screamed in agony as the Hamon charged sphere slammed into his body, rapidly aging him until even his bones turned to dust. Nfirea sighed.

"It's over..."

He then found himself hugged by Enri.

"That was amazing, Enphy! Thank you... For protecting me."

Nfirea smiled, as he and the woman he loved embraced, those around them giving their approval through applause.

The next morning, Ryraryus had his war troll servant Nok take Guu's place as the Giant of the East. His first act was to reprimand the troll tribes for acting so cruelly to the goblins they had subjugated by having them be used as food. Guu's magic weapon was offered to Jugem. It quickly shrunk to fit his hand, and he found it easy to wield before long. Meanwhile, George and his group, now joined by the Blue Rose, headed to Slane to locate the ocean temple and unseal the magic well there, so the Spirit Tracks could continue to expand.

Chapter Text

"So why are you joining us?," George asked his sister.

Josuke and Shizuka had already returned through the crack, but Holly had chosen to stay and help out the others.

"It's been getting pretty lonely around the house," Holly explained, "I mean, Sadao being away for so long is nothing new. Even now he still has work with the band mentoring the new generation. But now Jotaro and Fluttershy are grown up and their jobs frequently take them overseas. I decided it was about time to get out of the house myself."

She pulled back her collar to reveal her star-shaped birthmark, identical to the one George had.

"Don't forget I'm a Joestar too, even if I no longer go by the surname. Isn't it our destiny or something to fight against evil? I think this is just the sort of excitement I need."

George sighed.

"Well, at the very least you can take care of yourself now that your Stand is properly awakened."

The Spirit Tracks started dipping under the water, covering Ticket to Ride in an air pocket that allowed the passengers to breathe.

"The Ancient One certainly thought of everything," Hekkeran noted, "Next stop, the Marine Temple and the third magic well."

"The temple is meant to be a sacred site," Zesshi noted, "Only those who have permission from the Scriptures or the pontiffs may venture inside, but only for a few short days. Whoever has been guarding the magic well has been there for far longer. They are either willingly trespassing, or are a member of the higher-ups in the Theocracy."

"From what I know of my time among them," Tolkien noted, "They've penetrated all but the highest positions in each country, Slane included."

"So no traitors among the pontiffs," Gyro noted, "But the other Scriptures might have some. Zesshi, do you think there could be any amongst your own Black Scripture?"

"I doubt it," Zesshi said, shaking her head, "The Black Scripture is only sent on the most dangerous missions. It has a very high attrition rate, with very few of us lasting more than a decade. All of us are heroic-level warriors equal to any Adamantite level adventurer, but the roster of the Black Scripture changes so often whoever is in charge of the conspiracy wouldn't bother trying to recruit any of us, since we could be killed at any time."

Inside the temple, the group found themselves in trouble already. Dirt and dust from the air was being molded together, creating large boulders that started rolling at the group. From the way the boulders were chasing them, it was clear a Stand user was involved.

"Having trouble, Zesshi?," came a condescending voice.

Zesshi scoffed.

"Jake Rowling. I should have known."

A young man decked out in leather armor and sporting dirty blonde hair appeared.

"How do you newcomers like my Stand K-Rock?"

"Someone you know?," Lakyus asked.

"He's a survivor of the Sunlight Scripture," Zesshi explained.

"And now I'm in a position to restore it," Jake mentioned, "Nigun was a fool who got in over his head and got captured. He relied far too much on his Stand to intimidate, not realizing that any of his little pets could be easily defeated by a strong enough foe."

He glowed as his Stand broke up some of the floor.

"Now me, I can make good use of my Stand wherever there is earth to work with. Even in this underwater temple, crafted from stone and bedrock!"

He launched the stone pieces, but Starlight stepped in to counter.

"Dove and Grenade!"

She struck the ground, causing large branches to emerge from the walls, catching the rubble and digging into it. She smirked at Jake's grimace.

"Wood parts earth."

Jake closed his eyes and stomped the ground, creating a rubble storm behind the group. Holly was the first to notice them, knocking several pieces away with her vines. Gagaran acted as a living shield for most of the group, while Gyro caught a stray piece with his Stand to erode it quickly. Undeterred, Jake just created another boulder, but Zesshi sliced through it with her war scythe like it was a block of mozzarella. Jake stood there, completely stunned.

"There's a reason I'm considered the strongest in the Slane Theocracy," Zesshi pointed out, "Of course, these people I'm with are strong as well. You really had no chance."

Jake grumbled.

"Dammit... You're ruining my glory. How am I supposed to fight the conspiracy at this rate?"

Zesshi blinked.

"What?"

The group calmed down and talked with Jake. He explained that he was actually here on permission from the Clearwater Scripture, with the intent on freeing the magic well personally.

"Nigun disgraced the Sunlight Scripture by siding with those that would risk our world's ruin for power," he clarified, "I had hoped to restore the Scripture by gaining some glory and rebuilding, leading the Scripture personally on behalf of the Theocracy. I knew from reports of the other temples that whoever is behind the disappearance of the Spirit Tracks was sending one member to each floor of the temple. But one person seemed to be missing from this temple, so I thought they must be out on an errand. I decided to wait here in ambush. When you people showed up, I thought it must be one of you."

"Maybe it was actually Kaire who was supposed to be here," Gyro theorized, "Her Stand didn't need her to be around the monsters she could control in order to use them."

"But Kaire was killed while we were dealing with the Forest Temple," George noted, "Which left this area wide open."

Zesshi sighed.

"If you really need this to rebuild the Scripture, then follow us."

Jake nodded as he got up.

"Sorry for the misunderstanding. At least now I know you can handle yourselves in here."

"Your Stand is pretty strong," Evileye noted.

Jake smirked.

"I've been developing it since I was a boy. What about you? I realize Zesshi doesn't need a Stand, and your reputation as one of the strongest is well-known. But that still leaves me curious."

"I do have one," Evileye clarified, "But it's not meant for combat. You see, when I was a child I was kidnapped by a cult. They were experimenting with these stone masks, pulling certain spines off of them to see what effect they would have."

"I thought my Hamon was acting weird around you," George noted, "But you still seem to have your humanity."

"The spine at the top of the mask was removed in my case," Evileye explained, "That and the fact that I had the mask forced on me caused me to try and maintain my human side. Of course, even then I had my Stand. But it wasn't until after I became a vampire that it really dawned on me how useful it could be. It's called Walking on Sunshine, and it renders me immune to solar energy. As a human it really didn't do much, but as a vampire it means I can walk around in the sun without turning to dust."

The group made their way up to the second floor.

"So what else can we expect in the temple?," Zaryusu asked.

"I didn't get the chance to look very hard," Jake replied, "But there's only been evidence of one person coming and going from the temple. Kaire, no doubt."

"Giving how Calling All the Monsters worked," Starlight said, "It's likely she was important to the conspiracy's plans in its early stages. What with Down at the Station being swarmed with monsters, she may have used her Stand to gather them."

"But there were multiple members of each species," Hekkeran pointed out, "And Kaire could only control a member of a monster species once. After that the whole species would be immune to her Stand."

"Maybe there's another Stand capable of copying those monsters," Holly suggested, "Like how my husband's Stand let's him multiply himself endlessly."

Tina whipped her head in the direction of the door.

"Everyone down!"

The group ducked as spectral serpentine dragons collided with the wall just above them.

"Very fast," came a female voice as she emerged from the darkness.

She was dark-skinned and wearing a dancer's outfit.

"I am Se-Ese. I believe you may know my sister Edstrom?"

"Is that someone important?," Zesshi asked.

"I believe she was a member of Six Arms," Lakyus explained, "Succulent mentioned their names when we were preparing grave markers."

Se-Ese seemed confused.

"Why would you need to rely on someone else for her name?"

George sighed.

"Were you under the impression that one of us killed her? We were doing operations elsewhere when she and five of the other Six Arms members were killed."

Se-Ese sighed.

"I see. I was hoping joining this group would help me find my sister's killer. Well, no matter. I'm still under orders to prevent you from progressing further."

She began to glow with energy.

"Imagine Dragons!"

Three serpent dragons emerged from energy and launched breaths of fire, ice, and lightning to attack. Zaryusu and Shasryu were able to block the ice and fire with their respective Stand, while George was able to hold off the lightning using a Hamon barrier. However, the dragons were also circling the group, likely with an intent to crush them in their coils.

"Tia, Tina!," Lakyus called out, "I think it's time for you to show your true power!"

Tina smirked.

"Got it, Evil Boss. Ready, Sis?"

Tia nodded, and she stood back to back with Tina. Tina breathed deep.

"Two Become One!"

Se-Ese had to shield her eyes as a bright flash erupted from the twin ninjas. When it faded, the two had been replaced with a slightly taller version of themselves.

"What is this?"

"This is Tina's Stand," the new ninja said, "It merges the two sisters to become me, Tiana."

She threw one of her daggers fast enough that Se-Ese couldn't dodge in time, taking a hit to her shoulder. The sudden pain caused her to lose focus, stopping her dragons.

"Tina's Stand works on the idea that identical twins are two halves of one soul," Evileye explained to the others, "It lets her merge with Tia, creating a being that combines their physical attributes, and can even damage spiritual entities such as Stands."

Tiana demonstrated by using her short sword to slice through one of the dragons, causing damage to Se-Ese's arm. George smirked.

"Looks like this is a classic case of damage of the Stand, damage the user. Tusk, Act 1!"

He fired his index nails into the other dragons, nailing their eyes and causing visible wounds on Se-Ese's other arm and her neck.

"Damn," she muttered, "I need to finish this fast. Imagine Dragons!"

She got the dragons moving again, only to have them wrapped up in branches from Starlight's Dove and Grenade and vines from Holly's Chumbawamba. The effect caused Se-Ese to start to choke as if strangled. She wasn't suffering for long, as Tiana took advantage of the distraction leapt behind the dancer, stabbing her blade right through Se-Ese's throat. She was dead instantly, dispelling the dragons and letting the group move on.

The group soon reached the third floor, where they spotted a little girl just standing in the middle of the room.

"Who's this?," Gagaran asked.

"I'm Burrow," the child replied.

She giggled, and the group noted a sinister tone behind it.

"Daddy's Home!"

Instantly, a giant armored warrior wielding an industrial drill on its left arm appeared.

"Great shades of Bioshock!," George called out.

The Stand charged right at George, drill extended to attack.

"Hamon Hair Attack!"

George erected his barrier, stopping the drill cold.

"Cold Wind Blows!"

"Bass Renaissance!"

"Call of Justice!"

Zaryusu, Tolkien, and Lakyus each launched their Stands in an effort to damage Daddy's Home. The attacks worked, causing the giant Stand to back off, but Zesshi noticed something.

"Burrow's unaffected. This Stand must be an independent type."

"It must be like Takemikazuchi's Battlecry," Zaryusu theorized, "Meant to be a guardian for the Stand user."

Burrow giggled.

"Daddy always protects me. Just like he'll protect this world... From the monsters."

That got the group's attention.

"So," George said, "Her father is someone in the conspiracy. Sorry kid, but your father..."

Tusk appeared in its Act 4 form.

"Doesn't know what a true monster is!"

"ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA!"

Tusk smashed its fists into Daddy's Home, its strength proving more than enough to punch through the armor, causing the larger Stand to topple to the ground and dissipate. Burrow gasped.

"Uh-oh! Daddy won't like it if I get hurt out here!"

She quickly ran through the nearby door.

"We can't let her get away!," George said, "We have to find out who her father is!"

Once they reached the fourth floor, they got stopped by a wave of gold coins erupting from the gold. The shockwave came from the fist of a skeletal Stand wearing pirate garb, its master, a middle-aged man dressed like his Stand, seen nearby. Lakyus grimaced.

"The Dread Pirate Anderson. To what do we owe the pleasure of your presence?"

"I've been offered payment from the ones you oppose," Anderson explained, "Payment up front of course, to fuel my Stand Sons of Plunder."

"Anderson is a notorious pirate and sell-sword," Zesshi explained, "He always asks for half his payment up front, so he can power up his Stand, which is rumored to grow stronger based on his wealth."

Anderson chuckled.

"Well, the rumors aren't unfounded. Actually, my wealth only affects the shockwave you just saw."

"I take it you don't intend for us to get past?," Gyro noted.

"Part of my contract is protecting the girl," Anderson admitted, "As you might have already surmised, she's the daughter of one of the higher-ups in our little group."

Sons of Plunder made to make another shockwave, only to get its hand struck by the knuckle from Call of Justice.

"One way or another," Lakyus declared, "We have business at the peak of the temple."

She made to attack again, this time with the short sword, Sons of Plunder defending with a cutlass of its own. Anderson grimaced as he struggled against the blade.

"Pretty strong for not gripping the blade personally."

He then felt a blade pressed against his throat, and noticed Tiana had gotten behind him.

"You know," Tiana said, "George mentioned a little something about pirates and ninjas. They tend not to get along."

"There's a reward out for your capture," Zesshi noted, "And once you're arrested, your precious wealth is forfeit. Which would drain the power of your Stand's shockwaves."

Realizing how close to death he was at that moment, Anderson decided to surrender.

"Fifth floor now," Jack said, "There's seven total, with the magic well on the seventh floor."

"And that girl is still just ahead of us," Shasryu noted.

"Is the well on the exterior?," Hekkeran asked, "Like it was for the Forest Temple?"

"Yes," Zesshi said, "It should be peeking out just above the surface. Up until recently, its light could be seen all across the country."

"Feeling left out?," Gyro asked.

"My Stand's useless indoors," Hekkeran pointed out, "Once we get outside I can use it anywhere, even if it's not connected to the Spirit Tracks."

The group suddenly scattered at the sound of sudden explosions around them, which detonated into brilliant fireworks. A young woman wearing pirate gear chuckled.

"How do you like it? Circus puts on quite the show."

Behind the woman was a large cannon, and judging from its bright colors it had to be her Stand.

"Name's Applegate," the woman said, "I believe you just brought in my husband earlier. Thanks for not killing him, but I still need to fulfill our contract."

She then had to duck as George fired off some of his fingernails.

"That Stand might as well be a glass cannon," he noted, "Good for attacking, but you leave yourself wide open."

Applegate found herself having to dodge multiple long-range attacks.

"They never mentioned so many long-range attackers!," she complained as comically large waterfalls of tears fell from her eyes.

She finally got stopped when she ran face-first into Gagaran's fist, causing her to get knocked out.

"Is it alright if she shares a cell with her husband?"

"I don't see why not," Lakyus replied.

At the sixth floor, the group spotted Burrow heading in a nearby door, which was quickly sealed as a mysterious shadowy figure appeared.

"I am Barker," the being said in a raspy voice, "And this is as far as you go. Shadow World!"

Suddenly, the entire room was covered in complete darkness. George and Gyro were able to get some visibility using their Hamon, but otherwise the room was completely blacked out.

They heard Shasryu call out, "Saint Elmo's Fire!"

Instantly they spotted the familiar twin fires from his bucklers.

"I'm guessing Barker is some sort of assassin," Gyro noted, "Can you feel him?"

"I have a lock on his life force," George said, "But it feels far too heavy. He must be some sort of undead."

He spotted a feeling in the direction of where he sensed Barker. He turned off his Hamon long enough to attack.

"Zoom Punch!"

He felt another life force, which had been right in front of Barker, get out of the way once the light from his Hamon faded.

'Good,' he thought, 'Whoever it was took the hint.'

The punch hit home on Barker, burning him and confirming his status of undead. Gyro followed up by moving in to attack.

"A little trick I picked up from my great-granddad. Sendo Wave Kick!"

The kick, charged with Hamon, proved strong enough to fully infuse Barker, knocking his head off. The head crumbled to dust quickly, as did the rest of him. With his death, the darkness started to dispel. George confirmed it had been Zesshi who moved out of the way of his attack.

"I suspected you shut off your Hamon as a warning," Zesshi said.

George nodded.

"The well is on the next floor, right?"

"Yes," Jack confirmed, "But at the top is whoever is supposed to be keeping it closed."

"The only way to open the well is to kill that person, right?," Holly asked.

"You're taking that fact rather well for a former housewife," Lakyus noted.

"Our family's no stranger to violence," Holly explained, "More than once I've seen my son Jotaro put people in the hospital, and I'm told he even had to go so far as to kill some of DIO's followers just to save my life."

She walked to the now unsealed door before looking back at the group.

"This is the sort of thing I have to live with as a Joestar."

Chapter Text

Once outside the group saw Burrow hop on a giant black train.

"It's the demon train!," Evileye realized.

"A shame we can't finish this here," came a familiar voice from inside the train, "But I'll be sure to let Phytops finish you off."

"Did he say Phytops?," Jake asked in shock.

"Is that someone important?," Holly asked.

"Phytops is the leader of the Afterlife Scripture," Zesshi explained, "Which specializes in recruitment and scouting potential human adventurers. It was because of the actions of the Afterlife Scripture that Re-Estize was founded."

"So Phytops sold out, huh?," Jake noticed.

"I'm not surprised," Starlight said, "Even those of us born and raised in Re-Estize have come to realize how complacent we've become, to the point where our military is little more than royal guards bolstered by conscripted soldiers. It's the reason why the Baharuth Empire has kept us in a war of attrition for years now."

"I thought things were peaceful thanks to the Spirit Tracks," Gyro noted.

"The Spirit Tracks first started disappearing shortly after the new emperor took the throne," Lakyus clarified, "Once it was confirmed, the emperor became emboldened and started to consider expanding."

"Let's worry about politics later," George pointed out, "Phytops is just above us. And since we're out in the open... Hekkeran?"

Hekkeran grinned.

"On it. Ticket to Ride!"

"Love Train!"

"Peace Train!"

A set of tracks manifested, letting the legendary train shoot out of the ocean and up to where the group was, letting them get on.

As they rode up, a large, thorny vine seemed to emerge from the stone exterior of the temple, moving to smash the train. Evileye quickly took off her mask and shot beams of liquid from her eyes, cutting right through the vine and causing it to stop.

"Been a while since I've seen a vampire use that trick," George noted, "Dad said one vampire named it the Space Ripper Stingy Eyes."

Evileye looked at him like he was a three-headed serpent.

"And you thought Holly's Stand had a weird name? Regardless, I've always preferred the name Blood Stare, since that seems to be what I'm shooting when I use this technique."

Another vine came in to attack, only to suffer damage from Peace Train's axes. Ticket to Ride finally came in at the top of the cliff where the magic well was, only to be met by an elderly man wearing gray robes.

"Phytops," Jake said, "You betray our theocracy?"

"The governments of the world rely too much on these tracks," Phytops explained, "Baharuth turned to war the second they started disappearing, and Re-Estize does little to halt their advance. The Holy Kingdom is deadlocked with the demi-human nations, and our own theocracy has turned away from its original teachings."

He lifted his hands, growing more of the thorny vines from before.

"But now, our great leader will unite all under a single banner, make all equal by removing all that is unnecessary! A fresh start for our world! I'll not waste time trying to convince you this is right. Instead I will remove you from this world. The Vines!"

Several more vines emerged and swung to attack. Holly blocked one with her own vines, Tolkien blasted one with her own Stand, and Zaryusu froze one solid.

"They seem vulnerable to cold," Zaryusu noticed, "They don't just have the appearance of plants, it seems."

"A good thing my Stand does not rely solely on thrashing about," Phytops said with a grin.

Immediately several purple blobs shot out from the thorns.

"Poison attack!," Starlight warned.

The group dodged around as the blobs started falling, Evileye using her Blood Stare to vaporize one that got a little too close for comfort. Zesshi spotted a vine coming in to attack and slashed at it with her scythe.

"So normal attacks can still damage them."

"But just as with most Stands," Phytops clarified, "Only other Stand users can see them. That says something interesting about you and the vampire, Zesshi Zetsumei."

He then found himself having to dodge as Hekkeran had come around with Ticket to Ride, unloading its weapons to throw him off-guard.

"Hey, Phytops!," Holly called out.

He turned and gasped, since Holly had several of The Vines's thorns removed and gripped using Chumbawamba.

"Looks like these are still good and sharp. Now let me give you a little lesson..."

Tolkien walked up next to her, and they both called out, "Don't mess with a mother!"

"Bass Renaissance!"

"Chumbawamba!"

The sonic attack carried the sharp thorns faster than Phytops could react, causing him to get impaled. He then noticed Evileye come up behind him.

"I normally rely on livestock to feed," she said, "But when it comes to villains like you, my teammates don't mind me indulging."

And with that, she slipped her fingers into Phytops's neck, quickly draining him.

"I didn't think a vampire fed like that," Holly noted.

"It's likely a byproduct of the stone mask," George theorized, "The Pillar Men who created it could feed in a similar manner."

Barbro turned as Boullope entered, Burrow with him. She ran right to Barbro and hugged his leg.

"Daddy! Those mean people attacked and tried to capture me! I would have been in trouble if Uncle Boullope hadn't shown up."

Barbro smiled as he stroked Burrow's hair.

"That's alright, my child. You're a good girl for trying to protect the seal."

"Unfortunately the defense of the Marine Temple was a disaster," Boullope said, "We lost Se-Ese and Barker, Anderson and Applegate were captured, and with Phytops's death the third magic well is unsealed."

"We have time to consolidate our presence in the remaining temples," Barbro assured him.

He grinned.

"After all, our annual war with Baharuth is due in the next few weeks. The political debacle surrounding it will be the perfect distraction for Joestar and his team."

His grin dropped into a frown as he stood up.

"Still, we can't rest easy. After all, Momonga and his team have been making plans in the shadows. I've reason to suspect he was behind the mysterious demon invasion, during which Eight Fingers was almost completely destroyed, and our spies confirmed he located the source of the crack between our worlds. If we're to create a truly united rule under Re-Estize, we can't underestimate either Joestar or Momonga."

Chapter Text

Momonga sat in the conference hall with his team, a set of papers among them.

"As you all know, our goal here is three-fold. One, to unite the world via the Spirit Tracks. Two, to establish a nation of our own within that world with Nazarick at its center. And three, to discover and eliminate the forces opposed to the expansion of the Spirit Tracks."

"We've made quite a number of moves behind the scenes," Tabula noted, "Made all the easier with George Joestar III and his team actively working to expand the Spirit Tracks."

"If any of our former teammates from DIO's forces are still alive," Peroroncino noted, "They'd raise eyebrows at best and lynch us at worst at the thought of us aiding a Joestar. Especially since it was George's nephew who ultimately killed DIO."

"We won't get far relying on 'what-ifs'," Yamaiko pointed out, "Let's focus on our plans moving forward. Our next step involves the Baharuth Empire, correct?"

"Indeed," Momonga replied, "Me, Peroroncino, Nishikienrai, and Narberal from the tomb's protectors are making a journey there. Since we are an official adventuring team, traveling between kingdoms is well within our rights."

"From what I understand," Nishikienrai noted, "The trip serves a dual purpose. One, we need to learn more about the society of Baharuth. And two, we need to make contact with Fluder Paradyne, the Prime Wizard of the empire."

"What's so special about him?," Herohero asked.

"He's apparently found the means to control and domesticate the undead," Touch Me explained, "Emperor Jircniv Rune Farlord el Nix has turned the empire into a meritocracy. But this means that for the time being there are less people to tend to the empire's basic needs. Fluder's experiments have provided a stop-gap solution until more skilled workers can be applied to farms, mines, and other important jobs."

"This guy must have been studying magic for decades to get this far," Ulbert noted.

"You're not wrong," Bellriver replied, "He apparently tried an immortality ritual to gain more time to learn magic. It ultimately failed, but not completely. He was still able to expand his lifespan. Currently he is at least two-hundred years old."

"Ultimately obtaining the secrets of the abyss of magic is his only goal," Momonga noted, "And we have the means to teach it to him."

The others looked at him as he grinned.

"Nfirea. His Stand grants him untold secrets of magic, as if he'd been studying for millennia."

"Not to mention giving him limitless mana," Punitto noted, "And we know Fluder has the ability to sense magical potential. With Nfirea's Stand active, he would seem as a god to Fluder."

Momonga nodded.

"Lupisregina, our scout in Carne Village, has confirmed that Majin Gattai grants Nfirea magical knowledge well beyond his years, and the means to handle that knowledge. Through him, we have the perfect teacher of magic. Or least skilled enough to convince Fluder to aid our cause."

"We've had spies look through the upper echelon of each nation," Herohero noted, "And gained a number of allies. I'm assuming this current plan is to expose the conspiracy behind the disappearance of the Spirit Tracks prior to our arrival?"

"Indeed," Momonga replied, "We shall perform a grand plan dedicated to exposing them all in one fell swoop. The lesser agents and the guardians of the final two magic wells are likely still sequestered in the temples, but we can expose the ringleaders. Ideally we can also capture them. But in all likelihood we will at best force them underground."

"Wait, two magic wells?," Amanomahitotsu chimed in, "But the Marine Temple was just unsealed. Shouldn't that leave one final well?"

"Actually it turns out there's one final temple," Tabula explained, "Sequestered in the desert between the mountains where the Holy Kingdom is located, and the seaside near the Slane Theocracy. But there is no map directly tied to it. It's simply meant to be the proverbial rail spike keeping the tower intact. In all likelihood, that is where the conspiracy started to dispel the tracks."

"And getting to it is no small feat," Bellriver noted, "It's likely whoever possesses the demon train Stand lead the rest of the conspiracy there."

"And once they learned how to seal the magic well," Momonga noted, "They decided to put their plan into motion. Whoever the leader is likely has a great deal of ambition and evil intent. From what I understand, this is the first time since the appearance of Down at the Station that someone has wanted to dispel the Spirit Tracks."

"And now here we are making our own ambitious plans that require the Spirit Tracks," Touch Me said with a chuckle, "How ironic."

"That reminds me," Ulbert said, "At some point I'll need to challenge George again. He attacked my Stand during the incident in Re-Estize, and thus fell under its effect. His mental prowess is strong enough to resist it, but he'll continuously experience bouts of aggression, typically against his own teammates. Perhaps during the upcoming war we plan on taking part in I'll challenge him. His Stand is stronger than mine at full power, so that should be enough to dispel the effect. Our plans can't work if George winds up compromising his own team and slowing down the efforts to expand the Spirit Tracks."

George shook his head as Hekkeran let off their guest passenger, a heavyset man who wanted to court a woman out in Slane. The romance seemed to blossom, allowing the Spirit Tracks to grow a little more.

"Something wrong?," Hekkeran asked.

In spite of his annoyance at the question, George decided to be honest.

"I've been trying to mentally focus as of late. It feels like something is affecting me. Ever since I decked that guy Ulbert back in Re-Estize. I think it might have something to do with his Stand."

"Think we should find him again?," Hekkeran suggested, "It could help end the effect."

George nodded.

"Yeah, definitely. But not just yet. We still have work to do."

Chapter Text

Deep in the foundations of Baharuth, several acolytes watched as Fluder attempted to use his magical prowess to tame a Death Knight, a mighty undead warrior. The creature was chained for safety reasons, but the acolytes were still nervous, as the Death Knight was one of the strongest types of undead in existence. Fluder sighed as his magic proved insufficient to make the Death Knight submit.

"Still only minimal progress," he noted, "In the days when the Spirit Tracks were strong there were a great many spellcasters capable of bending Death Knights to their will. But it seems I have yet to reach that level."

As he walked with his acolytes, one of them tried to reassure them.

"Perhaps now that the Spirit Tracks are returning, that will allow magical energy to expand. You could find success in the near future."

Fluder nodded, turning to his other efforts. Several lesser skeletons could be seen tilling a few plots of farm in an almost machine-like fashion.

"My research is progressing smoothly, though I've yet to truly grasp the void of magic that has been my goal for decades."

"Yes," the acolyte said, "But the mystery of how an undead is formed still eludes us."

"Give it time," Fluder assured him, "This is one of the lesser mysteries, so it will likely be the first we uncover."

Nfirea looked nervous as he traveled with Momonga's adventuring band.

"So this is the Baharuth Empire. It's my first time visiting."

"I'd imagine so," Momonga noted, "Tell me, what do you observe as we move through the streets?"

Nfirea looked around.

"The difference between the streets of Baharuth and Re-Estize are like night and day. The people here seem so carefree, and there's a brightness in their eyes I don't usually see in the people of Re-Estize."

Momonga nodded in approval.

"A good observation. It's thanks to Emperor Jircniv that the people here can afford to be so carefree."

"There's also their military," Nfirea noticed, "Well-trained and battle-ready at a moment's notice. By comparison the military of Re-Estize is minimal."

"The empire runs on a meritocracy," Peroroncino explained, "Anyone capable of contributing to the empire is accelerated through the ranks, while those that are unproductive are tossed to the wayside. Ironically, this means the working class and several poor but skilled street rats have been elevated, while many in the nobility have lost all they take for granted."

"Doesn't that include Arche's family?," Nfirea asked, "She mentioned she was noble-born, but took to becoming a worker in hopes of paying off her family's debt."

"It's foolish when you get down to it," Momonga noted, "Her parents cannot stand to live without luxury, yet they can no longer afford it due to how little they contribute. And the ironic thing is they consider her foolish for working so hard."

"So why bring me along for this?," Nfirea asked.

"Your Stand provides us with a necessary step," Momonga explained, "You see, the country is extensively researching magic, led by one Fluder Paradyne."

Nfirea suddenly understood. In spite of his youth, his Stand gave him the magical knowledge of over a hundred or more spellcasters.

"So I'm to act as the carrot to get Fluder on our side."

"That's the idea," Momonga admitted, "Once Fluder realizes you can offer him what he wants most, he will offer us whatever he can in exchange."

"We've already sent word ahead of our arrival," Nishikienrai said, "Fluder should be informed of us by the time we get there."

"Hopefully there will only be one real battle in all this," Nfirea said, "What with the Spirit Tracks expanding even further. Just a little while ago Hekkeran took a young boy from our village to a place where he could observe the land from high up."

"Did he take him to the station tower?," Momonga asked.

"You'd think that but no," Nfirea clarified, "He simply asked a traveling merchant who uses a hot air balloon to give him a ride back and forth from the capital of Re-Estize."

Fluder did know of the group's arrival, having been told thanks to a palace guard.

"So, to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?," he asked.

Momonga turned to Nfirea and nodded. Nfirea took a deep breath.

"Majin Gattai!"

Fluder's supernatural affinity allowed him to see the form of Nfirea's Stand, and his talent for seeing magical auras let him see its effect. The brilliance of it brought him tears of joy.

"It's unbelievable... This boy... He's a god..."

"This power was granted to him in the form of a Stand," Momonga clarified, "But thanks to that Stand, he possesses magical knowledge above and beyond the greatest of mages."

He turned to Fluder.

"I trust you understand the implications, yes?"

Fluder gave a laugh that was equal parts joy and nervousness.

"Yes, yes. I will give you all that I have and more, in exchange for learning from this child... No, this great mage!"

Momonga detailed the plan he had in mind, and told Fluder he was to inform Jircniv of it only in the greatest of secret. The group had every reason to believe Jircniv wasn't in on the conspiracy, but might have been slightly influenced by those that were.

"Getting a private audience with the emperor is a simple enough task," Fluder assured them, "I practically raised him, and he still sees me as an honorary uncle."

Sure enough, Fluder was able to speak with the young emperor in private.

"So they intend to discover the ones who orchestrated the disappearance of the Spirit Tracks," Jircniv said, "I must confess it's insulting to think there are those within our own court that are in on it. But such traitors must be rooted out."

"Can you think of any who might be involved?," Fluder asked.

"I have some ideas," Jircniv replied, "My reforms have made me quite unpopular with the nobility, to the point where they have named me the Bloody Emperor."

He smirked.

"I know one that is for sure involved, since he's made several correspondences with Re-Estize, trading information. He thinks he's being subtle about it. We'll use him for Momon's plan."

"The plan will also insure the resurgence of the adventurer's guild," Fluder noted, "But Momon gave strict instructions that Foresight was not to be targeted. He said Foresight's leader, Hekkeran, has become attached to the legendary train."

"Then he's our trump card against the demon train," Jircniv realized, "The others will be easy to lure in. If this tomb Momon found has even half the treasure he spoke of, it will draw them in like flies with honey."

He chuckled darkly at the idea.

Chapter Text

"You're still joining us in our quest?," Starlight asked Zesshi.

The group was sitting in the main lounge of the palace in Re-Estize, discussing current events.

"Jack only joined us to further his goal of restoring the Sunlight Scripture," Zesshi clarified, "A goal that is all but assured after exposing the duplicity of Phytops. In all likelihood, a replacement leader for the Afterlife Scripture will be found before long. But the pontiffs were very clear. I am to continue aiding you until the Spirit Tracks are fully restored."

"What of the talks of war with Baharuth?," Shasryu asked, "The empire is very close to lizardman territory, and I fear for the safety of all our tribes."

"I doubt the empire will involve the lizardmen," Starlight assured him, "Traditionally the war has taken place on the Katze Plains, a no-man's land infamous for its large amount of undead. However, there is talk that Baharuth will forgo the war this year due to the damage done by the demons to the capital."

"I see you've recruited quite the ragtag group," Zanac said as he and Renner entered.

"Indeed," Renner said as she sat down, "My friends from Blue Rose, a member of scriptures from Slane, workers from Baharuth, two lizardmen. And of course our friends from the other world."

"We were just discussing the situation with Baharuth," George noted.

"Yes, they are well aware of our current state of affairs," Zanac said with a nod, "I'm not surprised, they are bound to have spies and agents scouting our defenses. Emperor Jircniv may treat these wars as a game, but that does't mean he won't take us seriously."

"What about the missing people I heard about?," Holly asked.

"Sadly we haven't found them," Renner replied.

"It's possible these people were selected specifically for breeding experiments," Zanac noted, "This is supported by the age group of the missing people, and the fact that only unmarried individuals went missing. All other hostages were accounted for."

"What of the talks of this year's war being canceled?," Lakyus asked.

"Father and I are in agreement that it's likely they'll keep their word," Zanac said, "But Marquis Boullope says it's likely they're just saying that to get us to lower our guard."

"Momonga and his team took a trip to Baharuth recently," George noted, "We know the conspiracy that disrupted the Spirit Tracks has yet to be fully exposed. Tolkien only has so much information on it."

"The leaders deliberately sent proxies to meet with me," Tolkien admitted, "Knowing my real goal for joining them."

Zanac nodded.

"So you think Momonga's faction might use Baharuth and its annual war with us to expose the conspiracy. It has merit, but also the potential to blow up in everyone's faces. Then again, the ringleaders of this unknown faction have been one step ahead of us, so perhaps a bold maneuver is just what we need."

"Do we have any ideas of who might be involved?," Evileye asked.

"Barbro's always been a possibility," Renner pointed out, "As well as Boullope."

"There might be some nobility in Baharuth involved as well," Gyro chimed in, "Not everyone in the empire agrees with Jircniv's reforms."

"Some demi-human leaders might also have been coerced," Zesshi said, "We know that the lizardmen are not involved, save Stagnox who had been exiled. But the elves might have agents in this group, as well as the dwarves."

"Possibly other beastman tribes are involved," Zaryusu suggested, "We know they are engaged in a prolonged war with the Roble Holy Kingdom."

"Roble itself may also have agents," Holly noted, "Let's not forget Jolyne's main nemesis was a priest, so we can't rule out holy people as potential enemies."

"Wise words," Zanac said with a nod, "That said, we can't expect them to have too many agents. If they are too large, then finding them would be easy. As the saying goes, it only takes a few pebbles to start an avalanche. They'd likely only need, at most, a few dozen agents."

George rubbed his chin in thought.

'Momonga and his faction may have split off from DIO, but it's clear they are still willing to go to some extremes for some less than altruistic goal.'

"What I want to know is why Nfirea Bareare was taken to Baharuth," Gagaran chimed in.

"That's easy," George replied, snapping out of his thoughts, "His Stand provides Momonga with the means of getting Baharuth's archmage, Fluder Paradyne, over to his side."

Zanac nodded.

"Yes it's no secret that Fluder's primary goal is the furthering of magical research. You mentioned Nfirea's Stand grants him untold magical potential. If I remember correctly, Fluder has an innate talent that allows him to see magical potential. To behold a young man who somehow has centuries of magical potential within him..."

He grinned.

"It would bring the old geezer to tears of joy at the prospect of learning from him."

George and Gyro nodded to each other and started scanning the room using their Hamon.

"The room appears to be clear of uninvited ears and eyes," Gyro noted.

"Why the sudden concern?," Renner asked.

"If Momonga's plan to out the conspiracy is to succeed," George noted, "It will take some planning on our end as well. And since we know the conspiracy has eyes and ears within the royal court..."

Zanac nodded.

"I see. You thought it best to take precautions. In that case, what do you think Momonga's plan likely entails?"

They began to discuss Momonga's possible plans, and how they could incorporate some plans of their own.

George's concerns proved well-founded, as Boullope and Barbro were speaking with a maid who had been peeking in on the group's conversation.

"As soon as I saw Joestar using that strange golden energy," she said, "I quickly left."

Barbro sighed in frustration.

"Meaning any chance of learning what they intend is officially out the window."

Boullope looked down at the ground.

"We only know that Momonga's faction is planning something with Baharuth, and the Joestar faction intends to comply and even contribute. We're in the dark."

Barbro considered his options.

"Well... I intended to take the throne one way or another. I'd originally intended to be patient and wait for Father's eventual demise. But I'm not above usurping the throne if that's what it takes. Can you make contact with our agent in Baharuth? I doubt we'll learn anything more than we already have, but he may have insight that can keep us a step ahead of our enemies."

Boullope nodded.

"I'll travel there presently. With my Stand I can make the trip in a mere hour."

Barbro nodded. He knew Boullope would wait until he was outside the kingdom before unleashing his Stand. After all, if the demon train suddenly appeared within the city walls, it would be all too obvious who it was connected to.

Chapter Text

Baron Kelvin grimaced as he heard the report from his agents.

"So Jonathan Joestar and his entourage have suspicions about me regarding the missing children. They still insist on getting into my business in spite of the fact that Joker has been disrupting my operations and having the children returned."

"What shall our task be?," the young acrobat Trey asked.

"Joestar will likely want to confront me personally," Kelvin noted, "But in the meantime, that leaves his estate wide open."

He grinned maliciously.

"I understand he has a lovely young wife and a recently born son. Extend them an invitation to our modest circus."

Of course, Kelvin has no idea that Erina was already visiting said circus, and that she knew all about what was going on. Moreover, he hadn't taken into account the magnum opus of Victor Frankenstein. Said being had overheard everything. Despite his size he could be quite stealthy, and once he learned what Kelvin was up to he sought his father and creator. The Joestar team was taken aback when they saw him, but Victor was able to calm them down.

"Adam, what's wrong?"

"It's Baron Kelvin, Father," Adam explained, "He's making plans to attack the Joestar manor."

"He must be trying to kidnap me and young George," Erina realized, "Not realizing I'm here and George is protected by Speedwagon's friends."

Speedwagon himself was still shocked by Adam's appearance.

"Um, Doctor Frankenstein... Is that a man?"

"Yes, in fact," Victor replied, "Well, more like seven men. Or parts of them."

"Father's experiments brought me life," Adam explained, "But it was God who allowed me to have a soul."

Zeppeli smiled.

"An artificial man who follows God, in spite of being able to see his creator every day."

Adam chuckled.

"Is that any different from a child who gazes upon his parents?"

"I suppose not," Zeppeli acknowledged.

"These discussions are all well and good," Joker chimed in, "But I hope these friends you spoke of are strong. The second-tiers may not be as skilled as us, but they are still talented enough to deal with normal police and other bodyguards."

"There's nothing truly 'normal' about my servants," Speedwagon assured him, "They weren't just chosen for their skills at housekeeping, but also because each of them is a powerful Stand user. Sebastian, Mey-Rin, Finny, Bard, each of them possesses a Stand which had gotten them previous jobs as super soldiers for the Queen's forces. Once I was granted a title of Baron, Her Majesty offered them to me as servants and bodyguards."

Joker smiled as he nodded.

"Four powerful Stand users. That evens the odds a little. With your permission, my friends can tip the scales even more in our favor. Each of them has a strong Stand of their own."

"That's fine," Jonathan assured him, "But what of you?"

"I'll join you in confronting Baron Kelvin personally," Joker explained, "It's high time I settle the score with the old geezer. For too long I've let his evils go unpunished. Now I have a chance to put an end to it."

Joker's friends arrived at the Joestar estate before too long.

"Wow, it's way out there, isn't it?," Dagger noted.

Sebastian greeted the performers at the front entrance.

"Your arrival is none too soon. Master Speedwagon's friends have noticed some of your would-be underlings traveling here."

The group started to make their defensive plans. A little bored, Finny spotted Doll removing her wig and looked shocked, since her face didn't seem very feminine without it.

"What the blazes? Are you actually a bloke?"

Doll looked at him indignantly.

"Of course not," she said in an obviously female voice, "Here, let me prove it."

Before anyone could stop her, she walked right over to Finny and placed his hand on her chest. There was an obvious bulge that was clearly a female breast, causing Finny to flip out just from touching it. Doll grinned at his face.

"I can let you have a look-see down below if you need more proof," she teased.

"No, I'm good!," Finny called out.

Sebastian cleared his throat.

"If we're quite done with these shenanigans..."

The planning continued until they got word of the intruders, and moved into position.

Trey looked about the place.

"I would have liked to have borrowed some of the Baron's puppets. But it might bring more attention than we need. Lucy, Woody, are you ready?"

"As we'll ever be," replied Woody, a circus tall man, "But I wish Freckles was here. His Stand would be great for cleaning up any messes."

Lucy, one of the tightrope walkers, chimed in.

"Yeah, where is he, anyway?"

"You know him," Trey said, "Always so flighty."

Woody dropped off his stilts and ran up to the side entrance, only to get a shock as he had to dodge some flames. Trey looked shocked.

"Those were Jumbo's flames!"

Sure enough, the giant tattooed fire eater Jumbo, one of Joker's friends, walked up to Woody.

"It's high time we put an end to your evil," he said.

"And for starters," came Finny's voice as he turned up behind Woody, "We're kicking you off of Master Joestar's property."

The tattoos on Jumbo's body started to glow.

"King Ink!"

The various animals tattooed on Jumbo's body, including a bear, tiger, lion, snake, and other animals, came to life and started attacking Woody, who ran for it.

"Oh no you don't!," Finny called out, "Drop the Bomb!"

He threw a punch, missing Woody but creating an explosive shockwave that sent Woody flying. He wound up stunned on the ground long enough for the lion tattoo to finish him off.

"Woody!," Lucy called out.

She launched a grappling hook trying to swing around to attack, only to get blindsided by a sudden kick to her abdomen. She looked to see Peter and Wendy there.

"Sorry, Lucy," Peter said, "But we're not about to let you get inside."

"And your normal grappling hook is way too slow," Wendy noted.

Lucy grimaced.

"Then let me introduce you to the latest technology!"

She got out a large gun with a grapple inside it instead of normal ammunition. She fired, letting her traverse the roofs faster.

"Not bad," Peter admitted, "Let's see if we can't salvage that device for Mister Joestar. In the meantime... Wires!"

He shot a steel wire out from his index, which harmlessly wrapped around Wendy's wrist. Wendy nodded.

"Gravity!"

Wendy became surrounded by a blue aura, and she started to float into the air, Peter along with her. Kicking off from the roof, they moved to target Lucy. Trey grimaced when he saw them, and aimed at them with his revolver. But the first shot gave him a shock, as Wendy's Stand caused the bullet to get deflected.

"Looks like someone wants to fire off bullets!," Peter noticed.

"Well, if it's guns that they want...," Wendy said with a smile, "Mey-Rin!"

"On it!," Mey-Rin said.

She was standing on the roof nearby, surrounded by rifles.

Adjusting her glasses, she called out, "Shot Through the Heart!"

The surrounding night suddenly seemed as bright as a city street, and Mey-Rin found herself able to see where both Lucy and Trey were.

"You first!," Mey-Rin said as she took one of the rifles and aimed at Trey.

Before he could even realize what was happening, he found himself shot through the shoulder. A second shot found a closer mark, hitting him right through the heart. Lucy looked shocked when she saw this.

"What on Earth are these people?," she wondered.

She fired her grapple gun again, hoping to get further away, only for Mey-Rin to spot her and fire right through her brain, sending her tumbling into a nearby window.

Tattoo and Yun spotted her corpse as she came crashing in.

"Poor lass," Tattoo said as he closed her eyes, "Sent off to her death with her boss none the wiser for it."

"Some of them might have found their way into the manor," Yun noted.

Tattoo shook his head.

"They won't get far."

Doll then showed up.

"Mind if I deal with this?"

"Not at all," Tattoo said.

Doll placed a hand on the broken window.

"Rewind!"

The duo looked in awe as the window repaired itself, as if rewinding a reel of footage.

"It's ironic," Doll noted, "They probably wanted Freckles, who is in fact me, to clean up any evidence. Well, they'll get what they want, but not the way they want it."

Butch, an animal tamer, opened the front door of the manor. With him were Meekins, a circus clown, and Atkins, a magician.

"Alright, Tiny," Butch said to his tiger, "Get in there and deal with any guards."

The tiger entered the hall, but stopped and growled when she smelled something.

"What's the hold-up?," Butch asked.

"Her instincts must be warning her about me," came Beast's voice as she came into view.

"Beast!?," Butch said in shock.

"Indeed," Beast replied, "And you're about to realize why I'm the top animal tamer in this circus. She Wolf!"

Before the trio's eyes, Beast's black hair seemed to spread across her body. Her muscles grew, her fingernails sharpened, and her face lengthened into a muzzle. In short, Beast was turning into a werewolf. In spite of her increase in size, her clothes remained intact, somehow having grown to accommodate her new size. Butch quickly joined Tiny, readying his whip. He lashed out with it, only for Beast to catch it easily.

"I know my way around whips," Beast pointed out, surprising Butch with the fact that she could still speak.

She leapt at the junior tamer with surprising speed, Tiny cowering in the presence of a superior predator. Meanwhile, Atkins and Meekins were dashing up the nearby stairs.

"What about Butch?," Meekins asked.

"He's as good as dog food at this point," Atkins pointed out, "But we've still got a job to do."

"We never should have agreed to this," Meekins noted, "Who knew our seniors and the servants had these bizarre powers?"

"It's not so surprising," Atkins pointed out, "Baron Kelvin's not like to be the only one with this sort of ability."

Unfortunately with just the two of them, it was difficult to search the manor with the Ogre Street gang being around every corner. Finally, they found themselves in the basement, right where the kitchen would be. Inside, they heard some whistling. They spotted Bard cleaning one of the pots.

"Welcome to the end of the road, chaps."

"With just you?," Meekins said, "I don't think so."

He made to throw some knives, only to get them knocked out his hand by a few more.

"Gotcha," Dagger said as he appeared, "With me Digital Daggers."

He instantly conjured a few more knives between his knuckles.

"Big deal," Atkins said, as he used his slight-of-hand to make a few daggers of his own appear.

"Nice trick," Bard admitted, "But you're an illusionist with no real magic, and thus only so many blades. Meanwhile Dagger's Stand lets him make as many knives as he needs."

He moved to a large item covered in a cloak.

"As for me, my own Stand provides me with an innate ability to master any weapon instantly. All I need to do is touch it once, and I can use it on my own, even crew-served weapons."

He removed the cloak, revealing the item to be a Gatling gun, much to the shock of Atkins and Meekins.

"This is power of my Stand," Bard said, readying the gun, "This is War!"

Dagger got to cover as Bard opened fire, Meekins and Atkins moving to avoid the gunfire. Seeing an opening, Dagger threw one of his knives to hit Atkins in the ankle, causing him to trip and leaving him open to a barrage as Bard turned his attention to him. As Meekins looked to see it was safe, he saw the room was filled with flour dust hanging in the air.

"You know," Dagger said, "It's a good thing Doll is so good at acting. Pretending to be your friend Freckles, she was able to tell us everything about you."

Meekins looked shocked.

"Freckles and Doll are one and the same...?"

Just then, the nearby window opened, Bard and Dagger getting a lift out thanks to Peter.

"One thing I should mention," Bard said, "Surprising as it may sound, flour is quite easy to light up. It's ground so fine that if it disperses into the air it can be almost like a flammable gas. Just like what happened to a bunch of poor blokes in a flour mill across the pond in Minnesota."

Meekins gasped as Bard lit a match and tossed it into the room.

Back at the circus, the group listened in as Kelvin was getting debriefed by a circus worker.

"There was an explosion at the manor. We saw bodies, sir, all of them from our own. Joker's band sided with Joestar, and together with the servants they took out our agents."

Kelvin sighed.

"Useless. I can't believe how much of a poor showing they had. We may need to leave London early."

He got up out of his wheelchair and walked over to a young woman lured into the tent. Kelvin grinned.

"Of course, if Joestar somehow finds me, he'll find a major surprise that will overwhelm him."

George would have loved to continue reading, it sounded like the story was reaching its conclusion, but now was as good a time as any to obtain the last peace of the rail map. With the final piece in place, leading the Spirit Tracks into the mountains, it also unlocked the last car for Ticket to Ride, giving Arche the Stand Crazy Train, which added a phantom dragon to the massive rail arsenal they had.

"Momonga's plans should be going into effect in the next few days," George noted, "Once things die down from the excitement, we'll make our way to the Mountain Temple."

Chapter Text

"So far no one's singled us out," Hekkeran noted.

He and his team had returned to Baharuth, the rest of the Joestar team sequestered in Re-Estize to await the results of Momonga's plan. Foresight had been the only worker team to join the expedition to Down at the Station, and whether by chance or providence Hekkeran was singled out to see if he was compatible with Ticket to Ride.

'Well,' Hekkeran thought, 'Maybe it was a bit of both, since it turns out all three of my friends have Stand potential, which enabled us to be in control of all four sections of the legendary train.'

"You sure we can't tell anyone about our new Stands?," Roberdyck asked.

"After Momonga's plans are finished we can tell whoever we want," Hekkeran clarified, "But for now no one can know that we gained Stands, much less in such an unorthodox manner."

The group sat at a table at a nearby tavern.

"So, this job involves the newly discovered tomb," Arche clarified.

Hekkeran nodded.

"Of course, what the other workers don't know is that we have free invites from the master of the tomb himself. For the others, they might as well be trespassing. And if there's anything I know about tombs where the masters are still among the living, the guardians of said tombs are never friendly to trespassers."

"Most of them will likely suffer in ways I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy," Imina admitted, "Well... Except maybe one man."

The others nodded, knowing there was one worker who would never pass up the chance to show off for a seemingly easy payout. Granted there were plenty that would risk such a venture, but most workers they knew of would be suspicious of the job offer. Of course, once they learned what happened to the workers that did accept, they would likely see the adventurer's guild as an acceptable alternative.

"Of course, we'll also have to sign up to keep up appearances," Roberdyck noted, "Which some might raise their eyebrows at considering my history."

Arche smirked.

"I thought Starlight explained the reason why the guild has to charge for healing spells."

"Yeah, but no one else knows she did," Roberdyck clarified.

Arche shrugged.

"I'm just glad I can finally get my sisters away from my parents before they get sold off to pay debts. The amount of treasure we're being offered in compensation will give the three of us a new life in Re-Estize."

"While your idiot parents continue to rack up debt until one of them sells the other off," Imina said with a smirk.

"All talk aside," Hekkeran said, "This will be Foresight's last job as a worker group. After this, we'll be changing our status."

"And fully committing ourselves to the Joestar group and their quest," Roberdyck noted, "We have two more magic wells to unseal, and only know the location of one them, deep inside the Mountain Temple."

"The job starts tomorrow evening," Hekkeran said, "We should get some good rest in while we can."

The next day, the gang helped a local who wanted to begin an ice mining venture in the mountains now that the snows had passed. The venture proved promising, and the resulting gratitude from the man expanded the Spirit Tracks further.

"Okay," Hekkeran said as he pulled in close to evening, "The other worker teams should be arriving at Count Femel's estate."

"He's one of those nobles that survived the purge," Imina noted, "Largely due to his extensive wealth."

"And apparently," Hekkeran said, "The reason he was able to maintain that wealth is due to a Stand power."

Sure enough, Femel spoke to a cloaked agent.

"Yes," Femel said, "Be sure to inform Barbro and Boullope. To the best of my knowledge the emperor is sticking to his promise to forgo the war this year. Once I have the treasures from the tomb, and after using some of it to pay off the four worker teams that agreed to the job, the rest will go toward our efforts to unite the realm under our banner. With my Stand, Simple Plan, I'll be able to direct our faction in the right way to make use of such resources."

"Exercise caution," the agent advised, "Your Stand is not all-seeing. It only works based on your perception."

"I'm all too aware of my Stand's limits," Femel assured the agent, "But this is why I rely on information networks. Spies like yourself. Other agents have thus far detected no movement within the tomb. I'm confidant that Simple Plan's solution for extraction the riches of the tomb will succeed."

"I was speaking more to your standing with Emperor Jircniv," the agent clarified.

Femel gave a hearty laugh.

"I've no doubt he suspects me complicit to the faction involved with removing the Spirit Tracks. But with the wealth from the tomb, I can easily disappear."

"You think the emperor suspects you?," the agent asked.

"In spite of his youth, Jircniv is far from naive," Femel explained, "The fact that he chose me to investigate this tomb... Me, who relies on his wealth instead of skill to stay in power... This shows he at least suspects me of deception. Fortunately, I am no fool myself. A quick check of the tomb followed by sending the strongest worker teams to retrieve the tomb's wealth. And if something should go wrong, it can be blamed on the workers being overconfident. You made sure to arrange all expenses, correct?"

The agent nodded.

"As you instructed. Each worker is to be paid two-hundred gold up front, with the promise of one hundred and fifty more upon completion. Arrangements for the sleipnir have been made, and we've contacted several adventurers who have been hired to protect the workers' belongings while they are exploring the tomb."

"Who answered the guild request?," Femel asked.

"Several Gold rank adventurers," the agent replied, "Though, there is one Adamantite level team that accepted the request. A famous one from Re-Estize."

Femel grinned.

"Interesting. Which one?"

"The team known as Nine's Own Goal," the agent replied, "Consisting of Momon the Black Knight, Peron the Falcon Archer, Nishi the Ninja, and the spellcaster Nabe. Three of them are known Stand users."

"Curious why there are only four members considering the name," Femel noted, "But if they are Adamantite level, then who am I to question their choice of name? I'll have my butler address the workers about the job. Inform Barbro the exploration is due to begin. If everything goes as planned, we should have plenty of gold by morning."

Momonga observed as Hekkeran met with the other worker team leaders. There was Gringham of Heavy Masher, a short and stout middle-aged man who was fully armored and carried a large axe. Erya Uzruth of Tenmu, a so-called Heavenly Warrior believed to be in the same league as Gazef or Brain. Narberal seemed to glare at the way Erya eyed Imina, and Peroroncino clenched his fist at the disheveled sight of Erya's elven slaves.

"What's the problem?," Nishikienrai asked, "You know slavery is more acceptable here in Baharuth."

"It's not the slavery itself," Peroroncino clarified, "Those poor girls look like they've been abused in all manner of ways. He's even gone so far as to cut their ears short."

"I hear he's despised by every slave trader he's bought from," Momonga noted, "After all, elves with combat skills are expensive, yet he treats them as disposable, throwing them away when he gets bored of them."

He turned and nodded toward Imina.

"See how much they desire to kill him? He's not well-liked. If you ask me, he's unworthy to be compared to Gazef Stronoff. They're not even in the same league."

"The last of the leaders is Parpatra Ogrion," Narberal noted, "Despite his age, his skills are still Mythril level. He's even earned the title of Dragon Hunter."

The group was soon called over by Count Femel's butler.

"Greetings," Momonga said, "Rest assured all your belongings will be safe in our hands. But I have one question before we begin. Why did you take this job? I ask only because, from the perspective of an adventurer, taking on such a job as exploring these ruins would be out of a sense of moral obligation. But what of you workers?"

"I'd say that should be obvious," Gringham replied, "It's all for the money, of course."

Momonga caught Hekkeran's eye, and the two gave a silent nod that indicated the deal would still be upheld.

'Each of them might have their own reasons for needing the money,' Momonga thought to himself, 'But only in the case of Foresight would I call those reasons sympathetic.'

"I see," Momonga said aloud, "Forgive my rudeness. Obviously such a question was rhetorical..."

Chapter Text

Albedo noticed Foresight through the viewing mirror, Hekkeran flashing their invite.

"Lord Momonga, your honored guests have arrived. As have several unwanted intruders."

Momonga phased into the tomb through its portal network.

"Make sure Hekkeran and his friends are treated well. They are allies of George Joestar III after all. As for our other guests..."

He smirked.

"Extend them every courtesy."

Albedo smiled.

"As you wish. We'll be sure to give them a warm Nazarick welcome."

Momonga returned through the portal to make sure no one realized he could come and go at will. He had a little leeway due to the tents set up at the camp site, but he couldn't disappear forever.

Foresight went back to one of the smaller mausoleums. Each of the four teams was to check one out before meeting up in the center. However, Hekkeran, Imina, Roberdyck, and Arche were just mulling about in their own sector. There was no need to check the room out, since they had been given a good idea of what was in there. Tabula had showed them earlier and offered them the whole room's contents as compensation for their role in this scheme.

"Given the tapestry made of precious metals," Roberdyck noted, "And the sarcophagus full of gold and gems, I'd say we're talking millions of coin."

"Enough to draw the other teams further into danger," Imina noted, "Like honey dripping from a spider's web."

"Speaking of which," Hekkeran said, "By now the others will be finishing their search. Let's head for the tomb's entrance."

They soon learned the others hadn't yet arrived, but Gringham soon showed up.

"Ah, you're late," Hekkeran noted.

"Sorry for the wait," Gringham replied, "But the riches we found thus far were rather awe-inspiring."

Hekkeran fought back a chuckle. Gringham didn't know it, but most workers knew his prose way of speaking was a fake. It worked for fooling potential employers, though. One by one the other teams arrived, each telling of the rich bounty inside the mausoleums alone. Soon enough they made to enter, though Green Leaf chose to remain outside and search for secret entrances. Heavy Masher and Tenmu entered with Foresight, but soon lost track of the quartet.

"What in blazes?," Gringham asked, surprised, "Where did they go?"

"An early-warning trap?," Erya asked, "Why didn't it trigger for the rest of us?"

"Perhaps Foresight was just unlucky," Gringham asked, "Though I hope they still live. Splitting a treasure in four is easier than doing so in three."

Erya nodded.

In truth, Foresight had been teleported to the tomb's living chambers thanks to the invite presented to them, taking them far away from the dangers of Nazarick. Momonga soon joined them.

"It's been some time," he said.

"Will you be alright if someone checks the tent you warped in from?," Hekkeran asked.

Momonga nodded.

"It's no trouble. The inner vault is guarded by a doppelganger named Pandora's Actor. I've sent him to mimic me in case anyone checks in. He possesses mind reading abilities that allow him to act as people expect the one he is mimicking to act, so no one will be able to tell the difference."

He had a few viewing mirrors set up.

"The cover story for your survival is that your history garnered enough sympathy from the masters of the tomb that they showed mercy and allowed you to escape to tell the tale of the others that were lost. Since no one outside the tomb knows of what goes on within it, detailed knowledge of what happened will likely not be questioned. Though I should warn you... It will get quite grisly."

"By the way," Hekkeran said as he and Momonga sat down, "I suspect Count Femel, the one who hired us, is a member of the faction both our teams are opposing. And I think the emperor suspects him as well."

"Indeed," Momonga noted, "Emperor Jircniv is attentive to those around him. He recognizes the rats scurrying around. Ah, that reminds me. Hamsuke has been successfully learning martial arts as of late. I wanted to test her skills using one of the other worker teams, and I already know which one."

Foresight looked at each other and chuckled.

"So who's the poor shmuck that gets beaten up by a giant hamster?," Roberdyck asked.

"Only the worst of the lot," Momonga said cryptically, "But I think you'll enjoy it when it happens. It's likely to be the only amusing punishment. Well, from an outside perspective at least."

The viewing mirror then showed Green Leaf being confronted by the tomb's combat maids.

"Hey, I think that's the hive queen George mentioned," Roberdyck said when he spotted Entoma.

"The other girls have way too much unnatural beauty to be human," Hekkeran noted.

"That's because they aren't," Momonga clarified, "They are the Pleiades, combat soldiers in the guise of maids. The one in the center is Yuri Alpha, a dullahan. To her left just next to Entoma is Lupisregina Beta, a werewolf. To Yuri's right is Solution Epsilon, a shoggoth. And next to her is Shizu Delta, an automaton."

"Solution looks like the wife of that merchant that's been making waves in Re-Estize," Arche noted.

"They are one and the same," Momonga replied, "The merchant you speak of is really Herohero. Solution is rather enamored with him, and thanks to his Stand safe copulation is possible. She practically fainted with joy at the idea of playing the role of his wife."

He looked at the image.

"The Pleiades alone would be enough to deal with Green Leaf, even without Narberal with them. But I have another project that needs testing, so these poor fools will be the guinea pigs."

The group watched as armored skeletons arose from the ground behind Green Leaf.

"Undead soldiers," Roberdyck realized.

"They serve the master of the tomb, no matter what species," Momonga noted, "They are the old guard. Equipped with heavy armor and magic weapons. Parpatra and his team are Mythril class, so if my calculations are correct they should prove a good gauge of the old guards' skills."

However, he soon became embarrassed at how easily his old guard was decimating Green Leaf.

"I... Think they're overmatched," Hekkeran pointed out.

Momonga sighed.

"Yes... Perhaps I overestimated Parpatra's team, and underestimated how much his age has caught up with him."

He switched the view.

"Let's see how the others are doing."

Heavy Masher was running from a group of elder liches, before finally running into a small room.

"And the trap turns from a spider's web to an antlion's pit," Momonga noted darkly.

Sure enough, just as the team thought they were safe, a portal in the room activated.

"Where'd they go?," Arche asked.

"Nowhere safe," Momonga replied, "One moment and I'll see if I can't find their locations."

He cycled through the viewing feed.

"Well, Gringham himself and one of his teammates wound up in Kyouhukou's room."

"Who's that?," Imina asked.

"A sentient roach king," Momonga said, "His family is hundreds of thousands large. They will most certainly strip the poor sods clean, having grown weary of cannibalism to sustain themselves. One of the others wound up in the not-so tender loving care of Neuronist Painkill, a chthonic who acts as interrogator for the tomb. Her methods of torture..."

He shuddered.

"Well, let's just say you're better off not seeing it."

"What about the fourth member?," Roberdyck asked, almost dreading the answer.

"He got lucky," Momonga assured him, "A quick, painless death upon falling into one of the tomb's death traps."

He shifted the view again.

"Ah, now this should prove interesting. Erya is approaching Hamsuke's training hall. She's been practicing combat for some time now under the care of some of the lizardmen. I tried having a Death Knight train alongside her to see if it could gain any new skills, but no such luck. Hamsuke is more than capable of learning Martial Arts, but the Death Knight could only improve its physical attributes."

In spite of his boasts of being greater than Gazef, Erya proved no match against Hamsuke's superior speed and strength, the steel-like quality of her fur, and the power and versatility of Tiger by the Tail. She quickly eliminated the bigot when she unleashed her new Martial Art, Slashing Strike, finishing the so-called Heavenly Warrior by crushing his head with her Stand. The slave elves were offered a new place to stay within Nazarick, taking care of Aura and Mare and teaching the culture of elves in the alter verse, a role they eagerly accepted. With that, Foresight was the only worker team to escape the massacre.

As promised, they were given the contents of the mausoleum they searched, which was transported in secret to Re-Estize using Ticket to Ride. Upon returning to Baharuth, Arche secretly picked up her sisters so they could be taken away to live in E-Rantel, while the other members told of what happened in the tomb. Naturally, Femel was shocked at what happened.

'Now what...? Without that wealth I can't protect myself... I used up all I had to hire those workers, the adventurers, and the sleipnir.'

At that moment, guards burst into the room and surprised him.

"Well, well, Femel," came Jircniv's voice as he entered, "Seems you've wound up kicking a hornet's nest."

"Whatever do you mean?," Femel asked innocently.

Jircniv sighed.

"It seems the guardians of the tomb were not happy about the intrusion into their home. Two of them, a pair of dark elf siblings, arrived in the city square astride a wyvern. In an instant they made their intentions known by breaking up the earth beneath the square causing it to swallow up the soldiers surrounding them."

He smirked as Femel looked frightened.

"But we've come to some arrangements in negotiating a truce, and among them... Is the head of the one who hired the workers."

Chapter Text

Jircniv was traveling by carriage to the Tomb of Nazarick. This first trip was a private one, accompanied only by Fluder and his three knights. Baziwood Peshmel, a former street tough who was elevated to knighthood because of his exceptional combat skills. Nimble Arc Dale Anoch, second born of a baron who's mercantile expertise allowed him to retain his nobility after the purging. And Leinas Rockbruise, a noblewoman who was a former monster slayer before being promoted to imperial knight. In addition, all three knights were powerful Stand users. For example, Nimble had used his Stand, Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, to conceal their journey from anyone untrustworthy.

The group talked as they traveled.

"After Foresight returned from the tomb," Fluder said, "They settled in E-Rantel and became official adventurers. They've already reached Mythril rank due to their reputation. They've revealed themselves as the masters of the legendary train, and have been transporting goods and people at quite the rate, causing the Spirit Tracks to expand."

"And just what have they been doing?," Nimble asked.

Fluder stroked his beard.

"From what I've been told, they've delivered ice to the dwarven mines to deal with superheated tunnels, delivered fish from Slane to Re-Estize, and some poultry from E-Rantel to Carne Village."

"Attempts to have additional trains running on the Spirit Tracks has begun," Nimble noted, "But all have required defending via adventurers, since the trains have been attacked by war machines that apparently were created by the demon train."

"It's trying to render the Spirit Tracks too dangerous to use," Fluder realized, "Its user must be found and eliminated."

The carriage soon stopped.

"Ah," Jircniv said, "It seems we've arrived."

He held up the small letter that was delivered to him.

"Everyone whose name is on this letter is formally invited to the tomb and will be treated as a guest, so long as one of said guests is holding onto it. That's what Hekkeran said. What can we expect from this first visit?"

"For now it is merely a discussion on how to proceed," Fluder pointed out, "We want to make a show after all. Convince those from the enemy faction embedded in Baharuth and other nations that we can be convinced to oppose Momonga's faction."

Jircniv smirked.

"And you get something out of it for yourself in the form of Nfirea."

Fluder chuckled.

"He may be younger than me, but his Stand gives him the magical knowledge of centuries!"

The group was soon lead to a large chamber within the tomb. Inside was a circular table, with enough chairs for forty-one people. Thirteen of these chairs were filled by Momonga and his team.

"Greetings, Your Eminence," Momonga said, "Please, take a seat. We can begin our discussions."

The five of them sat down.

"I think our first discussion should be first impressions," Jircniv said, "A grand show must be made right from the get-go."

"The rest of the court already has a good idea of your power from the fact that two of your guardians arrived on a wyvern," Fluder noted, "What we need next is a greater display of power."

"Easy enough," Momonga said, "First, we should have the carriages greeted by Yuri and Lupisregina. All avenues of bargaining should be effectively cut off to give potential agents a sense that violence is the only method of dealing with us."

He nodded to the two combat maids in question, and Jircniv realized what Momonga was getting at.

'Their beauty is beyond any I've seen in Baharuth. I see... This is what he's getting at.'

"Well, that's the idea of offering concubines dealt with," Jircniv noted, "Wealth should be no problem. You provided Foresight with enough treasure to fill a sarcophagus, and from what we've been told that's only a drop in the bucket of the fortune found in this tomb."

"Then perhaps more of it should displayed in the throne room," Leinas offered, "Let everyone know bribery will get them nowhere."

"An excellent idea," Herohero chimed in, "Perhaps something to show military might as well. The Death Knights contained in the tomb are subservient to us, and can be commanded to perform even the most basic of tasks."

Fluder laughed.

"That sounds perfect! It's well known that my own attempts to bend a Death Knight to my will have proven fruitless, so the thought of someone capable of commanding ten or more to the point of making them butlers will be nightmarish to our enemies."

"The creation of such a creature would also make them shit themselves," Baziwood noted.

"Nfirea's Stand does include knowledge of necromancy," Momonga noted, "He's not used it on anyone buried in Carne Village out of respect, but studies of his power out on the Katze Plains have proven him capable of creating anything up to and including elder liches."

"On that subject," Jircniv noted, "An initial sign of magical superiority would be a great intimidation factor."

"I know of a sixth-tier spell that can control weather on a minor scale," Fluder noted, "What would help is something with greater power."

Momonga considered it.

"My former master, DIO, had a friend who's brother can control every aspect of weather. Now, while there's no chance of getting him quickly, discussing the concept with Nfirea should provide him with the imagination needed to replicate the effects. Now, what will be used for the demonstration of necromancy?"

"I already have something prepared," Jircniv said with a grin, "We were already aware of Count Femel being complicit with the conspiracy and have him in custody. We're making preparations to have him executed for treason and will present his head as planned. I'm sure the mighty leader of Nazarick would prefer to use him as resources rather than keep him as a trophy."

"That reminds me," Fluder said, "We need to do something about the present appearance of the tomb's masters."

"Not a problem," Punitto said, "My Stand has a special side-effect to it. Welcome to the Masquerade!"

The incoming mist caused Jircniv and Fluder to open their eyes wide in shock.

"Nimble, is this...?," Jircniv started, seeing the strange beings that appeared.

"It's the form of their Stands," Nimble confirmed, "At least, those that follow the normal rules regarding Stands. But how is this possible?"

"Welcome to the Masquerade creates a mist that generates illusions of my own making," Punitto explained, "It has the side-effect of making Stands visible to non-Stand users. With an illusion in place to make Stand users invisible when necessary..."

"It would turn the tomb into a court of monsters!," Baziwood realized with a grin, "It's the perfect disguise!"

"And Nfirea could also be concealed within the mist," Momonga pointed out, "Allowing him to work without being spotted. From there everything is misdirection. We make the plan appear to be to gather an alliance of nations, with the first step being gauging our strength. The question is, how will we gauge who is among the conspirators? Both sides want unity, but under vastly different contexts..."

He then snapped his fingers.

"Of course! The tower station! We'll have the war at the base of the tower, with our forces having our backs to it!"

Jircniv understood immediately.

"Yes... Those who want to end the Spirit Tracks would have no qualms about endangering the tower under any circumstances. Even in the face of an overwhelming defensive."

"And I know just the thing," Bellriver said, "When Offspring is pushed to its limit, it can create some truly frightening creatures."

"We'll set things up tomorrow," Momonga said, "May providence see our plans fulfilled."

Chapter Text

George sighed as he stood outside the throne room, drowning out the babbling of the nobles and the royal family.

"Annoyed?," Starlight said as she walked out.

"I'm surprised you decided to leave," George noted.

Starlight just smiled.

"It is my right as a princess. Besides, I've heard the same arguments and drivel from the noble faction for years. You've heard it once you've heard it a thousand times."

"I've always hated politics," George said, "Ever since me and Dad had to deal with vampires in Korea back in the 50s. The vampires didn't even need to do much to create that war, just apply a match to a powder keg."

"And of course Boullope refuses to listen to Gazef simply because he's of common birth," Starlight said, shaking her head, "He just can't get his head out of his rear."

They had heard about the trip Jircniv had made to Nazarick. Two in fact, one in secret to discuss their plans, and the second to instill a sense of dread in potential double agents. Of course, George's friends knew what was going on behind the scenes. Not that George liked this sort of dabbling.

"None of the Joestar clan before me has ever had to deal with politics like this. Well... That's not entirely true. An ancestor of ours once did."

"How do you mean?," Starlight asked.

"It all goes back to the legend of how our family got our star-shaped birthmark," George noted, pulling back his collar to reveal his own birthmark, "It almost looks unnaturally perfect, yes? According to an old account from Medieval times in my world, this first appeared on the neck of our clan's first patriarch, Joffrey Joestar, while he was on trial for accusations of heresy. This birthmark appeared on his neck just before the verdict could be given, in front of dozens of witnesses including one king, and was taken as a sign that God believed in him. He was thus pronounced not guilty."

He smiled.

"When his firstborn son also bore the same birthmark, it was clear that God favored the Joestar family, and any who shared their blood. Some even claimed that the only thing that could defeat a Joestar was another Joestar. We also share a bond with each other, to the point where we can sense each other's location at any given time. This has also been made rumor, but I've seen the proof that it is true. Right now, I could tell you more or less where each of my family members is, from my Uncle Giorno who's having lunch with friends somewhere in Florence, Italy, right down to Holly who's in the kitchen in the lower basement."

Starlight looked shocked.

"I hope she's not bothering the cooks."

"I wouldn't worry," George said, "My nephew Jotaro always said his favorite food was Holly's cooking. And she really is a good cook. After forty-some odd years of living in Japan, she's mastered the art of Japanese cooking better than some of the local chefs."

Just then, Raeven burst out of the throne room, looking very irate. George couldn't help but wonder how bad the talks had gone that one of the nobles would storm out of the proceedings.

"Something the matter, Marquis Raeven?," Starlight asked.

"Off-hand I'd say he hates politics as much as we do," George noted.

Raeven sighed.

"You're not wrong."

He invited the two of him to his inner chambers.

"The entire noble faction was focused more on each other's throats than the empire. It's been a problem for a long time now, even before the Spirit Tracks started disappearing. Our capital's natural defenses have made us feel as safe as a turtle in its shell, and as such we've grown complacent. It's also why Baharuth has chosen a war of attrition rather than a drawn-out siege. We have the defenses to survive the latter, but Baharuth has the resources to win the former."

He leaned back.

"And while the king takes care of his people, he lacks the guts to do anything about the nobility. It would be better if he would just disinherit Barbro and have Zanac inherit the throne instead."

"I wouldn't worry about that," Starlight assured him, "If things go the way we predict, Barbro will no longer be an issue. After all, I know you also have your suspicions about his involvement."

Raeven nodded.

"Yes... So that's what this is all about. This might change things for the better. If we remove the negative stigmas from the kingdom, it could return us to our glory days."

The idea behind the war was that Nazarick, which was calling itself the Sorcerer Kingdom, was claiming to be an old kingdom that existed prior to Re-Estize. While the Ancient One confirmed the tomb was indeed the last remnant of such a kingdom, it was agreed that the nobility would never accept this as fact, nor would they acknowledge Nazarick's claim on E-Rantel, which they said was once within their borders. George was walking through the barracks, observing a conversation between Gazef, Climb, and Brain, when he sensed a presence near him. Summoning Tusk in Act 4, he spun around, Tusk's fist stopping just short of a young man dressed in a business suit.

George quickly recognized him as the individual he had knocked aside during the demon attack.

"Thanks for not hitting me again," the man said, "I'm one of Momonga's team, Ulbert Alain Odle. There's something I think you should be made aware of."

His Stand, the humanoid goat dressed in a business suit, appeared.

"When you knocked aside my Stand, called My Band, it activated its curse. Now in your case, what with your own Stand and the mental training you built up from learning Hamon, the effects are minimal at best. But to most who attack my Stand, its curse leads them to believe that they are a superior fighter."

"That explains my sudden bouts of aggression," George realized, "So how do I stop it? Because sooner or later those feelings will build up to the point I can no longer control them."

"It's simple," Ulbert replied, "You need to beat my Stand a second time. Those who can't suffer from severe depression at how useless their perceived strength was, but those that do will be released with a newfound feeling of humility. And your Stand is much stronger than mine at full power, so it shouldn't be a problem. Don't expect me to go easy, however."

"Fair enough," George said, "So, shall we arrange a fight during the upcoming war? That would make it more convenient, and no one would ask questions."

Ulbert nodded.

"Sounds like a good idea."

They talked for a bit before Ulbert teleported out. Hekkeran spotted the exchange.

"So what was that about?"

"That was one of Momonga's faction," George said, "As we were told, he was the one behind my recent increase in aggression, which is actually caused by suppressing his real power. What of the tracks' expansion?"

"We increased the tracks by transporting some iron and wood between stations," Hekkeran reported, "As well as getting a craftsman to the lizardman territories so they could build better defenses. Speaking of that, I'm told Baharuth will be using the tower station as its backdrop."

George nodded.

"It's the only way to identify the ones who oppose the Spirit Tracks."

"Ah, that's right," Hekkeran said, "There's one more thing. Barbro... He's been asked to investigate Carne Village to see if they have information on Momonga."

George narrowed his eyes and clenched his fist in anger, knowing what Barbro would really be trying to do.

Chapter Text

Barbro lead a small force of two-thousand soldiers toward Carne Village. The place was important, both to Momonga's faction and George's faction.

'To the best of my knowledge the two seem to be at odds. While they have worked together before, it was largely against a foe that happened to sleight both of them. But Joestar was definitely attacking some of Momonga's faction back during the assault of Re-Estize. Reports from our agents embedded in Baharuth came back with reports of monsters in the tomb, but that can't be the case. I know Momonga and his allies are Stand users. Likely one of them created the monsters via his or her Stand.'

"Your Majesty," came the voice of Cheneko, Barbro's aid, "What are your plans in regards to the village?"

Barbro considered it.

"Ostensibly we are to make inquires about Momonga and his followers. But... I think we can do far more than that. I need to improve my standing among my siblings. Zanac, Starlight, and Renner are working together to insure Zanac supplants me as heir to the throne, after all, at which point the three would work together to run the kingdom their way."

He grinned.

"We could hold the village hostage and force Momonga out of the confrontation. Or better yet... Conscript the villagers and have them fight against their so-called savior."

"You intend to have Baharuth sever ties with Momonga somehow," Cheneko realized.

"Indeed," Barbro said, "He may not actually be the all-powerful sorcerer some of our lesser members believe him to be, but his Stand does grant him extensive elemental manipulation. Enough to threaten our forces."

He didn't notice the dark shape dashing away from them and towards the village. It was Lupisregina, who had been tasked with protecting and watching the village.

'I'd better inform everyone about this.'

Communication between the two groups was being done via viewing mirror.

"I see," Momonga said, "So Barbro is going against his father's instructions and seizing personal glory."

'That means Barbro might be involved with the conspiracy,' George noted, 'Starlight, has he ever shown his Stand before?'

'Not once,' Starlight replied, 'We know he has one, since he can see Stands. And he can radiate Stand energy, so it's not like the Stand is dormant.'

"Regardless," Momonga said, "He will soon find himself in over his head. Carne Village is better protected than he realizes."

Sure enough, Barbro started running out of patience quickly. The village gates didn't seem to want to open at first. He had his forces launch a fire attack on a nearby guard tower, only to get surprised when something caused a great volume of water to douse the flames. He didn't see it, but it had been Nfirea using Majin Gattai to create a small tidal wave. With the women and children relocated to safety, Nfirea and Enri looked at each other.

"You get going," Nfirea said, "You'll need room to use it."

Enri nodded. She had finally learned enough about her own Stand to fully awaken it. It had taken the simple form of a small horn carved from animal bone. The gates opened, and the soldiers that attempted to enter were shocked when they got attacked by ogres.

"What in blazes!?," Barbro said in shock.

He looked and saw five ogres decimating his foot soldiers.

"The village has ogres?," his commander said in surprise.

"The village chief must have a Stand that lets them command such beasts," Barbro guessed, "Rather surprising, but nothing insurmountable."

His men broke down the gate with a battering ram, only to find resistance in the form of the goblin troop, as well as Nfirea.

"It's not just ogres!," Cheneko realized, "They've somehow also conscripted goblins!"

"And they're better trained than one would expect," the commander noted, "Plus that boy there. He seems to be a powerful sorcerer."

"At such a young age?," Barbro questioned, "I smell a Stand at work here. So the village has more than one. Make sure to trample all in the village, and send forces around back, just in case someone has tried to flee."

A small force of horsemen circled around back, but a few moments later the clear sound of a horn could be heard sounding through the air.

"They called for reinforcements?," Cheneko asked, "But where would they even come from?"

He soon got his answer as soldiers came running from behind the corner of the wall, pursued by several thousand goblin soldiers. Enri walked up to the top of a nearby hill, accompanied by several more goblins.

"Hear me, you foolish prince! You desired to turn us against our saviors in forced conscription, when your father declared we were exempt from such action for another five years! This act of treason will be duly punished by me and Stand! So go forth, my Seven Nation Army!"

Barbro looked on in astonishment. Already the goblin and human defenders they had been fighting were being patched up by what looked like a medical team. There was a single goblin next to Enri that looked to be some sort of strategist, several more just in front of her that might have been a rear echelon unit.

"Sir, this army is massive," the commander said, "We should retreat immediately."

"We can't," Barbro said, "If they turn this army against the capital there's no way our forces would stand a chance."

Momonga observed as Barbro's forces made their feeble attempts to attack the goblin army.

"Heavy infantry units, paladin-knight units, beast rider units, longbowmen, magic support units, magic bombardment units, an entire drumline for marching. Even assassins and some red caps for guardians. So this is the full power of Enri's Stand. It truly is spectacular. Through her Stand alone, she is in charge of what may be one of the strongest armies in the entire alter verse. Seven Nation Army certainly seems like an appropriate name for it."

"There must be at least five-thousand of them," Punitto noted, "And it looks they're letting Barbro go."

"I'd hate to let him live after confirming he's one of our primary enemies," Momonga said, "But we still don't know his position within the faction he's a part of. Still, we can sort out the other forces that surrendered. In the meantime, I believe it is our turn. Make sure to maintain the illusions, Punitto. We are here to put on a show, after all. Jircniv says it will be most effective if it is both flashy and intimidating."

Punitto grinned.

"I think I can manage that."

Chapter Text

It was the day after the attack at Carne Village. Boullope had received word through the communication device on his Stand that Barbro had escaped, but was now likely wanted in connection to the conspiracy.

'Damn. We may need to modify our plans at this point. It shouldn't be too hard to arrange an assassination of the other royal family members and have Barbro take the throne that way. But first we have a war to fight.'

He had read the report from those that had been invited into the tomb. The monstrous beings sounded like what he knew of Momonga's Stand and those of his allies. But such monsters did exist so it was hard to gauge.

Elsewhere on the battlefield George was looking through the telescope provided to him.

"There's Ulbert," he noted, "And it seems His Eminence saw fit to send three of his imperial knights."

"Each of them is know to a be a Stand user," Starlight noted, "But it's still sixteen of us versus sixteen of them. An even split number."

"Even more if we consider Gazef and his three friends," Gyro noted, "My major concern is that I see Bellriver and Punitto near the back. It's clearly Punitto's Stand causing everyone to think Nazarick is ruled by monsters. The question is, what illusions will he conjure next, and how does Bellriver tie into that?"

As part of the plan, George and his team had been informed of everything Momonga's faction was capable of. Just then the gates of the Baharuth camp opened, and out from them walked a number of skeletal soldiers.

"Death Knights!," Starlight realized.

"They must be servants of the tomb," Zesshi noted, "There's so many of them."

"The insignia on their standards matches the tapestry we got from the mausoleum," Hekkeran noted, "Must be the symbol of the kingdom Nazarick once was."

"So what's the plan?," Holly asked, "How do we intend to expose Barbro's co-conspirators?"

George pointed to Down at the Station, which was directly behind the Baharuth camp.

"That's how," he explained, "Only someone trying to disrupt the Spirit Tracks would attack near it so recklessly."

He then pointed to Boullope's unit.

"See how they're the only one's readying to march without hesitation? They're all under Boullope's command, and he's knowingly telling them to march on a sacred landmark."

Holly nodded.

"Gotcha. But I don't think I see anyone else so determined. The other units and their commanders seem hesitant."

"There's going to be a major show of power from Momonga's faction as well," Lakyus chimed in, "Meant to be so overwhelming the Stand user behind the demon train will be forced to activate it to save themselves."

"And with Punitto's mist it'll be visible to all," George noted, "Even non-Stand users."

He chuckled.

"Wouldn't it be interesting if it was Boullope who was the Stand user we're looking for?"

Just then, a series of magic circles appeared around Undead.

"Hold on," Gazef said, "Momonga's Stand can't work like that!"

"It must be Punitto's work," George realized, "He's using Welcome to the Masquerade to give the illusion of a powerful magic caster. Likely this is tied to Bellriver using Offspring to summon something terrible."

"I really hope he's not into the SCP wiki," Gyro noted.

"Oh God, don't even joke," George said with some nervous laughter.

The others looked confused but figured the friends were talking about something really bad.

On the other side of the field, Momonga noticed most of the Re-Estize army was retreating, while Boullope's unit was advancing.

"He must suspect trickery via Stand power. Nimble, how many would you say are in his unit?"

Nimble looked at the advancing force.

"I'd estimate it to be around seventy-thousand. Most of them conscripted soldiers."

"Boullope will be our primary suspect," Momonga said, "Bellriver, make sure to summon something terrifying, but not insurmountable."

Bellriver nodded.

"I think I can come up with something. I'll be sure to drop it right next to Boullope's forces. Offspring!"

A massive amount of the dark smoke erupted from Offspring, invisible thanks to Welcome to the Masquerade. To all watching, it appeared as though a sudden dark sphere appeared in midair in front of Boullope's unit, before dropping to the ground and erupting. The result was the creation of five giant goat-like creatures, pitch black and bulky with sharply curved horns. The five creatures charged through Boullope's unit, mowing down close to ten-thousand on their first charge. One got too close to the rest of the army, trampling a few thousand before falling to the soldiers' spears, only to have it replaced from the same dark pit.

"I think that should do it," Momonga noted, "Nimble, have the Baharuth soldiers skirt the perimeter. That should keep them out of harm's way."

Nimble nodded.

"Looks like George's team is moving in," Ulbert noticed, "Now's the time for our promised battle."

The battle at that point was pure chaos. The beasts killed thousands in their rampage, and though easily killed they were always respawned. Easier to handle were the Death Knights and Baharuth soldiers as they clashed with the Re-Estize forces, and many Death Knights were destroyed by the hands of the various Stand users. Gazef ran across the field before stopping at the sight of Baziwood.

"Looks like I finally get a wish of mine," Baziwood said, "I've always wanted to see how my skill matches up with yours. We have a lot in common after all."

Gazef smiled as he closed his eyes.

"Indeed. I only wish the government of my country had the wisdom yours does."

He dismounted. His Stand was already active, as a symbol to his country.

"I've heard of the power your Stand gives you," Baziwood noted, "But I'll think you'll be surprised when you see the power my Stand has. One Jump Ahead!"

Baziwood's normal armor was recolored in a brilliant blue hue.

"One Jump Ahead let's me match the skills of my opponent," he explained, "Whether it be Stand power, Martial Arts, magical ability, probably even that Hamon George and Gyro are using."

He readied his sword.

"Of course, it's not perfect. All the actual fighting comes down to me, and no one knows their skills better than themselves. So there's always the chance I could lose. But that's just the way I like it."

Gazef laughed.

"If that's how you feel, then let's make this a battle for the ages. Dawn of Battle!"

The two warriors raced at each other and clashed swords.

They weren't the only ones engaging. Leinas had frozen an entire battalion with the power of her own Stand, Mystic Eyes. Just then, she saw someone racing through the crowd on horseback. It was Brain, not wanting to be left out of the confrontation. Leinas scoffed.

"Mystic Eyes!"

"Hybrid Theory!"

Brain's various Martial Arts activated at once, the added boosts letting him resist Mystic Eyes and its paralyzing gaze. Leinas smirked.

"I had thought you just another soldier. But there's something special about you. Almost makes me wish I didn't have a fiance."

"That is a shame," Brain admitted, "A woman like you is definitely one in a million."

He readied his sword.

"I've already proven my improved sword skills can keep up with vampires. Now to test it against someone I have a chance at actually beating."

Leinas smiled as she drew her sword.

"Very well. I accept your challenge."

Ulbert heard the sound of hoof beats and turned to see George racing in on Slow Dancer.

"It's time then. My Band!"

George leapt off his horse as he made to counter the sudden attack.

"Tusk, Act 4!"

Fist met fist, perfectly equal in strength.

"You weren't kidding about your Stand's real power," George said, "But here's the thing about us Joestars. The more you try to beat us down, the stronger we become!"

He proved his point as Tusk started to overpower My Band's punch, successfully overpowering it and nailing it right in the cheek.

"Don't let up!," George called out, "Let's follow through!"

For a moment, Ulbert thought he was seeing things. Right behind George was the transparent images of a British nobleman from the 1800s, and a British soldier dressed like he was ready for World War I.

'He is George Joestar III. Could these be the first two George Joestars? Was he reincarnated from his own grandfather and great-great grandfather?'

He knew all about the Joestar family history from DIO. But he had little time to contemplate this as George followed through on his attack.

"ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA!"

Ulbert fell unconscious as his body went flying. As he mentioned, George felt all the aggression that had been building up flow out of him, like steam wafting off a boiling pot. He noted that it was easier to maintain his Hamon breathing, making it stronger than ever. Looking toward the spawning pit for Offspring's creatures, he narrowed his eyes.

"Gyro!"

Gyro hurried over on Valkyrie.

"Did you beat him?"

"Yeah," George said, "But I think it's time we deal with that. And we'll need to do it together."

Seeing George's smile, Gyro smiled right back.

"Good to have you back to normal."

George hopped back on Slow Dancer and he rode alongside his friend. As they neared the spawning pit, it suddenly grew into a more grotesque monster than the giant goats. It was a mass of mouths on four legs, large tentacles growing out of its top.

"I wonder if Bellriver ever had counseling," George noted, "Because he can think up some disturbing nightmares."

As they rode in, Hekkeran picked them up in his train. Imina, Roberdyck, and Arche were at the controls of their own Stands.

"Alright Foresight, let's wear this thing down. Ticket to Ride!"

"Love Train!"

"Peace Train!"

"Crazy Train!"

The monster found itself bombarded by explosions, flames, and axe strikes as all the weapons of the legendary train attacked it. The front end opened up as George and Gyro shot out, charging their horses and Stands with Hamon.

"Tusk, Act 1!"

"Ball Breaker!"

They then called out as one, "Complete! Railgun Overdrive!"

The giant beast was pierced through its center of mass with the two attacks, which provided enough force to hit its damage threshold, causing it to dissipate.

Boullope looked on as the creature fell.

"Those fools have allowed me to maintain my cover."

His relief was short-lived, as at that moment one of the goat creatures came stampeding toward him.

Unable to outrun it, he wound up calling out, "Midnight Train!"

Everyone looked shocked as the large demon train of rumor suddenly appeared from his location. He had been the only one still alive, leaving no doubt he was the Stand user.

'Damn... I spoke too soon. Now everyone knows...'

He quickly rode away from the field before contacting Barbro.

'What happened?,' Barbro asked.

"We got sloppy," Boullope said, "We've been exposed and we need to retreat. I'll head for your location to pick you up. We need to alter our plans."

He sighed as he rushed off.

Things settled in gradually over the next few days. With the exposure of the now-named Unity Faction, the nations of Slane, Re-Estize, and Baharuth entered into an alliance. Barbro was seen joining Boullope, and was thus disinherited, with Zanac being made crown prince in his stead.

"Both sides took some loses," he noted, "Though only among the soldiers. The three imperial knights, all of Momonga's and George's faction, Gazef, Brain, and Climb, have all survived. As have the nobility present on the battlefield."

"Looks like we're finally in the position we want," Renner noted, "We had all agreed that once you were made heir to the throne the three of us would work together to restore the kingdom to its former glory."

Zanac nodded.

"And I intend to keep to that."

"That only leaves the matter of where Barbro fled to," Starlight noted, "We've confirmed several people suddenly leaving the three nations. Several that were intercepted were confirmed to be agents of the Unity Faction, Barbro's little conspiracy. They said they were trying to reach their leaders."

"There's only one place they can go right now," Renner pointed out.

Aboard Midnight Train, Boullope looked at Barbro.

"So, where shall we go, Your Majesty?"

"There's only one place we can go," Barbro noted, "If we count Zesshi from the Black Scripture as a sign that Slane has thrown in its lot with our enemies, then only one of the four main nations is still unaware of our actions. The Roble Holy Kingdom. Our agents have already incited a war there, so I think it's about time we participate."

He looked down.

"I will take the throne I rightly deserve, even if I have to turn usurper to do so. Mark my words, George Joestar III, this is not over..."

Chapter Text

"This is the nation of Roble," Hekkeran noted, "It's just down the mountain there, to the south of the temple."

"The people of the Holy Kingdom see this mountain as the place where God descended onto the world," Starlight noted.

"Seems in both realms there are a number of religions," George noted.

"There's something we need to discuss," Starlight said, "Agents embedded in the Holy Kingdom have reported that they've been embroiled in a serious war against several beastmen villages that have suddenly taken to rebellion. Plenty of high-ranking paladins have already been slain."

"That was part of Barbro's plan," Tolkien explained, "The only paladin left should be a woman named Remedios Custodio, a strong but stupid woman who decries Stand power as only being meant for weaklings who can't obtain power any other way. If a few Stand users could end a war where she can't..."

"As in, from the Mountain Temple," Hekkeran realized.

"Or our own forces," Starlight said, "We could turn Barbro's plan against him, and have Roble join the other three nations. Let's hope the Stand users stationed at the temple are still there."

The interior of the temple showed the mountain was actually a dormant volcano, with a number of mine tracks dotting it. As they began to explore, water started to rush into the temple.

"I was hoping to be able to leave my post early," said a haughty voice, as a rather old man with dark skin and a white beard appeared from the doorway.

"So you're part of the Unity Faction?," George asked.

"I was told we'd been discovered by all but Roble," the man replied, "Indeed. My name is Rothfuss, and you are all now trapped in my Drowning Pool."

He laughed.

"This wall of water can be collapsed upon you at any time, but that's really no fun at all. Allow me to show you how easily I can control it."

Sure enough, the group found themselves having to dodge spikes of water. Starlight then noticed that drops were winding up on the floor.

"It's still just water in the end. Which means it can probably be effected by normal physics. Dove and Grenade!"

She shot flames from her hands as her Stand glowed from her back.

"Using fire to combat water?," Rothfuss asked, chuckling, "How idiotic!"

"Not really," Starlight said, "True, water can douse fire, but I don't mean to have these flames touch the water. Do you know what happens when water is exposed to heat?"

Rothfuss gasped as he realized Drowning Pool was starting to boil, and he in turn was starting to feel hotter than normal.

"Of course," Zaryusu realized, "We can attack it using elemental power. Cold Wind Blows!"

He shot a stream of ice at the wall, freezing it in place and causing Rothfuss to shiver. George and Gyro looked at each other and grinned.

"Evileye," George said, "Stand back a second. We're about to unleash our Hamon, and it's better you not get caught in the crossfire."

"Got it," Evileye replied.

Her Stand might allow her to survive in the sun, but she wasn't confidant it could protect her from Hamon. The two friends launched their Hamon into the water offensively, the effect transferring to Rothfuss. His eyes rolled back as he felt his heart give out, causing the water wall to collapse harmlessly instead of crushing them. Gyro checked the man's pulse.

"The Hamon overwhelmed his heart. He's dead."

"Guess we can move on then," George said, "We'll likely have to kill each enemy Stand user in this temple."

The winding rooms lead up to a second floor, but the group knew there was also a basement. However, Hekkeran noticed there was something up with the ceiling.

"Uh, guys. This temple is largely made of stone, right?"

"Yes," Zesshi said, "Why?"

"Because I'm pretty sure stone can't get rusted," Hekkeran said as he pointed up.

Sure enough, the entire ceiling was covered in rust.

"Very perceptive," a voice said.

A young man emerged from the rust, dressed in cloth.

"You may call me Pratchett," the man said.

He held out his arm, and the rust on the ceiling shifted into a coil around it. The ceiling looked perfectly fine.

"My Stand is Crimson Rain," Pratchett explained, "Although its appearance is that of rust, its composition is closer to liquid metal. A paradoxical existence. This allows me to use it as both a weapon, a transport, and even a hiding place. Ironically it cannot wear down any material, not even metal."

He launched the rust Stand at Zesshi, who was barely able to block. Though her scythe was unharmed despite taking the brunt of the attack.

"As you see," Pratchett said.

"Bass Renaissance!"

Tolkien fired her sonic cannon, causing Pratchett to react.

"Crimson Rain!"

The rust blob erected itself as a shield, keeping him safe from the attack. Evileye took off her mask.

"Blood Stare!"

Pratchett winced as the high-pressure liquid fired from Evileye's eyes pierced his Stand, hitting him in the shoulder. This dropped his guard long enough Gagaran to leap over the shield and bring her hammer down. Pratchett quickly got out of the way, but he was too busy restructuring Crimson Rain to counterattack that he didn't see Tolkien fire a second blast, catching him in the chest and sending him flying back into the wall. Gyro approached him, Stand at the ready in case he was playing dead. As it turned out, he didn't need to worry.

"His head cracked open against the temple wall," Gyro noted.

"Mom," Zesshi said, "As much as I appreciate that you still love me, I'm too old and too strong for you to pull the old Mama Bear routine."

Tolkien chuckled nervously.

"Sorry. I got carried away there."

George chuckled.

"Hey, at the end of the day protecting each other is what's keeping us going. Now from here we should be able to get into the basement. Let's hurry before the remaining agents decide to vacate."

Starlight smiled. It was good to see George so cheerful again.

The basement area was filled with more mine tracks that zigzagged through the area. But what was more concerning was the hundreds of pieces of paper that seemed to fly through the air.

"I never truly thought this place would be targeted," said a middle-aged man in the corner, "We were all scouted by those two, brought in from each nation. Ah, my name is Abercrombie by way."

"What's with all the paper?," Shasryu asked.

Abercrombie grinned.

"Allow me to show you. Notes from the Underground!"

George got a bad feeling as the paper started speeding up.

"Hamon Hair Attack!"

He threw up his Hamon barrier, causing the paper to slam against it.

"It's not crumpling," he realized, "He's turned the pages as hard as steel."

"And Notes from the Underground can produce an endless supply of pages," Abercrombie bragged.

Shasryu armed his Stand.

"Let's see how well they burn. Saint Elmo's Fire!"

Sure enough, even when turned hard as steel the paper burned easily.

"Blast," Abercrombie said, "My Stand's biggest weakness."

He then threw up a few pages as shields when he saw the weapons from Call of Justice attack.

"They aren't nearly as susceptible to cutting, thankfully."

He then notice a whirlpool forming up around him, courtesy of Starlight.

"They're also quite waterproof, Princess."

"Oh, I suspected as much," Starlight retorted, "But I betting you aren't."

Abercrombie gasped as the water shot up and engulfed him.

"Let's not leave him to drown," Starlight said to Lakyus, who nodded with a grin.

"Call of Justice!"

Abercrombie soon found himself impaled against the temple wall.

"So," Gagaran said, "How much further down do we have to go?"

"I think it's three more levels," Gyro replied, "At least that's the impression I got from the floor plans in the old library."

Deeper into the temple, Gyro stopped for a moment.

"Do you guys hear that?"

The group listened.

"Sounds like electricity," Tia realized.

"Maybe we're near an alchemist's lab," Tina suggested.

"In the middle of the temple?," Gagaran asked.

"It's been month since the Unity Faction got stationed out here," Zaryusu noted, "They probably got bored."

Inside a large room filled with mine tracks, an old man was sending electric currents through the metal. Behind him was what looked like a humanoid made from brass.

"So who are you?," Gyro asked.

The man turned to look at them.

"My name is Weis Hickman. A master alchemist who was given a greater purpose when my Stand was recognized."

"Which I'm guessing is the robot looking thing behind you," Holly noted.

"I'm not sure what you mean by robot," Hickman said, "But if you're referring to the metal man form my Stand takes, then yes."

He raised his hand.

"Allow me to show you. Twisted Transistor!"

Starlight acted quickly, placing her hand on the floor.

"Dove and Grenade!"

A giant tree with twisting branches grew, catching the electrical output. The sheer power broke through the branches but the discharge was otherwise insulated.

"What?," Hickman said in shock, "I wasn't told there would be other Stand users seeking to infiltrate the temple."

"Where do you think we're from?," Lakyus asked.

"I assumed you were from Roble," Hickman explained, "To the best of my knowledge there are no Stand users there. But I confess I have been a hermit for many years, so I don't know the current state of the world."

Lakyus grinned.

"Easily distracted, aren't you?"

Hickman looked confused, until he felt an impact against his back, and extreme pain. He looked behind him to see Gyro, with Ball Breaker's fist against Hickman's back.

"Ball Breaker ages whatever its spheres hit," Gyro said, "And you're pretty old already. I normally don't use my power on humans, but there are times when I make exceptions. And anyone connected to Barbro and his wicked schemes is an exception."

Hickman was soon dissolved to nothing due to the aging process, allowing the team to move on.

In the deepest part of the temple, George and Gyro stopped, causing the group to pause.

"You feel that?," George said, "There's a life force here."

Gyro nodded.

"Yeah. But it's elusive, like it's trying to stay hidden."

"An assassin?," Lakyus asked.

"Maybe," Gyro suggested, "Let's set up a little trap."

He and George went through a Hamon breathing technique before stomping on the ground.

"Sendo Hamon Overdrive!"

They struck both sides of the doorway they were near, launching Hamon through the walls of the temple. At one point it hit something, causing a pained scream before a garbed man dropped into sight and on the ground.

"How did you pull that off?," the man asked, "My Blade With No Name should have rendered me untraceable against all senses."

"I'm assuming that's your Stand's name," George said.

The man held up a short sword with an ornate hilt.

"I am the assassin Sanderson. So what manner of supernatural power did you use? Because that is the only way you could have detected me while my Stand is active. It only works against physical senses."

"We felt you out using your own life force," George explained, "It's something only so many people are innately born with, so your Stand wouldn't be attuned to it."

"I see," Sanderson said, "In that case... I'll have to rely on my natural speed."

He seemed to disappear for a second. George got a bad feeling.

"Tusk, Act 3!"

He breathed deep for a moment, before moving the bullet hole from his nail right onto Starlight's body, just as Sanderson tried stabbing her with his blade. His eyes widened as he wound up stabbing nothing but air. This lapse in concentration cost him, as he got nailed by Gagaran's hammer. He recovered and narrowed his eyes.

"Blade With No Name!"

"Indestructible!"

Gagaran stood still and smirked when the blade got deflected by her Stand. Sanderson then gasped as Tiana appeared, Tina having activated her Stand, and stabbed him right through the lung.

"How ironic," Tiana said, "Your Stand let's you hide from the senses of others, yet you yourself fell victim to an unseen foe."

Sanderson started losing consciousness as the group reached the center of the temple, his life giving out within seconds.

Chapter Text

The group found the magic well in the temple deep inside a pool of magma.

"I think we've reached the heart of the volcano," George said, "It's not as hot as I would have expected. Normally our bodies would be boiling due to convection."

"Even with the magic well sealed," Starlight said, "Enough energy is seeping through to keep the heat at bay. Otherwise it would be impossible or even unnecessary to station anyone here to keep the well sealed. Barbro could simply keep his guardian under heavy guard where no one could threaten their lives."

"A real shame that," came a gruff voice.

From a nearby cave an elderly dwarf appeared.

"It's as if the mountain doesn't realize it's been beaten."

"You're the guardian then?," Gyro asked.

"My name is Cragma," the dwarf replied, "I was part of the mining corps in my home kingdom. But I was banished for the treasonous act of leading an expedition to mine the precious minerals of this mountain. We dwarves should not let something like sanctity get in the way of our progress. But the chieftain said demi-humans are getting enough flak with the elves making war on Slane, or the ongoing conflict between the bafolk and Roble."

Holly then realized something.

"The tracks throughout the temple. They're your doing, aren't they?"

"Indeed, Missy," Cragma replied, "This is the power offered by my Stand. Deep Tracks!"

Various mine tracks and carts appeared as if from nowhere, twisting around the chamber. The group braced themselves as the tracks approached, but they swerved out of the way long before they would have impacted.

"No need to worry about the tracks damaging you," Cragma assured them, "They can't impact anything that's not made from things like stone or iron. Deep Tracks is primarily a mining Stand, you see."

The tracks plunged into the sides of the chamber, the carts coming out with piles of ore.

"Of course, once it collects sufficient ore," Cragma said ominously, "That's when it can be used to attack."

He raised his hands, and the ore from the carts collected to create a rock giant floating in the magma. He leapt onto one of the mine carts to ride it up the golem's head as it tried to punch the group.

"Chumbawamba!"

Holly summoned her vines and managed to tangle the golem's arm, preventing its attack from nailing the group.

"Dove and Grenade!"

Starlight caused wood to sprout from the golem's arm, causing it to come apart. She smirked.

"Wood parts earth."

The group then noticed the arm was floating, even without Holly's vines.

"The ore didn't hit the ground yet," Cragma noted, "It's still under my Stand's control."

He motioned with his arms, and the arm started to reattach, only to get slammed by several arrows. Cragma looked in the direction they came from to see Imina with her bow drawn.

"We can't bring our Stands underground," she noted, "But our normal skills can still help. Those arrows are designed to inflict blunt damage instead of piercing damage, perfect for dealing with rock creatures."

Cragma then heard an electric sound, and noticed George and Gyro using their Hamon to slide along the tracks. Grunting, he motioned to have the tracks veer off, but the duo kept leaping from track to track.

"Change the course however you want!," Gyro said, "But we can feel when that happens thanks to the life force imbued within your Stand!"

"Attack them!," Cragma called out to his golem.

The golem reached to grab the duo, but George was ready for it.

"Tusk, Act 1!"

A few quick shots pierced through the golem's hand, causing it to recoil. Cragma wound up flying off the golem's head, but luckily he fell onto one of his own mine carts. Unfortunately, he found himself heading right for George. Cragma went for his battle axe, determined to keep fighting one way or another.

"I've been entrusted to guard this well in exchange for being allowed to the mine the mountain to my heart's content. I won't give up my claim."

"A nice sentiment," George said, "But sacred mountain or not, too much mining could cause the magma to erupt from the volcano and destroy Roble."

He used his Hamon to block a strike from the battle axe.

"This is the end, Cragma! Tusk, Act 4!"

"ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA!"

Cragma was beaten down and flew off the mine cart, ultimately landing right in the magma. The group averted their eyes, grateful the dwarf was too damaged from the assault to scream in pain. The two friends leapt down to the safety of the bedrock with the others as the tracks started to disappear.

"Killing's never pretty," Gyro said, "But sometimes it can be uglier than normal."

"I'm glad it's not the sort of thing we get used to," George noted, "No matter how many times it becomes necessary."

Ulbert and Demiurge spotted the energy that signaled the release of the magic well in the Mountain Temple.

"That neutralizes the Stand users stationed in the temple," Demiurge noted, "Paving the way for you and the other masters to take their place, and legitimately rescue the Holy Kingdom."

"Indeed," Ulbert said, "And the key to getting our foot in the door lies in my Stand."

Demiurge looked to the bafolk camp and narrowed his eyes beneath his glasses.

"I feel the presence of one of my race. Not very powerful, but certainly charismatic. No doubt the Unity Faction's agent who convinced the bafolk to start this war."

"Then either he or his immediate subordinate will be our target," Ulbert noted, "Once we've sequestered ourselves within the Holy Kingdom, we can begin our plans to have our friends be called upon to rescue the kingdom. But first we must gain their trust. An easy enough task, as anyone both prejudiced against Stand users and smart enough to move against them has already been killed by now. The only member of the kingdom still having such prejudice is too stupid to do anything but be blunt regarding her feelings."

The duo continued walking, ready for the next stage of their plan.

Chapter Text

Ulbert dragged himself to the gates of the Holy Kingdom. He had just been in a fight with Buser, leader of the bafolk. Realizing the horned demon Yaldabaoth was the one calling the shots, Ulbert had decided to focus My Band's power on Buser to drive a wedge in the alliance between the demon and the bafolk. Of course, he had nearly paid for it in the process.

'Didn't expect Buser to be so strong. If not for my Stand's natural durability I'd be dead right now.'

As he started to fade out of consciousness, he saw a beautiful blonde-haired woman kneel over him, her face full of concern.

Ulbert opened his eyes to the sound of voices. Both of them female. He noted he was in a well-furnished room, and had been sleeping in a four-post bed. He was also half-dressed, only his pants still being worn. Finding the rest of his suit nearby, he slipped it on and looked out the nearby window. An entire cityscape was just outside.

'The capital of Roble no doubt. Which means I must be in the palace.'

He decided to follow the sound of the voices and realized they were right outside the door of the room he was in.

"I'm telling you," said a deeper, female voice, "No normal human could have survived a fight with Buser. He's no soldier or spellcaster, so he has to be a Stand user."

"And what of it?," said the other voice, also female but higher-pitched.

It almost sounded like bells to Ulbert, and he found himself blushing at the sound. The younger woman continued.

"Your paladin forces have been nearly useless in protecting the city, Remedios. If not for reports that Yaldabaoth had been engaged by a rival demon during the last attack..."

There was a pause.

"I'm sorry, Calca," the woman identified as Remedios said, "I know it was a near thing, and it's possible you might have lost your life. Your brother is worried about you out on the front lines, you know."

'So the younger woman is Calca Bessarez, the Holy Queen,' Ulbert noted, 'Tolkien noted a member of the Unity Faction named Caspond Bessarez. A relative perhaps, and someone who helped facilitate this war. Looks like Yaldabaoth was intending to do something that would result in Calca's death, but Demiurge attacking him prevented that.'

"Anyway," Calca continued, "We need stronger forces to deal with the bafolk. We must hold them back until Yaldabaoth can be defeated, at which point they may start to listen to reason."

She opened the door, causing Ulbert to take a step back.

"And this man might just be able to help us find--," Calca started before she caught sight of Ulbert right inside the door.

Ulbert also caught sight of Calca, and was practically stunned by her beauty. Calca in turn, seemed to pause at Ulbert's handsome face. Remedios looked at the two of them and sighed.

"Maybe I should leave you two alone."

She walked out, closing the door behind her. Ulbert was the first to speak.

"Well... That was awkward."

Calca snapped out her reverie.

"Uh... A little bit. I'm assuming you overheard our names just now."

"Calca Bessarez, correct?," Ulbert asked, "I come from south of Re-Estize and keep up with current events, so I've already heard of you. My name is Ulbert Alain Odle."

He gave a polite bow.

"A pleasure to meet you," Calca replied, "Tell me, is it true you are a Stand user?"

"It is," Ulbert admitted, "Me and some others heard of the war here and hoped to offer our support. My first step was to inflict the leader of the bafolk with my Stand's effect. It was successful, but unfortunately I underestimated his strength."

"How do you mean?," Calca asked.

"My Stand inflicts those who defeat it for the first time with a growing sense of aggression," Ulbert explained, "They will start to see themselves as a superior fighter and as a result their ego will clash with others, especially allies. To facilitate this, my Stand's power is weakened to the point where it is easy to defeat."

Calca's eyes widened in realization.

"So over time Buser will start to argue with Yaldabaoth."

"And when he finds me again," Ulbert said, "He will find me far stronger. Should he lose, he will be crushed in his despair at being so easily fooled."

Just then a flapping sound was heard outside the window, and Ulbert spotted Demiurge outside.

"Good grief, Demiurge," Ulbert said, "You'll give the people of this city a collective heart attack."

"Apologies," Demiurge said, "May I come in, Your Highness? I wish to speak with my master."

"Master?," Calca asked.

She let Demiurge in, and he clarified.

"Lord Ulbert is a human, but he has charisma that exceeds any demon. It would not be an exaggeration to call him a Demon King in spite of his race. Many of my kind within Nazarick serve him without question. Yaldabaoth called us fools because of this, hence the reason I attacked him. Well, I would have fought him anyway since he is aligned with our enemies, but this gave me added justification."

Ulbert explained all about their actions thus far, the abilities of their allies, the Unity Faction and their designs, and the plans to restore the Spirit Tracks.

"We have seen several beams of light from other sacred sights," Calca noted, "Including the Mountain Temple not too long ago."

Ulbert nodded.

"George and his team were able to release the magic well inside. We suspect the Unity Faction was planning on using the Stand users stationed there to secretly take control of this kingdom. After which they would likely send forces to conquer the other three."

Yaldabaoth met with Barbro and Boullope.

"A pleasure, Your Highness. What news of your efforts in your own kingdom?"

"It's not my kingdom anymore," Barbro said, "Our faction has been exposed and I have been disinherited by Father. But I am still a prince by blood, and can still take the throne through other means. Our efforts here in Roble are crucial. The united force of beastmen and paladins could overwhelm the other three countries. What of our allies within the Mountain Temple?"

"The magic well was recently unsealed," Yaldabaoth said sadly, "I don't know what happened the forces we had stationed there. It's possible they may all be dead."

"Even if they were captured," Boullope said, "We are in no position to offer rescue."

"There's something else," Yaldabaoth said, "Buser recently fought a human alongside two demons. One seemed to possess the human, the other was a gentleman named Demiurge. I found it insulting that he would serve a human rather than being an equal partner like we are, and he attacked me for it, preventing me from taking part in a crucial battle."

Barbro sighed.

"Then we can assume Her Majesty Queen Calca is still alive. So long as she lives putting Caspond on the throne is near impossible."

He then realized something.

"This man with the demon? Did Buser defeat him?"

"Well, yes," Yaldabaoth said, "But he was able to escape. Since then Buser has been growing increasingly restless, and even started questioning my authority."

He paused.

"That man was a Stand user, wasn't he?"

"I overheard this man, Ulbert Alain Odle by name, explain his power to one George Joestar III," Barbro said, "It seems unlike George, whose Stand and mental disciple mitigated the effect, Buser got the full force of Ulbert's Stand."

"This complicated matters," Yaldabaoth said, "I think at this point we should consider that our enemies are aware of our schemes, and seek to repurpose them for their own ends."

"Which would leave us no choice but to take a direct route in terms of taking over Roble," Barbro noted, "I wish Femel was still available. His Stand would make it easy to determine how best to win a more direct war."

"I'll do what I can to mitigate the situation with Buser," Yaldabaoth assured him, "At the same time, perhaps you can take direct control of our forces. One way or another, we must take control of the Roble Holy Kingdom."

Chapter Text

Remedios waited at the newly accessible station of Hoburns, capital of Roble. With her was her sister High Priestess Kelart, the squire Neia Baraja, and the adjutant Gustav Montagnes. The train that was promised them pulled up, Hekkeran at the controls.

"Sorry for the delay," he said, "We've been busy. A few people wanted rides of their own, which really helped expand the Spirit Tracks."

The four ambassadors got on the train.

"I can't believe we have to seek help from Stand users," Remedios said.

"I wouldn't mind getting a Stand," Neia pointed out, "With power like that you could protect anyone."

Remedios scoffed.

"Only weak people need Stands."

"And yet only strong ones get them," Hekkeran pointed out, "A Stand is one's fighting spirit, so those who are too weak to withstand the power get destroyed by it. It almost happened to Holly, from what I understand."

Remedios looked surprised. She had always heard how Stand power developed in certain people seemingly by chance. Her mindset was based on the idea that these people were just lucky and couldn't find any other means of getting power.

"Really, sister," Kelart said, "Even if they were weak before a Stand, they aren't anymore. And Ulbert said the people we are seeing have mastered their Stands."

The train soon stopped in E-Rantel.

"This is the place," Hekkeran said.

The group looked on in surprise. Under the Nazarick-Re-Estize alliance, E-Rantel had flourished. Goblin soldiers patrolled the streets alongside human ones. The market was tended by creatures of various races, including some beastmen, lizardmen, dwarves, and humans. The main office was guarded by two giant ogres in armor.

"How is such a thing possible?," Remedios asked.

"Well for starters," Hekkeran said, "Citizens are forbidden from eating other citizens."

He lead the group to the main office.

Inside was a bit of surprise. There was a newcomer, and from the look on George and Holly's face it was someone they knew.

"So who's this?," Hekkeran asked.

The man turned around. He looked to be much bigger than most men, easily standing six feet if not slightly higher, and built like he was part lizardman.

"This is my son, Jotaro Kujo!," Holly said excitedly.

Hekkeran looked at Jotaro, then at Holly.

"How did you pop him out?"

"I was a lot smaller as a baby," Jotaro pointed out, "Anyway, Uncle George, the reason I'm here is because the Speedwagon Foundation noted a peculiarity with the Stand arrows."

He brought one out.

"This is the one previously used by Passione. As you're aware it was broken into pieces when Polpo, the one who last had ownership of it, shot and killed himself."

George smirked.

"You mean was tricked into killing himself by Uncle Giorno. But I get what you're concerned about. Somehow the arrow has been made whole again, including the piece you left with Jolyne."

"Isn't that a good thing?," Holly asked, "Now the arrow can work, right?"

"Mom, the arrow doesn't need to be whole to grant Stand power," Jotaro clarified, "Even just a small shard was enough to give Jolyne's friends Gwess and Ermes their Stands."

"Perhaps it was caused by energy radiating from the tear," George suggested, "Leaked from the magic wells and their outlets after so many years contained."

"That's the most likely explanation," Jotaro noted, "Anyway, I only stopped by to mention this, and because Josuke mentioned Mom was staying here for the time being."

He smiled.

"Glad you finally got that annoying Stand under control."

Holly beamed.

"Well, I can't stay around the house all day when it's empty for weeks on end. It gets boring. And even someone as laid back as me can only take so much."

They then noticed Neia had been looking at the arrow.

"This arrow... Can give someone a Stand?"

"Well, it's not as cut and dry as that," Jotaro clarified, "They need to have Stand potential first. Several of Josuke's friends, for example, have Stand potential and got their Stands from an arrow identical to this one. This particular arrow also gave many of Giorno's capos their Stands."

He picked the arrow up.

"But if you're curious to see if it can work for you, a simple prick on your finger is all it takes."

Remedios was about to object, but Gustav stopped her.

"We came here to garner help from Stand users. Having one of our own become one would only enable that goal."

Neia held out her finger and pricked it against the tip. Instantly her body flared up with energy, and before her eyes a screen appeared. George took a look at it.

"Looks like an old D&D character sheet."

Neia played around with the settings, and realized that everything she did on the screen affected her. She was able to trade her worthless levels for stronger ones, changing her from a servant to a paladin and upgrading from standard archer to sacred archer. She smiled, tears of joy streaming down her face.

"This power let's me control how I level. I can choose how my strength is distributed. This Stand... Life Will Change. That's its name."

The others saw a tear fall from Remedios's eye as well.

"I was... Only given this job because of my strength. I had no choice in the matter. But... I'm not suited for anything but fighting. I'm stupid. I can't lead men, I can't plan battles. All I can do is fight. And even that... These beastmen, despite my feelings, don't count as evil by the nature of the weapons I wield, which are designed to kill evil creatures. And the demon who leads them, Yaldabaoth... He's a coward who keeps running when it looks like he's about to lose..."

She bowed deeply.

"So please! Our kingdom needs your help!"

A council was made an hour later. In attendance was Ramposa, Jircniv, Pontiff Avalon, Momonga, and George.

"It was our intention to aid the Holy Kingdom from the beginning," Momonga noted, "But now that one of its own paladins is practically begging for help... I feel compelled to go the extra mile."

"Our Stand users can be sent to aid Roble right away," George noted, "But what about military support?"

"We've finished construction of the transport cars for trains," Jircniv said, "But it will take a few weeks to scramble our armies."

"We can hold out until then," Avalon noted, "This war is to ensure that all our nations are united. In addition, we must find a way to access the Sand Temple, which houses the last of the magic wells. No doubt the Unity Faction is using it as a staging area. Once we have sufficient forces assembled, we can seek to retake it."

"Then it seems we are all in agreement of our course of action," Ramposa noted, "I always suspected my eldest son of such reckless ambition. But to think he would go so far as to try and subjugate the entire realm... We must put an end to this nonsense, no matter the cost!"

Chapter Text

Caspond exited the carriage just outside the stronghold on the edge of the desert where the bafolk were stationed. There to meet him were Barbro and Boullope.

"I'm assuming things aren't going to plan?"

"Unfortunately no," Barbro said as the trio walked through the stronghold, "Recent events have forced me to resort to usurping the throne instead of inheriting it legally. None of the plans Femel came up with accounted for help from beyond our realm."

"Where is Femel now?," Caspond asked.

"Probably among the Death Knights controlled by our enemies in Nazarick," Boullope suggested, "My agents confirmed he was executed and his head offered to the masters of the tomb there. And Momonga is not the sort to keep trophies."

"And on their side is a Stand user with all the abilities of a centuries-old magic caster," Barbro noted, "Necromancy would not be beyond him."

"Things are just as bad for us here in Roble," Caspond said, "With the recent attack failing to kill my sister and leave the throne open for me, her position is growing stronger. And she's sent envoys to the south-east to ask for aid."

"We already have reason to believe George Joestar III and his allies have been to the Mountain Temple," Barbro replied, "And that's he killed all of our agents there."

"One such ally named Ulbert claimed to have cursed Buser with his Stand ability," Caspond pointed out, "Was he truthful?"

"According to Yaldabaoth, yes," Boullope replied, "If those envoys bring more Stand users to aid the Holy Kingdom... We already figured a dozen would be enough to deal with the entire bafolk army. But between Momonga and George, there's at least an additional dozen. It wouldn't be a war, it would be a one-sided massacre."

"If that's the case," Caspond said, "Maybe we can overwhelm with numbers. The bafolk are respected among the other beastmen tribes."

"We'd need to remove Buser from the equation first," Boullope pointed out, "He's currently in argument with Yaldabaoth regarding chain of command. Of course, we could always let Ulbert's Stand run its course. Make a minor assault with some expendable troops and let Buser run himself into the ground."

"Even so," Barbro said, "Adding a few hundred beastmen warriors to the equation will still take weeks to wear down Roble's defenses. And I guarantee that Father and the other nation leaders will be gathering their armies to join the fray."

"If it comes to that," Caspond said, "You can always seek shelter within the Desert Temple. The Spirit Tracks used to wrap around it, allowing access from both sides, but that's no longer the case. And we still have seven powerful Stand users stationed within the temple in case anyone tries to assail it."

"That's a good plan," Boullope admitted, "But it's a double-edged sword. The temple holds the final magic well needed to unleash the full power of the Spirit Tracks, making it a prime target for our enemies. And they have incredible powers of their own."

"Still," Barbro said, "All focus will largely be on the defense of Roble, so we may be able to keep everyone's attention focused on our front while we plan for a long siege war."

He chuckled.

"And while we never expected opposition from the other side of the tear, we were hardly in the dark about the world beyond it. Our final forces will prove quite the surprise for our intrepid adventurers. Now, let's see what we can do to deal with Buser's restlessness until we're ready for the plan to proceed."

The trio walked into the main tent.

"A missing group of Stand users?," George asked.

Jotaro nodded.

"They were contacted by the Speedwagon Foundation and trained to master their abilities. The idea was that they would be helping Jolyne for when Pucci made his move. But of course that was before his first move turned out to be 'get Jolyne thrown in jail where she'll be less of a threat'. The team was kept on retainer in case of other Stand user attacks."

"So what happened to them?," George asked.

Jotaro shrugged.

"We're not sure. They were sent out to the Cape York crater a few months before you, but no one's heard from them since. It's likely they somehow got pulled into this realm."

"We've been all over most of the world," George noted, "If they had been in any part we've already explored, we'd have probably found them by now. Which means they're likely somewhere near Roble."

He put a hand to his chin.

"This world possesses the sort of magic you often hear about in fantasy stories and video games, which includes mind manipulation powers. And Barbro would be on the lookout for powers that he can use to his advantage. If those Stand users are in this world, they are likely somewhere within the Desert Temple, the last temple we have to explore."

"One last thing," Jotaro said.

He handed George a necklace with a bright red stone in the middle.

"A gift from the old man."

George's eyes widened.

"The Red Stone of Aja! Dad said it could enhance any light that passes through it, including Hamon power! But I thought Grandma had it."

"She left it to Granddad after her passing," Jotaro explained, "When he heard about the bizarre adventure you were having, he thought it might be a good idea for you to keep it in your back pocket, just in case you need a little extra power."

"George and Momonga's faction will be going in first," Gazef explained, "Buying time while our armies gather. Half of them will be heading for Slane to await a planned pincer maneuver. The idea is once the other half of our forces reach Hoburns, George and his faction will take the opportunity to infiltrate the Desert Temple and unseal the final magic well. That will free up the Spirit Tracks between Roble and Slane, letting the remainder of our forces to attack from behind. Any questions?"

"Just one," Brain said, "How long will it take for the armies to be ready?"

"It's estimated that we'll need at least two weeks to get everyone fully prepared,' Gazef replied, "Let's hope Roble can hold out until then."

Chapter Text

The Joestar team was riding to Roble to act as the defense while waiting for the main armies to assemble and get transported. They'd need at least a week or two to prepare everything. Holly noticed Zaryusu acting fidgety.

"Something wrong?," she asked.

"My mate Crusch," he explained, "She recently gave birth to our first child. But with everything going on I wasn't able to be there. Fortunately I'm told the baby is healthy, taking more from me. As beautiful as Crusch's white scales are to me, an albino can rarely survive the harsh swampland where we make our home."

George, meanwhile, was taking the time to finish the story of his great-grandfather and just how he was known to the alter verse.

While the Joestar manor was being protected by the Speedwagon servants and the Noah's Ark Circus, Jonathan, Twilight, Speedwagon, Zeppeli, Erina, Joker, and Victor were heading for where Baron Kelvin was supposed to be hiding, one of the larger tents in the circus field.

"So, Victor," Erina said, "Has your Stand allowed you to perform any unusual surgeries?"

"Why, yes," Victor replied, "In fact one particular job sticks out in my mind. A Middle Eastern woman named Enya Geil."

Twilight stopped in her tracks.

"What did she want of you?"

"Someone you know, I assume," Victor noted, "Really, all she wanted was for me to correct a birth defect she had. If you can believe it, her left hand was somehow shaped like a right hand. Very unusual to see. Most surgeons of this day and age would be unable to correct the defect. But with Doctor Feelgood's power I soon her put her right again, although the procedure did leave her with some minor scarring around her knuckles."

'I was wondering about the scars,' Twilight thought to herself.

They soon found themselves in just outside a tent, listening in on Baron Kelvin's conversation with an underling. At the point where Jonathan heard Kelvin speaking about leaving London, he barged inside. Baron Kelvin sat in the center of the room, surprisingly young-looking for his age and sipping from a wine glass. All around him were massive moving skeletons. Off to the side were several sleeping children.

"The results of your Stand, Joker?," Zeppeli asked.

"Yes," Joker replied, "We'd been hoping to get a chance to have these children returned after the recent show."

"But where did all these moving skeletons come from?," Speedwagon asked, "They're clearly the undead presence Zeppeli noticed but..."

"Just a little byproduct of my special ability," Kelvin explained.

"A Stand then," Twilight realized, "Because no vampire we've met could animate mere skeletons. The corpses they control need to have quite a lot of flesh on them."

Kelvin looked surprised.

"Don't be so shocked," Jonathan said, "We can sense the tainted life force within you. Joker also mentioned you were supposed to be an old man yet you look far too young. Additionally, he noted you took considerable damage due to the effects of his Stand, yet there's no sign of it on your body. Clearly you've been doing some feeding while in town."

Kelvin scoffed before tossing aside the wine glass.

"So you know about me being a vampire. I got the chance to observe the effects of a peculiar mask which, when worn, could grant the wearer immense power after being exposed to blood."

Jonathan growled.

"The stone mask. So where did you hear about it?"

Kelvin grinned.

"Those are my secrets to keep. I will say where I got my Stand though. I heard about the Egyptian arrow from one Nathaniel Twilight. When he wouldn't sell it, I hired a talented mercenary to steal it. She pulled it off, but unfortunately Nathaniel was poisoned in the process. Though she never did say what the poison was."

Twilight's eyes widened.

"Joker! Has the Noah's Ark Circus ever been to America!?"

"A few times," Joker replied, "Just a few months ago we had a show in Texas."

Speedwagon realized what Twilight was getting at.

"So that's why that rumor we were following never panned out. So then, where's the arrow now?"

"I sold it off," Kelvin said with a shrug, "An Austrian civil servant who was a fan of the show. We were in Linz at the time. I think his name was... Yes, it was Alois Hitler. Nice man. His newborn son Adolf was especially fond of the clowns."

He stood up.

"That arrow granted me an incredible power. It's the secret to how I can summon and control skeletons, instead of relying on zombies. It's a power that let's me tap into the world's natural system of ley lines, allowing me to open gaps in reality that lead to a pocket dimension just between our world and the closest parallel world. I call it... Two Worlds Collide!"

Right behind Kelvin a portal opened.

"I think I'll find a few more friends to deal with you. If you know about vampires then you are clearly prepared to deal with them."

He leapt through the portal.

"Follow him, JoJo!," Zeppeli called out, "We'll deal with the undead out here!"

Jonathan nodded and leapt through the portal.

He found himself just outside an old-fashioned village settlement, several people surprised at his appearance.

"That's a downside to my power," Kelvin said, a few feet away, "Other people can follow me through the tears I make. Welcome to the alter verse. A realm that is a mix of high fantasy and medieval England. It's from this world that I have collected the undead warriors you saw earlier. They come from a barren land not far from here the locals call the Katze Plains."

He smiled as he looked up.

"The sun is hours away. From what I've learned of my power that is the only thing that can kill me right now."

Jonathan smirked.

"You must not have met Dio Brando. If you had, you'd learn there is another way. And I have that way."

He focused his Hamon breathing, and Kelvin gasped as Jonathan seemed to radiate sunlight.

"Blood Stare!"

Jonathan recognized the same eye-based liquid attack Dio had performed right before falling from the manor balcony back in Windknights Lot, and tilted his head to dodge the attack. He then stretched out his arm to counterattack.

"Zoom Punch!"

Kelvin screamed in agony as the Hamon-charged punch nailed him in the gut, the Hamon energy already starting to burn him.

"This power... It really does feel like the sun."

"And that's only where it begins," Jonathan said as he focused his breath again.

He then rushed at Kelvin.

"Blazing heart!"

He punched Kelvin hard in the jaw.

"Unrelenting heat!"

He nailed the vampire's gut with a low elbow.

"My soul resounds with pure symphony!"

Kelvin found himself assaulted by Jonathan signature attack.

"Sunlight Yellow Overdrive!"

Kelvin screamed as his body started to disintegrate, but he was able to keep himself alive by cutting off his own head. This didn't go unnoticed by Jonathan, who moved to finished Kelvin off.

"There's no need for that," came an elderly voice.

Jonathan spotted the old man dressed in academy robes.

"Who are you?"

"Fluder Paradyne," the old man replied, "A practicing wizard. This man used a Stand to bring you here, yes? If he dies, it could strand you here."

Jonathan realized he had a point. Fluder picked up the head carefully.

"I'll keep him alive in my research lab. It will also allow me to research ways of focusing where the tears created by his Stand are created."

The rest of the villagers came out to thank Jonathan.

"That vampire has always been causing trouble by bringing undead to and from Katze Plains," a young man explained, "The stragglers attacking villages like ours. What is your name, great hero?"

Jonathan smiled.

"I am Jonathan Joestar."

He returned through the portal back to the others, finding them all just fine, surrounded by disintegrating bones.

"That didn't take long," Speedwagon noted, "We were just cleaning up. What became of Kelvin?"

"I think we might have been premature in writing Dio off as dead," Jonathan said.

He explained what happened within the alter verse.

"If Dio was capable of seeking revenge against us at this point we'd have known about it by now," Zeppeli noted, "Either he is in no position to receive a new body, or he has chosen to play the long game and wait until we have all passed on before returning to his plans for global conquest. Still that doesn't mean we can let our guard down. The best we can do is prepare the next generation."

"In the meantime," Twilight said, "We can inform Her Majesty and Inspector Abberline that the mystery of the disappearing children has been solved."

George closed the book. Now a number of questions he had were answered, and not just about how this world knew about Jonathan.

"Does Fluder still have Kelvin's head, I wonder?"

"You mean that vampire head he has preserved in his research lab?," Starlight asked, "I've seen it once. The face on it looks like he would rather be dead. Fluder has it hooked up to all kinds of alchemical devices. He randomly opens and closes tears for experiments, but recently one tear he opened wouldn't close."

"That must be the tear in Cape York," Gyro realized, "The virus interacted with the Stand-based tear and wound up keeping it open."

"How amusing," George said, "Long before Barbro was even born, both Great-Granddad and Fluder may have inadvertently thrown a wrench into his plans. Now it's up to us to take it the rest of the way. After all, now that Barbro knows about another world, he may just try to spread his influence there as well. And we still have no idea what Barbro's Stand can do, so it may be something that can give him an edge over modern weapons."

"We're coming up to Hoburns now," Hekkeran called out, "Everyone get ready. This is action time."

The group nodded, and made ready to disembark.

Chapter Text

"The time has come for glory!," Buser said as he addressed those bafolk soldiers loyal to him, "I, the mighty Buser, have proven how weak and pitiful these so-called Stand users are! I left one of their number, barely alive and crawling away with his tail between his legs, as a warning to all others! That we are the true superior might in all the realm! We no longer need Yaldabaoth! My strength alone will see us through this war! Now my brothers, we march on the Holy Capital! Hoburns will be ours!"

The soldiers cheered at Buser's words, and proceeded to march toward the capital, unaware that they were being lead to their doom. Not just by their enemies, but by their own allies as well.

Ticket to Ride pulled into the station, Remedios spotting Calca already on horseback.

"They're already preparing for another attack," she noted.

"It's fine," Momonga said, "Most of the bafolk are of middling strength. Buser is obviously stronger, but he will be drawn to attack Ulbert, which will cost him greatly."

They disembarked, and Momonga noticed Ulbert on a horse right alongside Calca. Remedios blanched at the sight.

"My Queen! You give him a royal steed!?"

Calca blushed.

"Well... We've gotten quite close since you were away."

"Really, Ulbert?," Momonga said, annoyed, "We have plenty of political power as is. Do you really need to become consort to a queen?"

"Hey, it's not like that!," Ulbert pointed out, "We kinda got to talking while waiting for you... And I couldn't help but be charmed by her beauty and personality..."

"What Lord Ulbert is trying to say," Demiurge chimed in, "Is that his infatuation with Calca is genuine, with no ulterior motive behind it."

Remedios blinked.

"A Holy Queen and Demon King. Talk about a bizarre situation."

"Sit in on a Joestar family reunion," George quipped, "You'll walk away with some stories."

Their attention was drawn to the sound of marching from the bafolk forces.

"Our arrival was well-timed," Zesshi noted.

George nodded.

"Hekkeran. Perhaps Foresight should give them a warm welcome to the Holy Capital."

Hekkeran grinned.

"With pleasure! Ready all weapons, guys!"

The bafolk were shocked at the appearance of the train that seemed to make its own rails with which to attack.

"Ticket to Ride!"

"Love Train!"

"Peace Train!"

"Crazy Train!"

The four trains split off to attack individually. Arche literally blazed a trail with the mechanical dragon on her Stand. Roberdyck sent his Stand through the bafolk forces, the axes on Peace Train chopping through them like so much timber. Many bafolk found themselves smoldering from the plasma beams from Love Train, while Ticket to Ride left the battlefield much messier with its three main weapons. Buser growled at the sight.

"Do not fear, men! They cheat with the power of their vehicles! Let us keep marching, and show them the meaning of true strength!"

The bafolk cheered as they charged the battlefield.

"He's not lacking for charisma," Zesshi noted.

Ulbert spotted Buser racing towards the main gate and grinned.

"And now to show the true power of My Band."

He snapped the reins of his horse Nightingale, racing forward to meet his destined opponent. Buser laughed.

"You face me again? This time I won't even leave a corpse behind!"

He moved to strike at My Band, but got a shock. My Band had grabbed his arm, and was exerting a powerful grip.

"Here's the thing," Ulbert said, "You only won last time because I let you. The first time someone faces my Stand, it is deliberately weakened. That way, its curse can take affect."

My Band plowed its fist into Buser's solar plexus, causing him great pain and knocking the wind out of him. Ulbert grinned at the fading look in the bafolk's eyes.

"This is normally how my Stand is unleashed. Though it was first against DIO that I learned it's not a perfect power. There are some people, especially other Stand users, who can overcome it. But you... You just don't have the strength needed. But you haven't reached the point of hopelessness yet. Allow me to push you over the edge! My Band!"

The goat demon Stand started nailing Buser with a flurry of punches.

"MURI MURI MURI MURI MURI MURI MURI MURI MURI MURI MURI MURI MURI MURI MURI MURI MURI MURI MURI MURI MURI MURI MURI MURI MURI!"

One final blow left Buser in the ground.

"MURI!"

The other bafolk looked shocked at seeing their leader beaten so easily, and by someone he had previously overwhelmed. Buser now looked beyond fearful, like there was nothing left of his former strength.

"No... Please... We were forced into this... Yaldabaoth and the others... They told us we could have anything we wanted..."

Ulbert scoffed.

"You're not telling us anything we don't already know. But it seems you understand now. That no matter how strong you are, you can't win every fight, and you can't do everything on your own. Without Yaldabaoth, you're nothing."

"We've just received word of Buser's defeat," Yaldabaoth reported to Barbro.

"Have our forces at a spot where the execution can be observed," Barbro replied, "He can still have use as a martyr."

"I'm afraid there won't be an execution," Yaldabaoth said, "The effect of Ulbert's Stand was more pronounced than we realized. He was too far broken to consider even capturing, much less executing, and thus he was returned to his people. We still have control of the majority of the bafolk warriors, but if they learn of what happened to their leader, it will dishearten them to further conflict rather than galvanize them against Roble."

Barbro sighed. He wasn't expecting Roble to be so merciful, especially not in such a cruel manner.

"Then make sure Buser's condition is not known to those bafolk still loyal to us. Occupy them by having them seek reinforcements from the other beastman tribes while we try to come up with a way to prevent Buser from contacting them."

"I'll see it done," Yaldabaoth replied, "We can have replacement forces in as little as a week. But this will slow down our efforts to take Roble, and we know the other three nations are mustering their forces as we speak."

"I'm all too aware," Barbro admitted, "George and Momonga are quite skilled in the long game it seems..."

Chapter Text

The next few days were nothing but waiting. The people of Hoburns were on edge, not liking the quiet that was coming from the bafolk. No one doubted that the forces lead by Buser did not represent their full army. Some were still loyal to Yaldabaoth. The defenders in the capital were now in session, talking about recent events.

"Was it wise to release Buser to his people?," Remedios asked.

"If we had him executed," Demiurge pointed out, "We would only turn him into a martyr. That would galvanize the other beastmen against us. By showing we are capable of mercy, it will limit the number of reinforcements the bafolk can receive from the other tribes."

He adjusted his glasses.

"Still what they can get will be sizeable. Yaldabaoth is well known amongst my people for having a silver tongue coupled with high charisma."

"That doesn't mean they'll be attacking quickly," George noted, "After all, a beastfolk army is no different from any other army. It needs time to be equipped, watered, and rationed. Marching time needs to take into account time to eat and rest."

"And beastmen tend to have higher metabolism which fuels their greater strength," Zesshi pointed out, "Meaning they will need more food than normal, and more time for rest."

"Meanwhile our forces have an advantage," Momonga chimed in, "The Spirit Tracks encircle both sides of the Desert Temple, allowing us to catch them in a pincer attack. Our plan is to have the first unit mobilize near the Hoburns gate, which will act as both defense and distraction while the temple is infiltrated. Once the Joestar Faction is inside, the second unit will make its move to keep the Unity Faction outside. If our calculations are accurate, both forces should reach Hoburns at just around the same time, with perhaps a few hours margin for error."

"A few hours to defend the city?," Neia said with a grin, "We've been barely holding on for months. Holding an enemy force off for a few hours until reinforcements arrive won't be a problem."

Remedios looked at her former squire. It was clear her new Stand had given her a serious confidence boost.

"Have you been getting used to your new Stand?," Starlight asked.

Neia nodded.

"I'm sticking to my natural archery skills and used Life Will Change to develop an agility-based build, with a little defense in case of enemy snipers. As I improve I can afford to balance out my attributes more."

"There's one more thing," George said, "My nephew Jotaro. He's sticking around in this realm for a bit longer. He says he has reason to believe that group of missing Stand users from our world was infested by a vampire's spores."

Evileye looked confused.

"Ah," George realized, "I guess you never tried that power. Stone mask vampires can mold their cells into flesh buds that can control the minds of a victim. They're nearly impossible to remove without causing serious brain damage, and if enough time passes or the vampire dies those infested will die as well."

Evileye sighed.

"Yeah, not even exploring that power..."

"I remember DIO using such a power to insure the loyalty of certain individuals who would not follow him otherwise," Momonga noted, "Most of them died when he did. Only one survived due to a Stand that allowed him to heal any psyshical damage, but the combination of DIO's cells and his Stand would have horribly disfigured him. But you said 'nearly impossible'."

George nodded.

"Jotaro's Stand, Star Platinum, has superior precision and eyesight as its primary ability. With such powers it can easily remove a flesh bud without causing damage. But I wonder why he thinks such a vampire is in this world. The only trace of one should be--"

His eyes suddenly widened.

"I think I just realized the mysterious power DIO felt. The one similar to his own..."

Jotaro was on one of the trains with Fluder.

"You're sure the head was missing," Jotaro asked.

Fluder nodded.

"I received the head of this vampire, named Baron Kelvin, just over a hundred years ago. Jonathan Joestar allowed me to keep it, since once Kelvin died his Stand would die, leaving Jonathan stranded in this world. I had it attached to several blood machines to keep it fed, knowing that would only allow it continue living and not suddenly regenerate a new body."

Jotaro nodded.

"DIO needed to steal the body of George Joestar II to regain his former strength. Kelvin would likely need the same."

"The head disappeared a few days after the opening of the last portal," Fluder noted, "The one I was never able to close. Now that I think about it, that was the day Count Femel visited my research lab. And since we know he was involved with the Unity Faction..."

He grimaced.

"I hope to all the gods that watch over our world that Barbro was not so foolish as to offer Kelvin a new body. The two vampires who aid us show just how powerful one can be. If one were to become an enemy... I saw firsthand how dangerous Kelvin is, and unlike Shalltear and Evileye, he will not hold back due to a sense of honor."

Barbro, Boullope, and Yaldabaoth entered the Desert Temple and reached the chamber with the magic well. Inside was their chosen guardian, Skeldritch. Skeldritch was a stone mask vampire much like the others.

"Greeting, My Lords," he saw, offering a sweeping bow, "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"We need to transport the decayed one to a new location," Barbro replied, "Our enemies are awaiting our next move, and I've no doubt they'll use the next skirmish to infiltrate this temple."

Skeldritch nodded and walked over to a small shelf, taking a glass bell jar off of it. The bell jar was attached to several tubes filled with blood, and inside was the head of Baron Kelvin, still alive after more than a hundred years, but having lost all sense of thought.

"Barely a hint of life within his eyes," Boullope noted, "But enough that his Stand still functions, to say nothing of the spores he can produce."

Barbro nodded.

"It was quite the coup finding those Stand users with ties to the world beyond ours. I'm not sure yet if we have the forces needed to conquer such a world. Their military is bound to even more advanced and deadly than our own. Time and strategy will be needed, which we cannot get until the throne and all of this world is mine."

He smiled as he held up the bell jar.

"But with resources like this, it almost seems possible."

Chapter Text

Things finally started to pick up after a few weeks of silence. The Beastman Coalition had been formed, made up mostly of ape men, rabbit men, the mole-like quagoa, the rat-like armat, and of course the bafolk. They had just reached the ruins on the outskirts of the Holy Kingdom, only to be met by the combined might of the Joestar team and Momonga's faction. Already the majority of the fighting was kept at the southern end of the ruins, when the sounds of train whistles could be heard. Up on a nearby hill Barbro looked through a telescope and frowned.

"One of the first armies out and it's Enri Emmot's Stand, Seven Nation Army."

"That's the girl who was able to decimate the armed forces I left you with, yes?," Boullope asked.

Barbro nodded.

"If I had to estimate, I'd say its power would make it effectively the third most powerful army in the entire realm. Small in number but with all the power of a stone roller in motion, or one of the locomotives that run along the Spirit Tracks. Speaking from experience, those goblins are not to be underestimated."

"Even more considering the armed forces supporting them," Yaldabaoth noted, "The Baharuth army, the Re-Estize royal guard, an army of lizardmen..."

He grimaced.

"And it looks like the dwarves have also thrown in their lot with some of their munitions. Their black powder weapons hold tremendous destructive power."

Meanwhile, the United Armies where making their advancement.

"Charge down the eastern side to where George and Momonga are staging!," Gazef called out, "Take out any enemy that gets in your way!"

As Climb was slicing his way through the beastmen forces, he felt a pain in his gut and looked to see an armat had struck through the underside of his mythril armor. The armat was smug at first, until he felt his skull give way under a deadly blow from Climb. He had slammed the hilt of his sword into the armat's forehead, empowered by Living on a Prayer's strength boost.

"Do those wounds heal?," Brain asked, having killed a few beastmen of his own.

"After a bit," Climb admitted, "I still feel the pain though."

Brain shrugged as he smiled.

"Probably for the best. If you're not feeling pain, you're not alive."

He then spotted a few ape men approached.

"Hybrid Theory!"

Brain focused his Stand's power and sliced the air a few times, the martial arts created from them dicing the ape men to ribbons.

"We're nearing Lord Joestar and Lord Momonga," Climb noted.

Brain smirked.

"No need to be so formal, kid. You were given an official royal title of your own due to heroic actions during the Battle of Katze Plains."

Climb had nearly been trampled by one of the goat monsters created by Bellriver's Stand, only for his own Stand to give him the power to lift the creature off of him by just the hoof and slay it in one blow to its neck. Much of that strength had been from adrenaline and worn off, but he had still gained much strength in the aftermath and saved the entire unit he was with.

Before long the United Forces had reached George and Momonga's teams, right as the bulk of the Beastman Coalition advanced with its cavalry forces. The goblin longbowmen were quick to strike down the cavalrymen.

"This is our opening," George said.

He looked toward Gazef.

"Keep them occupied as much as possible! We'll get inside the temple!"

As the Joestar group headed off for the other side of the tracks that led to the Desert Temple, the United Forces moved to the main staging area in the center of the ruins.

"The enemy main camp is behind the stone doors at the edge of the ruins!," Momonga noted.

"Move the dwarven cannons into position!," Gazef called out, "All units, move to clear out the central area! Give them room to maneuver!"

The river running through the field near the ruin started running red with the blood of the wounded, the dying, and the dead. The United Forces were overwhelming, but the Beastman Coalition was no slouch, managing to get in a few dozen kills of their own. Barbro and his allies watched the battle from their position.

"We made sure to evacuate our servants within the temple, yes?," Barbro asked.

"Of course," Yaldabaoth replied, "You made it clear their usefulness had not yet passed. But I'm a little confused. You already have a copy of them recorded into your own Stand. So why not let them be returned?"

"For hostage negotiation," Boullope explained, "There's no way to remove the spores from Kelvin's cells once they've been implanted, but they don't know that. We can make offers in exchange for one hostage plus the means to cure them. Essentially getting something for nothing."

As Jotaro had Star Platinum help load the dwarven cannon, he suddenly sneezed.

"Something wrong?," Nimble asked.

"I wonder if someone was referring to me just now," Jotaro muttered.

"It's just a sneeze," Nimble pointed out, "And there's a lot of dust and powder here."

Jotaro shrugged.

"Well maybe. But I'm Japanese by birth, and there's an old Japanese legend that whenever you experience an unexplained sneeze it's because someone is speaking about you somewhere."

Regardless of the minor incident, the cannon was loaded without further delay, then fired on the stone doors. The doors cracked but stayed standing.

"They've been well-weakened," Nimble noted, "A bit more of a push should break them down."

"Allow me," Jotaro offered, "Star Platinum has enough physical strength to shatter diamond with little effort. Cracked stone doors won't be a problem."

Star Platinum approached the doors and proceeded to attack rapidly.

"ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA!"

Within seconds the doors gave way, the stone shards damaging the beastmen warriors behind them. Nimble chuckled.

"I guess the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree. George does something similar using Tusk."

He turned his attention to the other armies.

"All forces, the ruins are open! Move in and clear them out!"

By now it was clear that some demons, likely from Yaldabaoth's tribe, were also fighting alongside the beastmen. As the allied armies pushed their way through the ruins, a message arrived at the main camp from Imina.

"There's something wrong in the Desert Temple," Ramposa said as he read the note, "Unlike in the other four temples, there are no additional guards between the entrance and the magic well."

Momonga frowned.

"That has terrible implications. What could Barbro and Boullope be planning?'

"A hostage attempt," Jircniv suggested, "He doesn't know that we know about the vampire spores or that we have someone capable of safely removing them. He could use a hostage crisis to sue for peace on his terms, letting him gain power, in exchange for some random cure that obviously won't work."

He leaned back.

"He knows we're close to restoring the Spirit Tracks in full and the war here could be over within the next few days. He's getting desperate, it seems."

Chapter Text

Inside the Desert Temple the group peeked in on Skeldritch, who was peering into a viewing crystal. Evileye's eyes widened.

"That's him. The cult leader who was experimenting with the stone masks."

"He must have used one on himself," Gyro realized.

"What are we waiting around here for?," Gagaran asked, "We should be getting inside to attack."

"One problem," Zesshi pointed out, "We don't know if it's this vampire or Kelvin who planted the spores in the hostages. If we kill the wrong vampire, we kill off potential allies."

Just then, an image of Yaldabaoth appeared in the crystal.

'For now we will zigzag around the realm. Skeldritch, continue to maintain the magic well. As long as our enemies don't realize that it's Kelvin's spores controlling our last few members, we have suitable hostages.'

"No fear of that," Skeldritch replied, "I suspect they are the sort to just rush in and attack with regard for anyone's safety."

The team turned to Gagaran and glared, making her blush with embarrassment.

"I'll make sure they assume I am the one responsible for the spores," Skeldritch continued, "That way their plans will be halted."

'Excellent,' Yaldabaoth said, 'We'll contact you later.'

"Okay," George said, "Now we can move in."

The group walked inside the chamber, surprising Skeldritch with their nonchalant pace.

"Oh dear... You overheard that conversation just now didn't you?"

There was a general nodding, which made Skeldritch scoff.

"Fine... I was hoping to draw this out to give my masters time to come up with a counter-plan, but it looks like I'll be... Cleaning Out My Closet!"

The entire room started to fill with sand, and a large skeletal creature wearing armor appeared behind Skeldritch.

"Not very hot for a desert," Lakyus noted.

"Deserts aren't always hot," George pointed out, "They just lack water. On our side of the tear there's a country called Mongolia. It has one of the coldest deserts on record."

"Indeed," Skeldritch said, "Besides, as an adventurer you should now... The desert has far greater dangers than just heat!"

That's when several boulders appeared from the sands and rushed at the heroes.

"Indestructible!"

Gagaran tanked one coming right at her using her Stand, the others using their power to deflect the shots. Evileye's ice crystals pierced through one and hit Cleaning Out My Closet directly, taking off a chunk of its armor. Seeing this, George realized something.

"Hey, this is just like Polnareff's Stand. Take off the armor and it's far more vulnerable. Tusk, Act 1!"

He fired off a few fingernails which impacted the armor, leaving cracks.

"Let me try getting in close," Zesshi said, "Cover me."

Skeldritch directed a few boulders to attack her, but they were destroyed by a combined effort from Evileye, Lakyus, Holly, and Gyro. This let Zesshi get close enough to slice through the Stand's chest plate. The chest plate dropped and shattered. However, Skeldritch merely chuckled.

"Well, good job destroying one piece of the armor. But Cleaning Out My Closet has five more remaining. The four limbs, the helmet, and the waist. And all six pieces must be destroyed to render it vulnerable!"

George smirked.

"Thanks for letting us know. We could have wasted so much time attacking the exposed chest and doing no damage. But now we can focus on dealing with the other armor pieces."

Skeldritch blanched, but recovered quickly.

"Fine, I screwed that up. But you'll need to get close enough to attack!"

He then saw Cleaning Out My Closet struggling against a few vines before the armor on its right arm broke apart.

"You are so easily distracted," Holly said as Chumbawamba dropped the shattered pieces, "And people call me absentminded."

Skeldritch had his Stand move to attack Holly directly, only to get blocked by Gagaran, Evileye leaping over her.

"This is for the torment you put me through," she noted, "Blood Stare!"

The high-pressure liquid cut through the waist plate, cutting it in half and causing it to drop.

"And one more for the head piece!," Gagaran called out as she brought her war hammer down on the Stand's head, cracking open the helmet.

As she did, Starlight rushed in.

"Dove and Grenade!"

She conjured a solid blade using her Stand's metal aspect, letting her slice off the left arm's armor. She then pulled up a stone column quickly to block an attack from Cleaning Out My Closet. Skeldritch grimaced.

"Don't forgot I have the same powers Evileye does. Blood Stare!"

"Hamon Hair Attack!"

George leapt in front of Starlight and activated his Hamon barrier, blocking the liquid attack.

"Zoom Punch!"

Gyro came in, nailing Skeldritch in the side of the face, burning some of his flesh. Gyro then turned his attention to Cleaning Out My Closet.

"Ball Breaker!"

A quick shot from his Stand aged the armor on the left leg to dust. Just one armor piece left. Skeldritch roared as he summoned a veritable avalanche's worth of boulders to push the group back. He then saw something. The sand from his Stand was getting wet. Extremely wet. He followed the trail up to a smirking Starlight.

"I started to realize... You never said anything about your sand draining water. And the whole time we've been standing on it, we never felt like we were drying out."

"And sand is great for absorbing water," Tia noted.

"But it can only hold so much," Tina finished.

Sure enough, before long a massive volume of water emerged from the sand and struck Skeldritch, knocking him back.

"And sand's other major weakness," Starlight noted, "Is direct heat, such as from fire. After all, it's how we make glass. Dove and Grenade!"

Shasryu got the hint and readied his own Stand.

"Saint Elmo's Fire!"

The burning trails along the sand reached Cleaning Out My Closet, trapping it. Zaryusu moved in amidst the flames.

"Cold Wind Blows!"

He swung his Stand and struck through the remaining armor piece on the right leg, breaking it off and leaving the skeletal Stand vulnerable. Skeldritch stood up from where he had been knocked down and gasped as George seemed to radiate energy.

"It's all over, Skeldritch!"

He got out the Red Stone of Aja and focused a Hamon charge through it. The amplified beam of energy cut right through Skeldrtich's brain, killing him instantly. As his body crumbled to dust, Evileye breathed a sigh of relief.

"Finally, I can stop looking over my shoulder..."

Once the room was clear, the final well opened up.

"This is the lynchpin of the Spirit Tracks," Zaryusu noted, "Now we just need to find out where Barbro is."

"Come to think of it," Zesshi noted, "The ruling bodies of each nation arrived to oversee the protection of Roble."

The group looked at each other.

"Barbro intended to use the war as a distraction," George realized with a clenched fist, "He's going to head to each kingdom in turn and usurp the throne for himself."

"He can only go so far with that move," Evileye pointed out.

"That just shows how desperate he is," Starlight noted, "But while he has hostages he can keep all he is taking. We need to find them and free them."

Chapter Text

"Adimas was found by Speedwagon agents studying the Zande tribe of the Congo," Jotaro explained, "His people saw his ability to conjure living paintings from smoke that could move at his command and named him the tribal shaman. The Speedwagon Foundation recognized his ability as a Stand power and approached him, telling him of the threat posed by DIO's unknown forces. Adimas does have some clairvoyant ability, and told the agents he knew of the danger they spoke of, and foresaw their coming. He agreed to their offer to train him in mastering his Stand, but cryptically said he would ultimately be unable to help in the coming conflict."

"Sounds like Adimas suspected Pucci would start by targeting the Joestar clan using subterfuge," George noted, "So what's Barbro's plan for him?"

"He's threatened to end Adimas's life if any more trains ran along the Spirit Tracks," Starlight said, "He's spun some yarn about Adimas being an important hermit from the far south. The details don't matter."

She pointed to a spot on a map of Roble.

"While we're tracking him down, our armed forces will be working to recapture this crucial defense fortress. Yaldabaoth is there, and this could be a good chance to strike a deadly blow against him."

A defense unit allied with Roble was already at the fortress, but surrounded by beastmen warriors. Baziwood and Gazef lead a group of soldiers along the edge of the fortress, taking out enemy commanders as they made their way to the edge of the fortress.

"Damn," Baziwood said as they cut through a few more troops, "I didn't think there would be this many beastmen."

"There shouldn't be," Gazef noted, "See how their colors seem muted compared to normal beastmen? And many of them look familiar as well."

Baziwood looked closer.

"Yeah, a few of these are guys I could have sworn I'd cut down already. This must have something to do with Barbro's Stand. Whatever power it has, he's using it to artificially swell his numbers."

Finally the two strongest warriors broke into the south of the fortress.

Yaldabaoth noticed this.

"I had hoped to deal with their Roble's mightiest champion personally, but it's not a good idea to leave two enemy Stand users alone for very long. My servants, deal with Orlando."

Orlando Campano, the leader of the Nine Colors, looked ragged as he saw the demon soldiers encroaching on his position. Luckily, more reinforcements from the north appeared, led by Brain and Climb. Meanwhile, Yaldabaoth moved to claim the central keep.

"He's trying to lure us in," Baziwood noticed, "He likely has a few extra forces stashed away inside."

"He's trying to remove the strongest warriors of the realm," Gazef realized, "Then let's head for Orlando's location and assist. If we piss that demon off enough, we may just convince him to empty out the keep trying to kill us personally. That would leave our other forces to swipe the castle right out from under his nose."

They moved with their units to clear out the enemy forces, eventually reaching Orlando near the western edge of the fortress.

"My thanks for the reinforcements," Orlando said, "I've never seen so many beastmen. And while I've never been one to assume all of them look alike, far too many of them appear to have the same face."

"We've been noticing the same thing," Gazef said, "But we can talk when there's breathing room. For now we need to defend the fortress and drive our enemies out."

They began to decimate the copied beastmen.

Yaldabaoth was none too happy to see this.

'I had hoped to lure them into the keep to slaughter them. But it seems they were not born yesterday. There's nothing for it. I'll just need to face them directly.'

He gathered his forces and transported them to his main camp.

"I'll let them come to me and deal with them were I am most ready."

Of course, he soon regretted leaving the keep empty, as it was quickly retaken by the alliance forces.

"Curse them. All forces! Attack the central keep!"

The waves of beastmen and demons attacked, only for them to find the alliance to be like rocks on the shoreline, breaking the front lines apart and taking their enemies down. Yaldabaoth scoffed as he looked at a large pocket watch he had with him.

"This magic item only gives me so many chances to escape, and I am running out. But at this point the battle is lost. I'll have to report back to Barbro. These minor setbacks are adding up to devastating effect."

He activated the watch, disappearing as the alliance plowed through his demon commanders. They were quick to notice his absence.

"Why did he choose to escape like that?," Orlando asked.

"He probably realized we were too much for him," Baziwood noted, "And decided to flee with his tail between his legs."

"We continue to fight a war of attrition," Gazef said solemnly, "And I get the feeling it will only end when Barbro is defeated once and for all. For now we return to the Holy Kingdom. We'll wait for the next sighting of Yaldabaoth."

The three warriors mounted their steeds and rode off, wondering where they would fight next.

While all attention from the Unity Faction was directed at the battle, the Joestar Group successfully located Adimas out near a station on the edge of the mountain range. He was sitting in front of a campfire, and Jotaro recognized the disgusting growth of the vampire spore in his head. Adimas opened his eyes and got up, the flame dancing onto his palm.

"So the fire is the form his Stand takes," George replied.

Adimas was mostly silent, save for two words.

"Afronova Primeval!"

A sudden column of smoke emerged from the flame, and light-based paintings of various jungle animals appeared within it.

"Stay alert!," Jotaro said, "Those paintings are as strong as real animals!"

Several jungle cats and snakes appeared and moved to attack. Zesshi easily sliced through one while Holly tangled another in her Stand's vines.

"Can the flame be doused?," Starlight asked.

"Briefly," Jotaro replied, "But it won't destroy the Stand or stop the paintings."

"Then let's try something that stops all of them at one," Starlight said, "Dove and Grenade!"

The other paintings caught caught up in tree roots that seemed to emerge from the ground. Adimas started to create more, only to catch one of George's nails in his hand, causing him to lose focus and drop his Stand power, causing the paintings to disappear.

"Dogpile him!," Gyro called out.

He, George, Shasryu, and Evileye tackled him and held him down.

"Go for it, nephew," George said.

Jotaro nodded.

"Star Platinum!"

He leaned over Adimas and had Star Platinum carefully grab the flesh bud and begin to pull it out.

"Will this really work?," Zesshi asked, "I see a few tentacles attached to that thing."

"Jotaro's obviously been getting used to this," Holly noted, "The first time he did he needed Fluttershy's help to avoid injury, but it looks like he's able to get it out quickly now."

Sure enough, within five seconds the spore was removed.

"Next time I'll see if I can use time stopping to make it even easier," he quipped, "Uncle George, get ready!"

Star Platinum tossed the spore to George, who charged his hand with Hamon, striking the spore.

"Overdrive!"

The spore disintegrated upon contact, and Adimas stirred.

"It is like waking from a dream," he said, relief in his voice, "Me and the others were exploring this realm. Right outside the kingdom of Re-Estize, we encountered Marquis Boullope, who offered us a tour. The first place he took us was a dark warehouse, where we spotted the vampire head. Before we could react, it had infected us with its spores."

"We'll spread the word that Adimas is free," Hekkeran said, "That will shake up the Unity Faction. If they know it's possible to remove the spores safely, they'll start to panic and divert forces to protect the others, leaving their invasion short on manpower."

"And then we can use Ticket to Ride and its attachments to take out the diverted forces," Arche noted.

"Don't forget we still have five more Stand users to find," George said, "We can't let our guard down until Barbro is forced into a corner. More than that, we need to know what his Stand can do."

"I am afraid I do not know myself," Adimas said, "But one of the others might. Barbro spent quite a lot of time going back and forth observing his forces and their battles for some reason. That may provide a clue."

Chapter Text

With Adimas now aiding the alliance forces, Jotaro went into detail about the next Stand user.

"He was found by chance by my dad's old friend Rudy, working in a homeless shelter. Some mob goons tried to put the screws to the place. Rudy might be getting old, but his Stand, Power to Tearer, is still strong enough to take on normal humans. But before he could, Kevin stepped in and used his own Stand to deal with them. Rudy then directed Kevin to the Speedwagon Foundation. In his interviews, Kevin bragged that he was 'All-American', which he defined as having blood from every major immigrant race as well as a few native tribes."

"What can his Stand do?," Zesshi asked as she played with a familiar cube-like puzzle.

"It release energy-based constructs in the shape of fireworks that deal concussive damage," Jotaro said, "By the way... How did you get your hands on a Rubik's Cube?"

"Objects from your world have been falling into ours for centuries," Zesshi explained, "In fact the first pontiffs of Slane came from your world. We even have a sport that, from what I've heard from George's stories, is similar to your baseball. This just happens to be my favorite toy."

She frowned as she looked at it.

"Still, I've never been much of a problem solver. I've had this since I was five, and after two decades I've only completed two sides."

That got Jotaro chuckling.

"Toys from our world aside," George said, "Barbro is using Kevin as collateral to hold power in Slane. But with the Spirit Tracks freed up after Adimas's release, word has gotten to the pontiffs about how to remove the vampire spore. We're not sure if Barbro knows or not, but time is of the essence. The next skirmish will be crucial to drawing his attention."

"This area is known for its stone labyrinth," Orlando noted, "The doors within close and open randomly, seemingly on a whim. Legend has it, it was once used by God to seal away a terrible monster. If the legend is true, then after so many centuries even the monster's bones have turned to dust, for our explorations have turned up no such creature."

"That's encouraging," Jake said, "But then God should have considered removing the stone labyrinth afterward, or at least releasing the doors so that they can be properly explored."

He hooked up the two-way device.

"All our commanders have devices like this for chaotic terrain. They work by tapping into invisible signals that crisscross the realm, as well as the other world. They're strictly short-range, but can still reach across a mile or two. Meanwhile Gazef and his unit are coming in from the north, while Nimble and his unit will be approaching later from the east."

The doors of the labyrinth proved more predictably than Orlando thought. Clearly not a lot of time was spent exploring them, plus the area was small compared to the rest of the staging ground. However the small area was crowded, making maneuvering difficult.

'This is Gazef reporting. We have sightings of a full armor-clad warrior, almost centuarian from the look of him. Remedios seems to recognize him.'

"Must be Vijar Rajandala," Orlando realized, "Otherwise known as Demon Claw Vajra. Remedios mistakenly thought that meant he was using demonic powers and thought her evil-slaying techniques could easily defeat him. However, he is more neutral than evil and was thus immune to the effects."

"What race is he?," Jake asked.

"Zoastia," Orlando replied, "A race related to the centaurs, but with the upper bodies of beastmen instead of humans. The title of Demon Claw is awarded to the strongest among them, Vijar in this case."

Jake smirked.

"When Baziwood gets here he's gonna have the time of his life."

Sure enough, Baziwood and the other knights had reached the battlefield right as Vijar was ready to attack. The zoastian warrior, whose upper body resembled a saber-toothed tiger, grinned as he observed Baziwood.

"This one looks especially strong. Come human! Let's clash in honorable battle!"

Baziwood smirked.

"Fine by me."

Nimble sighed.

"I'll leave you some men as support while we continue after the enemy main camp. Smoke Gets in Your Eyes!"

He breathed out, cloaking his forces to evade the beastmen army so they could slip away and continue their assault. Baziwood smiled.

"Get ready for the greatest battle of your life! One Jump Ahead!"

To Vijar's surprise, Baziwood seemed to shape-shift into a centaur.

"Whoa," Baziwood said, "Never had that happen before. But then again, all of my opponents up until now have been humanoid."

Vijar blinked, then let out a good-natured laugh.

"To a good fight then! And may the best between us win!"

Meanwhile, Gazef and Brain were dealing with a minor pincer attack.

"Good grief," Brain said, "It's a good thing we were slow and methodical coming in here, or this pincer would have caught us on less advantageous terrain."

The area they were currently caught in had plenty of rocks and trees for cover against enemy arrows, and their soldiers had the high ground against the rear part of the pincer. However, fires started springing up along the narrow bridged, cutting them off.

"This is Yaldabaoth's magic!," Orlando realized.

"Just relax," Jake said, "We planned for this. Climb, now!"

At the main camp, Yaldabaoth got the report from a scout.

"The gate to the north of our camp was broken through. Several human soldiers arrived, including one in shiny armor. We tried stabbing him over and over, he just kept surviving and getting stronger."

Another scout came in with his own report.

"The dark human has returned, but now he fights for the alliance. His monsters of smoke and paint devour our warriors."

Yaldabaoth looked surprised.

"But how could anyone have safely removed the spore?"

The alliance got the alert that Adimas was aiding him when he gave his war cry.

"Nyam-Nyam!"

The paint creatures made by Afronova Primeval attacked the beastmen, easily ripping through them. Adimas soon joined Gazef.

"What was that odd war cry?," Gazef asked.

"A name used by enemy tribes to refer to the Zande," Adimas explained, "In the English language it translates to 'great eaters', referring to our tribe making other people believe we were cannibals."

Yaldabaoth was not happy about the overwhelming forces about to overtake his camp. Even worse was when Vijar returned, half-dead but smiling.

"You smile in the face of defeat?," Yaldabaoth said angrily.

"I wouldn't expect you to understand," Vijar said, "But what I faced was a warrior who could match anyone he fought, yet relied on true skill to see him the rest of the way. A true warrior, worthy of being my foe. Even as a realized I was losing, I was having the time of my life."

Yaldabaoth scoffed.

"Regardless, it appears retreat is in order. There is much I have to tell Barbro."

Meanwhile the Joestar group had located Kevin within the capital city of Slane. The self-proclaimed All-American wasted no time attacking with his Stand.

"Brilliant 2U!"

The group had to dodge around the energy shots that he fired off.

"He's like a combination of Jubilee and Havok," Gyro noted.

Holly peeked out and started spraying her mist in the area.

"What's that going to do?," Jotaro asked.

"It's Chumbawamba's main power," Holly explained, "It has the effect of lowering aggression, to the point where it can put people to sleep."

Sure enough, Kevin started getting drowsy, quickly falling asleep. Jotaro sighed.

"I can only imagine how you would have fared against our enemies back in the eighties."

Holly shrugged.

"Okay!"

Starlight chuckled and turned to George.

"Your sister is... Carefree."

"That's one way to put it," George replied, "I think she picked up a little too much of Mom's bubbly personality."

"Spore's out," Jotaro said, tossing the spore to George, who destroyed it with his Hamon.

"So you really tried pulling it out while time was stopped."

Jotaro smirked.

"Turns out I couldn't get it out completely before time started moving again, but I got it far enough that I could pull the rest out safely with little issue."

Kevin blinked as he rubbed his forehead.

"Jeez. When I got my hands on that blonde asshole..."

"You mean Barbro, right?," George asked.

Kevin nodded.

"While we were all under the spores' control he spoke of wanting to unite the world, but he felt the Spirit Tracks weren't needed since he wanted humans on top while the Spirit Tracks allowed all races to be equal."

He clenched his fist and grimaced.

"For someone like me, a true All-American, it was angering to hear. And if I hadn't been practically brainwashed I'd have slugged him right then and there!"

"We'll deal with him in due time," George said, "Do you know anything about his Stand?"

"I never saw it for myself," Kevin admitted, "But he often boasted that he could use it to create an infinite army, which Boullope would then transport using his own Stand, Midnight Train."

"We already suspect that he's behind the swelled numbers of the beastman army," George said, "Maybe one of the remaining four squad members will have more information."

Chapter Text

'And he wound up attacking our forces,' Yaldabaoth reported to Barbro.

The person he was referring to was Adimas, but Barbro was having a hard time believing it.

"That should be impossible! We experimented with those spores on a number of prisoners! The greatest surgeons in either this or the other world would be hard-pressed to remove them without causing severe brain damage or getting possessed themselves!"

He slammed his fist on the table inside Midnight Train.

"There's some other factor interfering... It's been like this ever since Joestar entered the picture..."

"We still have control of the world governments," Boullope assured him.

"But for how long?," Barbro pointed out, "If there is someone out there who can remove the spores and free our hostages, then it's only a matter of time before our plans come crashing down around us. There's nothing for it. We'll need to reverse our plans. Take over the other world first and use the resources there to conquer this realm. Surely there must be some in that world who would sympathize with us, for one reason or another. It would take time, but it's better than losing everything in this world."

"Hugo Bocci, member of the Russian Spetsnaz," Jotaro said, "Earned numerous medals of honor for service to the motherland, in no small part due to his Stand. It's a set of goggles that acts much like a HUD in a first-person shooter, providing him with a general location of enemies, an overall idea of his health, and an ammo count. It also lets him pull his various weapons out of literal thin air, so long as he's logged them as part of his personal loadout. It has one final effect, a timer. When the timer reaches its limit, Hugo can turn all of his projectile ammo into explosives. The higher the caliber, the more the explosive yield."

"Sounds like the perfect super soldier," Gyro noted, "How did the Russian Government agree to let Hugo be part of the team?"

"They owe Speedwagon a few favors," Jotaro explained, "Their studies into science and medicine have benefited the Russian environment, which doesn't really lend itself well to farming due to the cold. Beyond that, the chance to test Hugo's combat abilities in a variety of environments and against different opponents appealed to the Russian military. Now Hugo is still loyal to Moscow and the Motherland, so he should be the easiest to neutralize so I can remove the spore. He'll be fighting the infection the entire time, which will limit his combat abilities. We should take advantage of that."

Meanwhile, the beastman coalition was in full retreat after their loss at the stone labyrinth. Vijar was standing guard at a large colosseum that was once part of the Roble Holy Kingdom, before it fell into disuse centuries before. Already he could see the alliance approaching, including Baziwood. Vijar grinned.

'Another chance to fight that mighty warrior. Last time I was forced to retreat by Yaldabaoth. This time I will not leave until one of us is dead!'

Yaldabaoth saw his primary warrior standing stock still, waiting.

"Well, it's no skin off my nose. As long as he can hold off the advancing forces, I can make my escape to our main fortress."

However, as he approached the escape point, he heard someone call out, "Undead! Pyroclasm!"

A massive eruption occurred beneath Yaldabaoth and his forces, destroying many and sending him flying. He looked to see Momonga and his team.

"I hope you haven't forgotten about us," Momonga said, "George and his friends can handle finding your precious hostages. Right about now they are in the middle of locating Hugo Bocci. I believe your intent was to use him to maintain control over Baharuth. Unfortunately, it will not succeed."

Yaldabaoth grunted as he got up.

"How are you even able to remove the vampire spores?"

Momonga and his group chuckled.

"Do you really think we'd be so idiotic as to tell you?," he replied, "That would paint a glowing target. So long as you only have the knowledge that we can remove the spores, without knowing the specifics, that creates confusion. You don't know how, only that it is possible, so you don't know how to plan to avoid it."

Yaldabaoth growled, then held his hand up to his eye.

"Flash!"

The group quickly covered their eyes as a bright flash of light nearly blinded them, letting Yaldabaoth break away. He quickly tried to contact Vijar.

"Vijar! They have reinforcements! I need you to pull back and hold them off!"

But no one was answering.

As it happened, Vijar was too busy finishing his fight with Baziwood. Vijar grinned as the royal knight clashed against him.

"None before have ever held off my double-bladed axe so easily."

"That's the power of my Stand," Baziwood explained, "It doesn't guarantee victory, but it does insure that I always have a fighting chance."

Vijar laughed.

"A fitting power for one who understands the thrill of the fight!"

They broke off before charging at each other, their weapons flashing as they struck. Luckily for Baziwood, his armor provided just enough protection to avoid fatal damage. Vijar was not so lucky, Baziwood's sword having torn through his vitals. In spite of his imminent death, Vijar was satisfied.

"May the next Demon Claw prove an equally worthy ally to you, Baziwood Peshmel..."

He collapsed in the middle of the arena, breathing his last. This was sensed by all the other zoastia, who immediately put down their arms in acknowledgement of a superior fighter.

The other beastmen were not so quick to surrender, and continued to follow Yaldabaoth, before something came in to block his escape.

"How surprising," came George's voice, "We were tracking Hugo and wound up in the very battle meant for our distraction."

Yaldabaoth quickly realized Hugo was nearby, judging from the glint from his rifle.

"Burning the Floor!"

The sudden explosive shots surrounded the beastmen forces.

"Damn it!," Yaldabaoth called out, "Hugo's natural loyalty to his country is causing him to attack anyone, friend or foe! There's no choice but to escape!"

He quickly warped out. Meanwhile, Starlight used her Stand to erect a barrier of earth.

"We need to get in there, quick!"

"Jotaro!," George called out, "How many seconds do you think it would take to get to him from here, assuming the area was calm?"

Jotaro peeked out from the barrier.

"I'd say nine seconds, give or take. And that's at a full run. Of course, I can only afford two time stops in succession before it starts to negatively affect my heart."

"In that case," Gagaran said, "We'll draw his fire! Let you get in close to the point where you can use your Stand to go the rest of the way!"

Jotaro nodded. George quickly popped his head out.

"Tusk, Act 1!"

He fired off a few shots, Jotaro taking advantage of the covering fire. Hugo started to return fire, spotting Jotaro and trying to aim. However, Gagaran spotted this and got his attention by creating a quake with her hammer. Hugo quickly started firing on her.

"Indestructible!"

Gagaran activated her Stand to block the bullets, Lakyus getting in behind her.

"Call of Justice!"

Hugo found himself dodging. Zaryusu looked and saw what they were planning.

"They're herding him," he realized, "Getting him closer to Jotaro so he can activate his time stop sooner."

"Then let's keep it along," Shasryu said with a nod, "Saint Elmo's Fire!"

"Bass Renaissance!"

Hugo once again rolled out of the way to avoid the flaming discs and Tolkien's sonic cannon. However, this got him well within Jotaro's range.

"Star Platinum, The World!"

Time stopped in that moment, but Jotaro didn't. He managed to reach Hugo and had Star Platinum grab his rifle. Nothing else was necessary to disable Hugo, though Jotaro did make sure to physically slug him once time resumed to prevent a knife attack and knock him out. He waited a few seconds to make sure his power cooled down, then stopped time again to remove the spore. Before long, Hugo awoke.

Groaning, he muttered, "Finally back to my senses... It took everything I had to go along with your strategy."

"So you knew what we were planning," Jotaro noted.

"I am a Spetsnaz officer," Hugo reminded him, "Such tactics are drilled into our heads. Minus the superpowers, of course. Spahseebah for the rescue, Comrade."

He explained a bit about Barbro's intention.

"Ever since he learned about our world, ideas started forming in his head. He already had designs on conquering this realm, but he wanted more."

"Barbro's always had dreams of glorious conquest," Starlight noted, "Delusions of grandeur, if you ask me."

"Da, but his plans are crumbling," Hugo said, "I believe his next move will be to reverse his plans. Try to take over our world and use our advanced technologies to conquer this one."

"And there's no shortage of evil Stand users who'd be willing to side with him," George realized, "With their help, he could easily overthrow whole governments."

Lakyus put a hand to her chin.

"Could the other world truly have such powerful weapons that not even magic could overcome them?"

"I'd say that if Hugo's weapons are anything to go by," Evileye pointed out, "The weapons of the other world are not to be underestimated. After all, this is only the lower end of their destructive potential."

Holly nodded.

"Yeah, I'd hate to see the effect an atomic bomb could have on this world. Just thinking about such deadly weapons keeps Sadao up some nights. After all, he lost his father to the bomb that hit Nagasaki in our world."

"And Nagasaki is much larger than Re-Estize or Baharuth," Hugo noted, "If such a large city could be obliterated by an atomic warhead..."

"Let's change the subject for a bit," Zaryusu suggested, "We're trying to piece together what Barbro's Stand can do. Adimas suggested someone in the group might have some ideas, or seen its effect firsthand."

"I'm afraid I only saw a part of his power," Hugo admitted, "He is able to create and control copies of individuals. I'm not sure how exactly."

"That only tells us so much," George said, "Unless we know of any other tricks his Stand might pull off, we can't confront him safely."

He sighed.

"For now let's keep focusing on finding the other Stand users. We'll handle Barbro in due time."

Chapter Text

"You ever see these posters?," Jotaro asked as he laid one such poster on the table inside Ticket to Ride.

Gyro looked at it. On it was Trish Una, a well-known singer associated with Passione, and another girl around the same age.

"Yeah, the famous singing duo Una and Lorenzi. They're popular all over Italy and beyond. They have fans as far north as Germany."

"Trish Una, daughter of former Passione leader Diavolo, discovered something interesting about her singing partner," Jotaro explained, "Turns out, Raphaela Lorenzi is a Stand user as well."

Gyro looked surprised.

"I knew Trish was a Stand user, but how did she find out about Raphaela?"

"By accident," Jotaro replied, "The current leader Giorno and his capos were attending one of Trish and Raphaela's concerts when a bunch of thugs with minor Stand powers started wrecking the place. Trish joined in her old friends with her own Stand Spice Girl, but then realized Raphaela was able to see the entire thing, including the Stands being used. Speedwagon was contacted, and they confirmed Raphaela was also born with a Stand."

"That old trick of fate," George noted, "Stand users are drawn to each other. It's what allows villains like DIO and Pucci to attract followers. It's what lets us form powerful teams of heroes. Somehow, by accident, Trish wound up drawing another Stand user to her that just happened to be a talented singer. Just what can Raphaela's Stand do?"

"She can phase through solid objects," Jotaro said, "Anything she grabs can follow her, including parts of whatever she's phasing through. She can still breathe in her intangible state, all her senses still work, and if she is forced to turn off her power while inside an object, she'll instantly pop out into the nearest empty space. Also, the Stand itself can physically attack."

"Been a while since we've seen such a Stand," Gyro noted, "Most of the Stands we've encountered in this world rely purely on their gimmicks."

Jotaro nodded.

"With how many different powers are out there in the world, it makes sense close-range power types would be in the minority. How are things going in Roble?"

"Many tribes have begun to surrender and agree to peace talks," Zesshi replied, "Among them the bafolk, the zoastia, and others. However, Yaldabaoth still holds sway over many tribes."

"His charisma is waning in the face of constant loses," Starlight noted, "It's only a matter of time before these wars are over."

The alliance forces had managed to track Yaldabaoth down to a large garden villa, once owned by a noble lord from Roble who had been killed in the early days of the war. Yaldabaoth was attempting to seal off the pathway to him using a ritual spell that required full concentration. Orlando noted the position he was in.

"No army could get close to his location. Luckily we've plenty of friends who are Stand users who can approach."

Remedios gripped her weapon.

"I can't wait to finally get close enough. He surely counts as an evil entity, allowing me to finally find redemption in this war."

"Until then we can distract the beastmen forces by battling them out here," Orlando noted, "But we must use caution. It's possible Yaldabaoth might try to hypnotize our forces against us."

Indeed, the machinations of both Yaldabaoth and another demon, an ape-like one named Boreas, caused several lesser commanders to turn against the allied forces, causing chaos among the battlefield. Yaldabaoth laughed as he saw this happen.

"Finally it seems I have found a stroke of good fortune. My thanks, Boreas. I thought us in danger with the loss of Vijar, but now I know we have nothing to fear."

"Don't get so arrogant," came a sudden voice, "You've yet to experience true fear."

Sensing something above, Yaldabaoth looked up to see Nishikienrai, who was perfectly perched on a spire point, standing as if he were on a sidewalk.

"Turning Japanese!"

He leapt into the air upside-down, throwing several small daggers as he did, which embedded into Yaldabaoth's flesh. The ninja warrior landed, slashed at the spell seal to destroy it, before grabbing the horned demon and launching into a classic Izuna Drop. This broke his concentration, allowing his puppets to break their strings and return to normal. The ones still controlled by Boreas followed suit when Nishikienrai's attack allowed the other Stand users to blindside the beastmen forces. Boreas found himself confused by the sudden reinforcements, leaving him wide open as Hugo spotted him with his sniper rifle.

"Dasvidaniya. Burning the Floor!"

Kevin also ran in to help.

"Brilliant 2U!"

Boreas grunted as several explosive shots impacted against him, forcing him to flee from the battlefield, and undoing his mind manipulation. Yaldabaoth himself was confronted by Gazef.

"For a demon you're quite the coward. Perhaps you are far weaker than you appear."

Yaldabaoth grimaced.

"You think me weak...? You'll understand true fear when I am done!"

He suddenly got lit ablaze, the flames covering the entire area.

"Behold my burning hellfire!"

"Some hellfire," Gazef said as he stepped out of the inferno, his wounds easily healing.

Yaldabaoth was completely flabbergasted.

"True hellfire bypasses all conventional defenses," Gazef explained, "Even my Stand wouldn't protect me from it. But these flames, conjured though they may be, are no different from regular fire. Thus my Stand protects me from burning damage, and heals me from the immediate injuries caused."

Yaldabaoth gulped as he started sweating, then went for his teleport spell.

"Nope! Nope! Never seen so much 'Nope' in a warrior before!"

And with that, he disappeared. Gazef scoffed.

"Guess he is just a coward after all. No matter. His escape spell's running out. Sooner or later one of us will take him out permanently."

Remedios soon came running up.

"Damn it! He got away again. Next time for sure... We can't let him keep running."

"I wouldn't worry," Gazef assured her, "He's getting tired. Even with whatever help Barbro is giving him his forces are running out. We're winning this war of attrition, and he knows it. It's just a matter of time..."

"Dive!"

Raphaela moved her Stand to attack Tusk Act 4, the two Stands clashing with their fists. Around them chunks had been taken out of the ground where Raphaela had used her Stand to phase into the ground. Dive resembled a humanoid ladybug, lithe and female with steel wings, its eyes appearing to form a helmet of sorts over a very human face. The rest of the group was keeping their distance. With how simple yet powerful Raphaela was compared to the other Stand users, she was easily able to keep them all on their toes. Finally, George was able to slip in a fingernail shot that clipped Raphaela's cheek, causing her to wince and lose concentration.

"There's my opening. Tusk, Act 4!"

Raphaela soon found herself on the wrong end of a classic Joestar beatdown.

"ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA!"

Once Raphaela was knocked out from the barrage of punches, Jotaro approached.

"So you do that too, huh? My daughter Jolyne also picked it up."

"Guess our family just resonates with each other," George pointed out, "You are my nephew after all, even if we don't share the same last name."

Holly couldn't help but beam at her brother and son starting to bond. Raphael groaned after the removal of the spore.

"Grazie. I couldn't take much more of Barbro leering at me. I think I remind him of his late mistress. He kept using his Stand to create a copy of her for the sake of his daughter. Burrow I think her name was."

"So Barbro is Burrow's father," Gyro realized, "The blonde hair should have been a giveaway."

"You said he used his Stand to do this?," George asked.

Raphaela nodded.

"The copy would repeat one action at first, then wouldn't move until Barbro gave it a mental command."

"I think we're getting a clearer picture of what Barbro can do," George noted, "Hopefully the remaining two teammates can clarify a few things."

Chapter Text

"One of Old Man Speedwagon's most successful mining ventures was headed by the Votten family out in Coober Pedy," Jotaro said, "And in recent years, the current generation has produced a very powerful Stand user. Lewis Votten is next in line to run the company, and with his Stand he can easily bring Votten Coal to new heights."

"How so?," Starlight asked.

"It lets him track down valuable resources hidden deep in the earth," Jotaro explained, "Coal, gold, oil, diamonds, you name it. And once he's found it, his Stand can produce powerful controlled explosions to blast through the bedrock."

"Sounds dangerous," George noted, "Especially since his Stand is also a physical fighter. One punch from him could cause serious damage. And with that spore infecting him he's not likely to hold back. We'll need to use extra caution in dealing with him. Speaking of which, the allied forces are closing in on Yaldabaoth. All indication are he's down to his last escape spell. But there's also the issue of his right-hand man, Boreas."

"And once we deal with them," Starlight said, "We'll be one step closer to ending this long struggle..."

The twin spiral mountains not far from the Holy Capital was the next staging area for the conflict. Yaldabaoth double-checked his spells.

"Damn it... My uses of the escape spell are near depleted. If I ever run out..."

"Then perhaps our next move should we lose here is to retreat to the tear," Boreas suggested.