Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The coffin was as claustrophobic as it was dark, and it was pitch black. Dio had spent the past… however long He was stuck in here thinking, if only to keep His mind off of the cramped coffin and pain in His neck.

A lesser man would lose his mind and stop thinking, Dio Brando was not a lesser man. He was immortal, unkillable; His destiny was to rule over others, He could feel it. If all others were aware of their fate to live beneath His heel, it’d all be so much easier.

…Now there’s an idea, have everyone learn of their inevitable fate as Dio’s food, salve, or both. Not that that’s realistic, but then again, He did become a bloodsucking monster and take the body of His adopted brother as his own.

“That… that’s it! We’ve finally recovered it!”

'Wait, what was that noise?'

“A treasure chest that sank fifty years ago!”

‘Fifty years? Freedom!?’

“C’mon, get the blowtorch, let’s open it!”

‘YES YES YES YES YES! Wait, what time is it? Well, it doesn’t matter, I’m in the second compartment. Besides, I apparently waited fifty years, I can wait a few more hours.’

“Hurry! The sun’s about to go down!”

‘Oh? Looks like I won’t have to wait for long…’

Dio could hardly feel the pain in His neck right now. The fresh air, the moonlit sky, the salty smell of the sea, the screams of the crew members he devoured, the euphoria He felt couldn't be brought down by anything. The only thing that stopped it from being the greatest high was the birthmark on the base of His/Jojo's neck. Dio felt a presence connected to the birthmark, one far, far away... It felt somewhat familiar, like when He could sense when His father would next throw a wine bottle at Him, like the bond He shared with His mother before she left this world; almost like... family. "Did Jojo have children?" Dio spoke out loud to himself, the sole remaining member of the ships crew to terrified to respond.

Dio smiled, "Jonathan's descendants, time to meet uncle DIO."

The next day...

Robert E. O. Speedwagon was having an average afternoon drinking his coffee and reading the newspaper. Even Speedwagon spat out his coffee when he read the caption at the bottom of the front page. "TREASURE HUNTING SHIP FOUND EMPTY". "Treasure Hunting ship 'Irene' was found empty off the coast of Africa, with no trace of the missing crew. The only thing of note was a large coffin with the name 'DIO' emblazoned on it,"

Speedwagon didn't even bother reading the rest of the article, only rereading those three letters on the coffin several times over to make sure he wasn't imagining it. Sure enough, those horrible three letters synonymous with pure evil were on that coffin. Speedwagon felt chills go down his spine; his worst nightmare was realized. The nightmare incarnate, Dio Brando, was still alive.

Speedwagon needed to tell the others immediately. Fortunately, he was meeting with Straits in Mexico the next day; he could tell him about Dio then. He knew that if he could trust anyone with this, it was Straits.

Chapter Text

After 2 full days of sailing, and 2 days in that cramped, suffocating coffin to protect Himself from the sun, DIO had landed at a dock in the middle of the night. After disposing of the terrified and now worthless captain, He made His way to the source of that sensation in his birthmark. The streets were loaded with people, going about their lives and only giving DIO a few weird looks for his attire. He was still wearing the now out of date outfit Jojo had been wearing when he died on that boat all those years ago; minus the blood-stained jacket of course.

The world had changed so much since that fateful night. On the roads, there were no chariots being drawn by horses, but rather peculiar devices with wheels and windows that could retract, like a small house on wheels. A key seemed to be required to propel the vehicle forwards, judging from one particularly annoying person yelling loudly about his missing keys. DIO was tempted to kill him out of sheer annoyance if that wouldn't alert Joestar junior to his location.

DIO was wondering about what He would do when He found Jojo's descendant. Maybe He should drink his blood? Perhaps that would stop the unending pain in his neck. He could see it now, Joestar junior sacrificing himself to save a maiden He could take as a hostage, ultimately leading to DIO snuffing out the Joestar bloodline. Truth be told, DIO wasn't sure what to expect from Jonathan's flesh and blood; if they was anything like their ancestor, manipulating that gentlemanly honor would guarantee DIO's victory.

DIO had heard a truly wondrous amount of rapid gunshots from around the corner as well as screaming from that direction. He went into the growing crowd and observed and overheard what the purple-haired shooter had to say to his victim.

"I was waiting for you, Straits."

Straits? That Ripple user that fought alongside Jojo all those years ago? He was the one shot? DIO was liking this mad shooter already.

"I don't think you'll go down so easily. That was for Speedwagon. This is war."

Wait, this man is an ally of Speedwagon? The same Speedwagon who foiled His attempted patricide 50 years ago? If the shooter was an ally of Speedwagon, he was likely an ally of Joestar and thus needed to die. If DIO could just see his face this would be so much easier.

Chapter Text

DIO was expecting several things when the mad shooter inspected Straits' body. Straits getting up like nothing happened wasn't one of those! Was he a vampire now? If so then why? Had he already learned how to flash-freeze and shoot highly pressurized blood from his eyes? If that's the case then Straits needed to die before he could ever endanger DIO and his rule.

“Dio's failure was in playing with his powers. He wanted to understand their limits.” Straits said, “But my philosophy is different. I'll find the extent of my powers after I've killed you.”

DIO scoffed at Straits' words. How could you beat your enemies if you didn't even know what you were capable of? Had He fought Jojo without learning of His power to shoot out high-pressure blood(he needed a better name for that power) or the ability to create chimeras, DIO would never have been able to take Jonathan's body. Not that Straits knew that of course. Not only that, but Straits somehow didn't even realize that he was talking to a mirror . DIO was almost tempted to kill Straits right where he stood for such insolence and idiocy if it wouldn't alert the other combatant to his presence.

Straits began to shout, “Face my Space Ripper Stingy Eyes, Joseph!” and in an instant, blood had shot out of Straits’ eyes into the wall in front of him, himself smirking.

DIO had two things to think about at that moment. One, Space Ripper Stingy Eyes was definitely not going to be the name for the attack. Two, why was Straits acting like he had just killed this ‘Joseph’ when he was still only behind him and also didn't hear Joseph’s body drop to the ground? Killing Straits may be easier than DIO thought.

“Now all that’s left is Erina Joestar,” Straits said confidently, “it’ll be easier than taking candy from a baby,” He and Joseph both said at the same time cuing a shocked look on Straits’ face as he stared back at the mirror.

Joseph smirked, “Your next line is ‘How did he survive that hole in his head?’, am I right?”

“How did he survive that hole in his head?” Stairs said, confused and then he gasped, glancing up. “A mirror?!” Straits turned, only to be met with the butt of Joseph's gun.

Finally! DIO thought to Himself, How did this idiot not even notice sooner! DIO then noticed Joseph do a sharp inhale, as if he- No, that’s not possible… but it was. Joseph and his gun started shimmering with an all too familiar glow, the glow of the Ripple. “Joestar junior”, DIO whispered softly to Himself. There he was, the flesh and blood of Jojo that DIO was searching for. He and his blood was right there for the taking. Now that Straits was dead, it was time for DIO to- why was Straits getting back up?

“Let me let you in on a little secret Jojo.” Straits said, presenting his scarf. “Woven within this scarf are 30,000 stomachs belonging to a species of beetle found in southeast Asia; it conducts the Ripple far better than any human.”

Joseph smiled in smug surprise as he walked towards the open window, his eyes never leaving Straits, “Wow that sure is something! But did you think I would rely only on the Ripple?” Joseph pulled at a cord attached to his finger, pulling off a pin to a grenade attached to Straits’ scarf.

“How did you!?” Straits said before batting the grenade away.

“You really should spend more time in the city,” Joseph exclaimed, “take a look at that grenade!”

Straits glanced back at the flying grenade, only now noticing the strings attached to it pulling on the pins of several grenades on Straits’ back. “You son of a-” was all he could say before the grenades detonated, with himself at ground zero.

DIO watched the spectacle unload, silently wishing He had brought popcorn to enjoy the show. He seemed to be the only one to realize that the fight still wasn’t over, though that was about to change very soon.

Jojo jr. and all the other spectators looked on in horror as the mangled parts of Straits’ body began crawling back into place. Straits’ reassembled body was hunched over, had his legs bending the wrong way, and a side of his torso missing. The boy standing next to Joseph turned to him, “What do we do now, Jojo!?” he said in a panicking tone.

“I’ll have to pull out my secret technique,” Joseph replied, “see his mangled legs? That’s our ticket.”

“And your technique?” the young boy replied.

Joseph smirked for a moment before turning around “TO GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE, SMOKEY!” he yelled as he booked it down the street.

DIO was briefly taken aback by Joestar’s cowardice before sneakily following; He didn’t pay Straits any mind, DIO was too focused on that ever alluring Joestar blood.

Joseph Joestar was not having a good day. He had his wallet stolen, had a fight in a restaurant, there was a burning sensation in his neck, and oh yeah, uncle Speedwagon was dead and his killer was an immortal vampire like the ones from granny Erina’s stories !

His grenade plan had failed, and Straits was probably only a few blocks away chasing both him and Smokey; and all Jojo could do was run away to hopefully think of a plan to stop Straits.

He and Smokey had made it to the Brooklyn Bridge before stopping to catch their breaths. they probably had at least a few minutes before Straits caught up with him. All Joseph had on him right now was the Ripple and two shot glasses he took from the cafe. Maybe that could counter that Space ripped stinger eyes or whatever they're called. Of course he’d only have a fraction of a second to react, but that might just be enough.

“Jojo, up there!” Smokey said, pointing up to the arch of the bridge.

So much for the element of surprise , Jojo thought as he looked to where Smokey was pointing, seeing Straits holding a blond woman as a hostage.

“If you come any closer, the reporter dies!” Straits shouted from across the bridge. “This is a test; if you leave now, I’ll know you’re no threat to me and I’ll rest to heal. However, if you do come up here, I’ll know you’re indeed a threat and kill you now. You have 5 seconds before the woman dies, Jojo.”

Joseph fought the urge to roll his eyes, “I don’t even know that woman! Why should I care what happens to her!”

Straits frowned, “Then I’ll rip off her jaw.” as he put two fingers in her mouth.

Jojo heard a cracking sound and Straits soon thereafter pulled his fingers out and tossed something towards him. When Joseph inspected it, he found that Straits had in fact pulled out the reporter's tooth! Joseph grit his teeth at the realization and tore off his jacket as his blood began to boil. Before he realized what he was doing, Jojo had jumped onto the arch of the Brooklyn Bridge. As he began to yell at Straits, “You inhuman bastard!”

Straits remained stoic and stared at Joseph, “Despite that cool exterior, you’re full of fire on the inside,” Straits tossed the reporter behind him. “DIE!” he shouted as he shot out those blood-eye lasers.

Joseph only had barely a half-second to react at that distance, and in that half-second he put the two shot glasses to his forehead and chest and channeled them with Ripple energy. One of the lasers pierced his shoulder, but the other was aimed at his forehead, causing the blood to curve on the inside of the glass and pierce Straits’ head instead of Joseph’s.

Straits almost fell into the ocean before Joseph caught his arm. “Not yet, Straits, I want answers, what really happened to Speedwagon?”

Straits sighed, “You’re just like your grandfather, you’re both insatiably curious. Soon you will learn of what I found in Mexico, of the Pillar Man, as well as the ghost of your family's past. That thing started draining the bodies of the men I killed of their blood, like a leech, so I threw the bodies out of the cave. I can tell that the man in the pillar will soon awaken from its 2,000 year long slumber. It’s almost your destiny to face it.” Straits inhaled sharply, and the glow of the Ripple surged through him as pieces of his body broke off, leaving a heavenly light shining through.

“Straits, no!”

“I have no regrets,” said Straits, “I’m glad to have died a young man instead of an old husk of my former self. Goodbye, Jojo.” Those were Strats’ final words as his own Ripple overtook him, leaving nothing behind.

DIO had seen the battle from the top of the bridge, and He had several observations.

One, Joseph Joestar was nothing like Jojo; Jonathan was a gentleman, and always tried to overpower his enemies. By contrast, Joseph used every dirty trick in the book to outsmart his enemies, which would make killing him much harder.

Two, Joseph was a brilliant strategist, able to deflect the blood lasers with only the Ripple and two small glasses.

Three, Joestar got information from Straits that DIO wasn’t able to overhear, and He needed every advantage He could get with this weakened body He had. It was safer to bide His time and follow Jojo jr. then go out guns blazing and play all of His cards too early.

And lastly four, it was almost sunrise and He needed somewhere to hide for the day. He’ll follow Joseph Joestar’s trail tomorrow night. Best to know thy enemy and all that.