Archive of Our Own

Morioh, early summer of 1999

The first rays of sunshine slipped through Echo’s curtains. She groaned as the warm morning light brushed her face. After several failed attempts to stay asleep, she reluctantly gave in. Blinking at her alarm clock, she rubbed her eyes until finally recognizing the time: 6 AM.
She groaned again, muffling the sound in her pillow. She woke nearly an hour before her alarm, restless from both the stress of moving in and nerves about her first day of school, a combination that had left her with hardly any sleep. It had only been a few days since Echo and her father arrived in Morioh. Having spent her childhood moving between France and Japan for her diplomat father’s work, she was used to big cities. This time, though, her father insisted on settling in a smaller town for 'peace and quiet.'

She lay on her back in the unfamiliar room; unpacked boxes were scattered about. Posters of her favorite artists already dotted her walls. Books of various French classical authors were neatly arranged on the bookshelf. She lay there for a while, staring at the ceiling. Her anxiety about school grew with each passing minute. Not only was it her first day as a first-year high schooler, but she also arrived a week late due to move-in issues. This only added to the pit in her stomach. She hated changing schools, especially in Japan. Like always, she would face days, probably even weeks, of stares from her classmates and be treated like an exotic animal for being Foreign. The mere idea of having to deal with that kind of attention made her skin crawl. Until people lost interest, she would sadly have to endure it. She ran her hands across her face to clear away any remnants of drowsiness. Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, she finally got up to face the day ahead of her.

The minutes blurred together as she got herself ready, her mind focused on her morning routine and nothing else, numbing out the lingering dread in her stomach. She checked herself one last time in her floor-length mirror. The seams of her sage-green school uniform pressed uncomfortably against her skin as she tried to flatten nonexistent wrinkles. Fidgeting once more with her golden crescent moon brooch atop the lavender ribbon, and readjusted her golden moon phase belt. It’s been a while since she wore a Japanese school uniform, and never liked the fact that she couldn’t wear what she wanted, like back in France, so she took the liberty to add her golden trinkets, a small act of rebellion, a way to add a sliver of her own identity to the otherwise boring uniform. With a quiet sigh, she traced the tiny ridges of the brooch one last time, gathering her composure before finally heading downstairs, expecting to be greeted by her father. Instead, the kitchen and living room were completely empty, devoid of any signs of life, except for a single neatly written note left behind on the dining table:

“Left early for work. Have a good day at school.”

-Papa

Reading the note, Echo’s expression remained unchanged as she tossed it back onto the table. Despite her father's insistence on moving to a quiet town, his job still required him to commute to S City regularly, leaving her alone most days. She was used to this; even in the city, his diplomatic work kept him busy for long periods of time. Ironically, she preferred it that way; she and her father had never been particularly close, and when he was home, they just ended up arguing anyway. Leaving the note without any second thoughts, she focused more on making coffee rather than on her old man. She skipped breakfast, unable to stomach anything except her usual morning coffee, black, with no milk or sugar, which she downed in seconds before heading to the front door. She took one last look at her reflection in the hallway mirror to fix any rebellious strands of teal hair that always seemed to be unruly at the worst time. Gripping her schoolbag tighter, she took a deep breath before finally heading out.

Within the first few steps outside, she was greeted by the warm early summer air. The quaint suburban neighborhood was a stark contrast from the towering buildings of Tokyo or the noisy traffic of Paris. She paused for a moment as she took in the new scenery. Surprisingly, to her, the change wasn’t entirely unwelcome; the town's calmer, slower atmosphere was quite charming, and she let herself appreciate it. As she walked to school, Echo noticed the number of uniformed students growing. Friends greeted each other, chatted about today's classes, and complained about last night's homework. The usual teenage chatter blended together. For Echo, it was all muffled noise as anxiety rose; she became fully aware of the curious looks and hushed whispers directed at her. She felt exposed and knew very well she stood out. Typically, this would be something she’d usually brush off, but it was getting harder to ignore with the tightening in her chest. The small town's attention felt more intense than the indifference of big cities. Despite her quickening pulse, she forced herself to stay calm and hide her nerves. From the outside, Echo managed to mask any trace of inner panic. Her stoic facade remained immaculate amid the curious stares of other students.

Focused on maintaining her composure, Echo barely noticed the sudden commotion behind her. A chorus of high-pitched squeals erupted. A group of schoolgirls suddenly shoved past her, running excitedly. Surprised and annoyed, Echo muttered some unsavory French as she resumed her walk, frowning at the girls now sprinting ahead. What was that all about? she wondered. Only then did she see the reason for their excitement. Ahead, the girls had surrounded a tall male student. His back was turned, so she couldn’t see his face. On the sideline were two other male students. One was equally tall and looked rather scary with his large ‘X’-like scar across his face and seemed to be grumbling about something as he looked at the flock of girls with envy. The other boy was much shorter, with a kinder face, and appeared to be trying to comfort his envious friend.

Echo raised an eyebrow at the scene as she walked past. She quickly assumed the tall boy surrounded by girls was likely to be one of the school's popular guys. Curiosity got the better of her as she stole a quick glance at him. Her eyes widened at his distinctive pompadour. That, along with his modified school uniform ,made him look straight out of an eighties Japanese delinquent movie. He was chatting with the group of swooning girls who giggled whenever he spoke or smiled. Despite his unusual look, Echo had to admit he was rather handsome, with sharp features that clearly showed the boy was mixed-race, notably his clear blue eyes, a charming smile, and a well-built physique. No wonder girls wanted his attention, she thought. But quickly reminded herself that this was exactly the type of cocky, bad-boy wannabe heartbreaker she went out of her way to avoid like the plague. She deliberately set her expression back to her usual aloofness but couldn’t help steal another glance. This time, the boy's eyes met hers for a brief second. She stiffened, frowned, and immediately looked away, then lengthened her stride to continue her way toward the school entrance. She immediately cursed herself for being so nosy. This was going to be a long day.

____

Later that morning, in class, Josuke sat at his usual seat in the back, his eyes wandering toward the window as he ignored most of what was happening around him. His blissful daydreaming quickly ended, however, as whispers rose with the teacher’s entrance, with a girl following behind. Turning his attention to the front, he took a brief look at the new arrival. Which turned out to be the girl who had glared at him for some unknown reason earlier on the way to school. Buzz filled the classroom with whispers at the newcomer’s arrival. "A transfer?" "A Foreigner? Where’s she from?" "She looks intimidating." The teacher had to hush the classroom before order was restored. Meanwhile, the girl, cold and unreadable, ignored the wave of whispers and stares. The teacher finally cleared his throat and began.

“Good morning, everyone. Before we start our lesson, I’d like to introduce our new student from overseas, Echo Delaseine. She’s coming to us from France.”

The teacher quickly motioned towards Echo, who politely bowed to her new classmates.

“Nice to meet you.”

Her Japanese was decent, though accented, which added a certain coldness to her already frosty tone and demeanor. Murmurs erupted again. "France?" "Her accent’s so elegant." "How did a French girl end up in Morioh?" Josuke ignored his classmates' chatter, keeping his focus on the new girl. Their eyes met again for a brief moment. As before, she gave him another annoyed look before taking her seat not far in front of him. Leaning back in his chair, Josuke crossed his arms, his expression a mix of annoyance and bewilderment, wondering if she already disliked him or if he was just imagining it.

“The hell is her problem?” he muttered, catching Koichi’s attention, who was sitting next to him. His friend glanced at the new student, then at Josuke, confused.

“Everything alright?”

"Yeah, yeah," Josuke replied, feigning indifference. "Just… I think Miss Frenchy over there doesn’t seem to like me for some reason."

He gave her one last look. She was now fixated on the lesson, giving the cold shoulder to anyone who attempted to draw her attention. He tried to shrug off the encounter and stare out the window. But as class dragged on, Josuke’s mind drifted back to the new girl and her piercing glare. Usually, stares like these never bothered him except when it was about his hair. But there was something about this new girl that Josuke couldn’t quite put his finger on. Eyeing her, he recalled Hazamada’s words from days before while visiting him at the hospital: 'Stand users are subconsciously drawn to each other, even if they’ve never met. Just like the strings of fate.' Josuke’s eyes narrowed as suspicion grew. Could it be? No, no, he was probably overthinking it. She was probably just a stuffy, stuck-up girl who didn’t like his looks or something. Still, with the Stand Arrow still at large in the hands of Red Hot Chili Pepper and the seemingly growing numbers of Stand users in the town, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was up with her. He’ll be keeping an eye on that mysterious French transfer.

____

The second morning, classes were over a group of classmates swarmed Echo’s desk. All were eager and curious to get to know her. One female classmate cheerfully approached her, smiling sweetly.

“Echo-chan, do you want to join us for lunch? We can show you around the school, after that, too.” She asked cheerfully, and the other classmates all nodded in approval. Echo lifted her head; her expression remained neutral.

“That is very kind of you, but I would rather eat alone,” she replied bluntly, despite her polite tone; her accent didn't help her aloof demeanor either. With those words, she sat up, gave a small nod, and wished her classmates a nice meal before leaving without another word. The classmates were completely taken aback when she declined their invitation. Chatter around the icy French student only grew after that interaction. Some annoyed, some in awe.

After some wandering around the school, Echo finally found a quiet spot on the school’s rooftop, far from any prying eyes, incessant whispers, and meaningless chat, with a nice, clear view of the town. Finding herself a comfortable spot to sit, she let out a sigh of relief, ruffling her hair to let out any excess frustration. At last, she was finally alone with just her thoughts and the quaint silhouette of Morioh. She sat there in silence, enjoying the view and the peace of it all while mindlessly nibbling on her lunch. Today has been a lot for her, and it wasn’t even done yet; she didn’t  blame the other students for being curious about her or wanting to get to know her, but Echo simply didn’t do well with people, never has, never will. As a child, she quickly learned not to rely on others. Despite growing up in a rather wealthy, privileged household, her parents barely acknowledged her, seeing her more as an asset than as their child. Only caring about her grades and how she reflects on the family name; hell, her mother didn’t even bother to come to Japan with her and her father for work or some other reason Echo didn’t even care to ask about. She grew numb to trying to get her parents' approval or anyone's attention, to that matter. She still maintains good grades, acts properly and politely, and is, overall, a straight-edge student, despite her tendency to snap back when prompted due to her short temper. She still tries to satisfy her parents. It was easier like that, less nagging and arguing from her parents; it was the same for relationships: polite but never close; it was easier, more comfortable for Echo. She never liked people getting close, in fear of being set aside just as her parents had been. So, she keeps everyone at arm's length for her own well-being, never letting anyone past the walls she had built over the years, leading many to think she’s cold or even uncaring, something she didn’t mind if it meant she was left alone. Though technically Echo was never truly alone, leaning her head against the wall, she looked up at the sky, deep in her thoughts; she raised her hand as if reaching for the clouds above.

“At least you’re here with me.”

She muttered under her breath, and a faint glimmer surged around her hand as if it was answering to her words; another hand, barely visible, flickered before quietly fading away. Sadly, her usual brooding was unceremoniously cut short by the school bell signalling the end of lunch break. Echo let out a grunt in annoyance, running her hand through her face before begrudgingly getting herself up and making her way back to class, time to face the world again.

____

Chatter echoed through the classroom; the bell rang, signalling the end of break. Josuke still sat at his desk, was casually chatting with Koichi and Okuyasu, who had joined them during break, and was planning on leaving at the last minute to join his own class as per usual; the typical teenage boy chat was mixed with the recent stand-related events: Hazamada and his stand Surface, and the whole Yukako mess Koichi had to deal with.

“Man, I don’t think I can handle seeing Yukako in the hallways anymore,” Koichi whined, sprawling himself on his desk as he ruffled his own hair.

“She’s being weird with you again?” Josuke asked, leaning against his chair.

“Want us to beat the crap out of her or somethin’?” Okuyasu added mid-chew as he scarfed down a bag of chips, crumbs flying as he spoke.

“Stop talking with your mouth open, jackass, it’s gross as hell!” Josuke punched his shoulder, making his friend yelp in protest.

“No,no! She’s not doing anything.” Koichi cut in, waving his hands frantically, not wanting his friends to cause any trouble. “Thankfully, she learned her lesson and hasn’t done anything since, but when I see her at school, she just… stares. It’s kinda creepy.” He mumbled as a shiver came through his body when the image of Yukako staring at him down the hallway came back to his mind. The two other friends nodded and hummed, understanding Koichi’s predicament.

“Well, at least ya got a cool new stand upgrade with the bullshit she tried to pull off,” Okuyasu noted with his mouth full again, granting him another irritated punch from Josuke.

“Stop being so gross, man, jeez,” Josuke complained before turning back to Koichi. “But he’s right, your new ability is pretty sweet, Koich-” His words died when a certain teal-haired girl entered the classroom, walking straight to her seat and ignoring everyone. Okuyasu and Koichi followed where Josuke was looking, curious what made their friend stop talking.

Okuyasu made a small ‘ohh’ as he took a good look at the girl, then looked back at his friends, his thumb pointing at Echo. “Who’s that?” he exclaimed, probably loud enough for her or the whole class to hear.

“A new girl in our class, Echo Delaseine, she’s from France apparently,” Koichi replied.

Okuyasu let out a low whistle, taking another glance at her. “France, eh?” He promptly nudged Josuke. “So what? Ya got the hots for her or somethin’? Gotta say she’s pretty hot.” He cackled before getting a quick kick to his shin from Josuke in protest.

“Shut up! I’m not!” he grunted in a half-whisper, not wanting Echo to hear them talking about her.

“Josuke is under the impression she doesn’t like him,” Koichi remarked.

“Well, she doesn’t seem to like anyone, honestly. Looks like the lady is givin’ the cold shoulder to everyone.” Okuyasu pointed out, as Echo was dismissing some of their classmates who were trying to get her attention.

“It’s not that just… I don’t know, my gut is telling me something is up with that new girl.” Josuke tried to explain as his friends shared a look.

“You think she could be a Stand user?” Koichi questioned, leaning in with a hushed, conspiring tone, making sure no one else could hear him.

Josuke crossed his arms, taking a look at the girl, “Maybe, with what Hazamada told us the other day, the whole ‘Stand users are drawn to each other’ speech. I'd rather keep an eye on her just in case, you know?”

“Yer overthinkin’ this man,” Okuyasu exclaimed, tapping his friend on the back with a grin. “Aren’t the French known to be like stuck-up and snobby? Ya just don’t like that a cute girl s’not fawnin’ over ya!” He snickered, granting him another punch from Josuke on his shoulder.

“I swear to go-” Josuke’s protest died down in a strangled hush when his teacher entered the class. Okuyasu promptly got up as it was his cue to leave, waving the pair with a shit-eating grin directed at Josuke. The concerned boy could only huff in irritation, slumping in his seat while grumbling something unintelligible. Koichi gave him a small, amused smile in support before the teacher began their lesson. Which Josuke didn’t pay much attention to; his eyes always seemed to make their way on that set of teal hair, annoying him even further.

____

As the rest of the day went on, Echo’s irritation and fatigue grew, and the rumors of her arrival spread throughout the school. But what annoyed her the most was that pompadour guy; the fact that they were in the same class felt like an ironic joke from fate. She couldn’t pinpoint why he frustrated her so much; maybe it was his cocky demeanor around the other girls in school, or maybe it was his attempt to look like a delinquent from 20 years ago. It didn’t really matter to Echo why; all she needed to know was that she definitely didn’t like him. Was it shallow of her to judge this guy just by his looks? Absolutely, but that's how she functioned, judging books by their covers without any second thoughts. A way for her to avoid wasting time with people. And Echo was certain he noticed her dislike of him.

During the day, she would catch him staring in class or in the hallways, and she even heard parts of his conversation with his friends when she came back after lunch. Though she didn’t hear all of it, she was still well aware it was about her. Echo would only glare back or simply ignore him, not wanting to waste her time.  But there was also something else when their eyes met; she felt something deep in the far back end of her mind, almost like a pull, as if an invisible thread tugged at her every time their path crossed, but Echo made sure to ignore all this and the odd chill she felt deep within her.

When the final bell rang, announcing the end of the day, the class became a chorus of relieved sighs, chatter, and the sound of bags being packed. Echo felt her shoulders relax ever so slightly at the idea of finally getting out of here and heading straight home. She quickly packed her belongings and almost had to restrain herself from bolting out of the class. She was the first to leave, making sure to avoid any unwanted eye contact or interaction. A low sigh escaped her lips when she was finally off the school grounds; her pace slowed as she tried to enjoy the quiet town scenery, feeling herself relax as the distance between her and the school grew. The day had drained her completely, and she was already starting to miss the bustling crowds of cities where she could simply blend in and not worry about socializing. Here, even outside of school, she noticed a few stares, but they were more bearable than in school, at least.

That was until a young man who looked like he was a third year was shamelessly checking her out, his eyes darting up and down her body with a cocky grin growing on his face as he stepped closer. Echo had to stop herself from looking disgusted at him, the familiar feeling of anger already bubbling up inside her ; she didn’t want to give any sort of reaction, despite her irritation growing from the already irritating day. Walking past him, she looked straight ahead, making sure to ignore him. The man let out an obnoxious wolf whistle in her direction.

“Damn, girl, where you going looking that fine?" he drawled out with a grin that made Echo’s blood boil.

But she kept on ignoring him and walking on, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of a reaction, but the third year was insistent, now following her close behind, his grin still on full display as he invaded her personal space.

“Never seen your pretty face before, you’re new in town or something?”

No response. But the young man wouldn’t give up that easily; he leaned towards her to get a better look at her, and let out a ‘ooohh’ as he took in her features.

“A foreigner, eh? Where  are   you  from, pretty  lady?” he asked in a loud, obnoxious voice, with a poor attempt at English.

Echo tried her best to remain stoic; so far, only the tightening grip on her school bag and the slight twitch of her right eye betrayed the growing anger inside her. The third year kept trying to talk to her, making it harder for her to keep her cool and not snap at him with each passing minute; he kept on trying to catch her attention. She already had a nerve-wracking day as it is, and now she had to get that overbearing asshole off her back without causing a scene, which became almost impossible the more he opened his mouth to spew some nonsense. She finally reached her tipping point when the third year decided to boldly place his hand on her shoulder, making her immediately tense.

“Come on, don’t be such a stuck-up,” he drawled close to her ear. “ You know it’s rude to ignore someone who’s talking to ya?”

That was the last straw for Echo. Before he could push it any further, a faint glow surrounded her body, something no regular person would be able to see. As her body glistened, a faint silhouette of another body emerged from her; a low hum could be heard around her, and the third year, a barely noticeable woosh was emanating as if the air around her was being sucked out. At the same moment, the hand he had placed on Echo's shoulder suddenly slipped off, as though an invisible thin barrier surrounded her, making anything that touched her slide right off. And as quickly as the phenomenon appeared, it vanished again. The third year then abruptly slipped over seemingly nothing, falling face-first on the sidewalk, accompanied by an ungraceful yelp as his nose violently made contact with the concrete.

“Big talk from someone who can’t walk properly.” She finally retorted sarcastically, her tone barely hiding her anger.

The catcaller groaned in pain. Slowly, he tried to get up on his feet.

“S-Shut up!” he sputtered, his ears reddening from the embarrassment. “So now you can talk, huh? And Japanese too, well-” SPLAT

Before he could finish, the third year slipped again when he tried to get on his feet, his body making another hard contact against the pavement.

“The hell?!” he exclaimed. He tried to get up again, but it was useless; it was as if his feet were standing on ice, making it impossible for him to get up properly. He looked like a fawn that had just been born, his hand on the ground as he futilely tried to find footing on the now unexplainably slippery ground. Echo stepped closer, with unfiltered anger in her eyes.

____

Josuke was making his way home from school with Koichi and Okuyasu, looking more absent-minded than usual. That new girl kept bothering his thoughts, which annoyed him greatly. Despite his friends telling him he was overthinking things, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was up with her. His train of thought was suddenly interrupted by Okuyasu, who nudged him to get his attention.

“Oi, Josuke, don’t tell me yer still stuck on that French chick?” his friend asked with a grin, clearly trying to tease him a bit.

Josuke grumbled, “Shut up, I swear there’s something up with her.” He tried to defend himself, but Okuyasu's grin didn’t falter.

“Suuure, just admit ya got the hots for her or ya don’t like she doesn’t swoon over yer charms,” he teased him further, making Josuke roll his eyes in exasperation. But before Josuke could protest, Koichi, who was walking ahead, interrupted their conversation.

“Hey, isn’t that her over there?” the shorter boy commented as he pointed further up the street. And sure enough, here she was, walking along with an older student who seemed to be bothering her.

“Oh shit, it is!” Okuyasu exclaimed. He squinted his eyes to get a better look at the two figures. “Looks like some jackass is tryin’ his luck with her.”

Josuke frowned as he saw the older student trying to chat with Echo. Even from the back, he could tell, with her stiff, closed-off posture, that she was clearly uninterested in the guy, like she was with their classmates, and, well, everyone to that matter. He wouldn’t have bothered intervening, especially after her inexplicable frosty attitude towards him, but quickly changed his stance when he saw the third year suddenly getting handsy with her, noticing the way her body went rigid at the unwanted contact.

“We should probably help-” But the older student was already on the floor, falling face-first, while Echo didn’t even react. Josuke swore he saw something emerge from her; it was only for a fraction of a second, but Josuke was almost certain that unmistakable ripple of energy that occurs when a Stand is being used. Could his suspicion be correct after all? Okuyasu burst out laughing, watching the third year struggle to get up and fall miserably again, while Koichi winced, seeing the scene ahead.

“HAHAHA! Aw man, buddy can’t even walk properly with the new girl around.” Okuyasu cackled, nudging Josuke with his elbow, expecting his friend to put his cent at the ridiculous situation before them. But Josuke didn’t laugh; his eyes narrowed as he took in the scene, particularly how the student seemed to be slipping on the floor despite there being nothing to cause it. He also caught how pissed the new girl looked.

Meanwhile, Echo didn’t realize she had an audience, too focused on the cat-caller who was still struggling to stand up straight for a few seconds. The universe really wanted to make sure she had a shitty day, she thought. Typically, she would walk off and leave that loser on the floor, but his obnoxious demeanor and his attempt to be handsy with her really set her off. Taking a few steps closer, she grabbed his collar, making him yelp.

“Now listen here, asshole, next time you try to touch me or any girl with your disgusting, grubby hands, I’ll make sure you’ll never be able to walk without looking like a drunken dumbass. Compris?” (understood)

Her voice was ice-cold, and her accent was thicker because she was so pissed off. The third year swallowed hard and nodded frantically, his eyes wide from confusion and surprise. Echo released her grip from his collar, making him fall again with another yelp. As he attempted to get up again, he realized he wasn’t slipping anymore. He blinked, even more confused, but quickly focused back on Echo, whose back was now turned to walk away. His cheeks were red with embarrassment and growing anger over the situation; his face hardened into a scowl. Taking a few steps to catch up to Echo.

“Don’t think it’s over, you bi-” his words morphed into a pained scream when Echo turned around to give him a strong kick right between his legs, making him fall instantly onto his knees with a teary, pained howl.

“Ta gueule, connard!!” (Shut the hell up, asshole!!) She shouted, her patience now completely gone. At the end of the street, the trio of friends winced with compassion at the kick.

“Ooof, that had to hurt like a biiitch,” Okuyasu remarked, his legs squirming reflexively as he imagined the pain the third year must be enduring. Josuke grimaced, making a small hiss sound while Koichi stared horrified.

“As much as this guy probably deserves it, we should maybe stop her before she makes sure he won’t have kids in his life,” Josuke said as he started to make his way towards Echo, who was still yelling at the third year. Josuke didn’t know anything about French, but he was pretty certain it wasn’t anything you’d hear in a polite conversation. Despite his first judgment of Echo, seeing her as stuck-up, he had to admit the girl had some guts, dealing with a guy twice her size without hesitation.

Echo's focus finally left the now weeping cat-caller and settled on the trio approaching her, immediately recognizing them. Her expression grew even more annoyed; she didn't want to deal with her classmates and especially not Josuke. She fully turned to them, leaving the older student at last; her hair was slightly disheveled, and her eyes showed clear anger and annoyance.

“The hell are you looking at?” She spat with a thick accent. She knew she should control that temper of hers, which always led her into trouble, but with her stress from school, the cat-caller, and now having to deal with the last person she wanted to speak to, it was nearly impossible for her to keep her cool. Her hands were clenched into a fist, and the faint glow from before reappeared around her, as the silhouette of another figure slowly emerged out of her again. A woman with robot-like features, wearing a blue-silver helmet that covers half her face, her body adorned with golden hoops around her shoulders and hips. The trio stopped dead in their tracks as they all noticed. Okuyasu and Koichi’s eyes widened at the sight; Josuke was correct after all: Echo is a Stand user.

“Oh shit, you were right, Josuke!” Okuyasu loudly whispered.

Josuke didn’t answer; he remained cool, giving a small grin as he raised his hands to show he meant no harm.

“Whoah, easy there. We’re not looking for any trouble,” he said, keeping his voice casual. His eyes darted to the third year, still groaning in pain, as he finally scurried away with his hands clutched between his legs. Josuke looked back at Echo only to see her already summoning her Stand. Her anger zeroed in on Josuke, specifically his legs. He barely had time to react before the impact. As her Stand struck, his feet suddenly felt like they couldn’t touch the floor anymore, launching him backward full force into Koichi and Okuyasu. The trio hit the floor with surprised yelps and groans.

“Oi! What the hell, Josuke.” Okuyasu grunted.

“It’s not my fault; it’s her damn Stand,” Josuke protested, trying and failing to get up as his feet kept slipping off the ground. “She did the same with that guy earlier.”  

Echo barely glanced at the three boys before storming away with a huff, her fists still clenched in anger and annoyance.

“Hey! Don’t leave us like that!” Josuke shouted as his two friends tried to get him off them, their bodies tangled in a mess of limbs. Echo didn’t react as she kept walking away. His brow furrowed in annoyance and frustration. “Yo, Okuyasu, mind if you bring lil Frenchie back? We’re not done talking with her.” He grumbled, struggling to untangle himself. Okuyasu nodded, looking as annoyed as him, and promptly summoned ‘The Hand’ with a wide swing of his arm. The space between them and Echo seemed to disappear.

Echo’s steps faltered for a second. She blinked in confusion at what had just happened. Only moments ago, she had been walking away, and now she was right back where she'd been. “What the-” she started walking again, but the odd force came again, and she was back at square one. She turned around to face the boys, looking visibly confused. The trio managed to get back up. Josuke clung to Okuyasu’s shoulder, trying his best not to slip off the ground again.

“Oi, new girl, don’t think you can walk away like that, undo that shit right now,” Josuke said, pointing accusatorily at her with his free hand.

“We-We’re really not looking for trouble!” Koichi exclaimed, his hand slightly raised, trying to defuse this whole messy situation.

Josuke’s attitude and the surrounding chaos made Echo briefly lose sight of the strange event she had just lived through, or how Josuke knew she was the cause of his predicament. Her annoyance surged back, but the crack in her certainty lingered. Still, the boys’ strange reactions left a small doubt nagging at her.

“Then what the hell do you want, then, huh?” Echo exclaimed back. “I don’t want to deal with more jackasses like you, so leave me the hell alone.” She spat with a heavy-accented drawl. She was tired of all this useless mess, just wanting to go home and stop interacting with idiots like them.

Out of frustration, she summoned her Stand, ‘Space Oddity,’ again, ready to strike the boys, this time aiming at Okuyasu. Her Stand surged out, but before it could make contact, Koichi instinctively unleashed his Stand, ‘Echoes Act Two,’ with a shout. Echo’s eyes widened at Koichi’s Stand; how was that even possible, she thought. He also had a spirit just like hers; was this also why she was unable to walk away? Did they have abilities too? Her and her Stand’s movements faltered, giving Koichi the opportunity to use Echoes Act Two’s ability. Before Echo could think or do anything else, she suddenly felt her feet slip as if she was stepping on ice, making her fall backward with a yelp. She hit the ground stunned, her elbows scraped when she made contact with the sidewalk, but also stunned by how this could even have happened. She blinked, only to notice the words written on the floor where she stood that weren’t there before: “Ice.”

Meanwhile, Josuke was finally able to stand properly as the effect of Echo’s Stand seemed to wear off at last.

“Nice move, Koichi,” he cheered his friend before turning back to Echo. “Not so fun when it’s your turn to fall on your ass, huh?” he added with a cocky grin, a little too happy to see her get a taste of her own medicine. Despite Echo’s inner turmoil and confusion, she frowned at Josuke’s mockery and stood up with a huff. Her anger faltered after what just happened. Were they really like her? Could they see her ‘Spirit’ as well? After all these years thinking she was the only one with this affliction, were they more like her after all? Echo tried to shake these thoughts aside for now, not wanting to get her hopes up and also not necessarily enjoying the idea of, out of all people she could’ve met, being like her; it had to be the guys she tried to avoid being associated with, especially Josuke; his smug face right now didn’t help the irritation she had towards him. A bunch of high school rejects who probably always get into trouble.

“How the hell did you guys do that?” Echo demanded, her voice cracking with a mix of anger and fear, pointing a shaking finger at the trio. She was desperate for an answer, but the words came out raw, edged with something that bordered on panic. Her mind clung stubbornly to the belief that these boys were nothing like her, just reckless delinquents, incapable of understanding what she was, that no one could, that she was bound to be alone. Yet, the image of Koichi’s ‘Spirit’ flaring to life as she slipped, the impossible way they’d manipulated the world around her, gnawed at that certainty. “How I couldn’t walk away, h-how I fell. How did you do that? How?” she pressed. Each question was more desperate than the last, her voice breaking as she spoke. Her hands, once curled tight in anger, now trembled with a different kind of intensity, a vulnerability she despised showing. The anger that had fueled her moments before was dwindling away, replaced by a rising wave of disbelief and, beneath it all, a flicker of hope she tried desperately to deny.

Josuke’s smirk died down as he noticed Echo’s shaking hands, his expression shifting into a more serious one, though his eyes hinted at a trace of sympathy, seeing the girl's visible panic. Okuyasu, the oblivious, blunt person that he was, was the one to answer Echo’s frantic questioning.

“Huh? How? With our Stands, of course.” He replied casually with his usual gruff voice, as if the answer were obvious. His Stand ‘The Hand’ appeared behind him to prove his point. Echo took a few steps back at the sight, completely in shock; her brows furrowed even further as she tried to wrap her head around all this. These guys, they were like her after all; no amount of denying and smothering the hope she begrudgingly held would work anymore. The realization hit harder than the fear: she was not alone.

“I-I… Stands? Quoi? What?” she muttered, her mouth agape as she struggled to find any words to express herself properly. Josuke took a few steps, his hands shoved in his pants pocket.

“Guessing this is your first time meeting other Stand users then?” he asked, already knowing the answer. Despite his serious expression, his voice became surprisingly soft, a stark contrast to his mocking tone moments ago. Despite the cold, harsh attitude Echo had shown all day, especially toward him, Josuke couldn’t help but feel his sympathy growing at her frantic confusion.

“I-I…” Echo stuttered, struggling to take it all in. “I thought I was the only one…” she admitted under her breath, showing a rare crack of vulnerability in her well-built walls. ‘Stands’, ‘Other Stand Users’, the words echoed in her mind, making her heart flutter with a new spark of hope that there were more people like her, like them. Her eyes met Josuke’s; only then did she realize her facade was beginning to crack. Despite this newfound hope, she quickly schooled herself back into her usual stoicism. They were still delinquents after all, the type of people she couldn’t stand. “Forget what I just said,” she muttered, now avoiding the three boys’ gaze. She tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, a small habit of hers when she was feeling anxious or nervous.

The quiet admission softened Josuke’s whole demeanor as he noticed the crack in her cold exterior, one that revealed her vulnerability and loneliness before she shut herself back behind her walls. He could somewhat relate to that small confession. Before he met Jotaro and the others, he had also thought he was the only one growing up, though clearly he and she handled it very differently. Given how distant she is toward others, he still understood her struggles right now. But that rare vulnerability quickly disappeared behind Echo’s stoicism. Josuke let out a small huff through his nose, a little frustrated to see her shutting them out so fast already, only to notice the injuries on her elbows when she went to tuck her hair, most certainly caused by her fall. He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck before walking towards her.

“You're hurt; let me check that,” he said bluntly, his hand reaching for her arm to heal her. Echo blinked and looked down at her injury, realizing only then that the adrenaline had kept her from noticing it. But as Josuke reached out, Echo stepped away, her walls now back high and strong.

“I’m fine,” she replied dryly with a scowl. Josuke exhaled through his nose, unimpressed by her reaction. “Yeah? Well, you’re still bleeding so stop fussing, it’ll just take a sec.” He retorted, grabbing her wrist firmly.

“Hey! The hell you think you-” Echo’s protests died down the moment she saw Josuke’s spirit, no, Stand, appear. A faint golden light surged around them, and Echo felt an odd warmth coursing through her body, her eyes widening as she watched her wounds close, then disappear completely. She yanked her hand away from his grip, her eyes set on him, speechless, her fingers running through where her injuries were, the warmth she felt still lingering where his hand had been.

“See? It wasn’t so bad, was it?” he said with a hint of his usual smirk. Echo stared at him, fingers still brushing her healed arm, speechless for a beat before looking away with a guarded, unsettled expression. Her whole impression of Josuke, which she had made of herself, began to falter, as she did not expect him to feel sympathy for her despite her closed-off attitude. Koichi, who had been watching the scene with Okuyasu, stepped closer to Echo.

“You probably have a lot of questions. I know it was a lot for me to take in too the first time.” The shorter boy said reassuringly, a kind smile on his face. Echo Didn’t know how to reply, her lips thinning tightly. Yes, one part of her had so many questions, about Stands, how many other users were there, how this all worked. But the stubborn part of her caused turmoil inside her. She didn’t do people; that was something she had to face since she was a child: that she was better off alone. But was she truly happy like this? Secluded from the rest of the world. She wasn’t sure anymore.

Josuke sighed, scratching the back of his head. “Look, if you wanna keep brooding and pushing people away, that ain’t my problem.” His words were blunt, but there was no malice in them,just a plain, almost weary honesty. “So your call, either you swallow that annoying stubborn pride of yours and get some answers.” He nodded towards his friends who smiled at them. “Or you get back into that sad little lonely life of yours, your choice, Frenchy.”

Echo’s body stiffened, feeling completely called out by him; his faint smirk was not helping. Despite how infuriating she found him, how much she wanted to slap that dumb, smug expression off of him. Josuke, annoyingly, had a point. Despite how much she tried to convince herself she was fine on her own, deep down she’d always longed to know how it felt to belong. This, along with finally learning more about herself, her Stand, Space Oddity, and how all this worked. It would be foolish of her to turn away, but it didn’t make it any easier. Loneliness was something she was deeply familiar with, like a warm blanket to shield herself; she wasn’t sure if she could fully take it away. That, with the fact she didn’t feel really thrilled to associate herself with some delinquents, though she had to admit Koichi didn’t look like one and looked rather nice, but the same couldn’t be said for the other two. But like Josuke said, for once Echo needed to swallow back her pride if she wanted answers. She bit her lower lip in frustration before letting out a groan in defeat.

“Alright, fine.” She admitted begrudgingly, “But just because I want to know what the hell that whole Stand business is, Alright?” She added, shoving her finger against his chest. Josuke’s smug face was back on full force, pleased to see he managed to falter Echo’s icy facade. Okuyasu finally chimmed in, wrapping an arm around Josuke’s shoulders with a big grin.

“Hell yeah, the cute new girl is finally gettin’ along with us.” He said with unashamed glee. “How’bout some coffee?” Echo rolled her eyes, but didn’t protest.

“Only if you guys pay.” She said bluntly.

Josuke raised an eyebrow and laughed at her unabashed request. “Alright, sure, Okuyasu will pay.” The concerned shouted in protest.

“Hey! No fair, why’s got to be me, huh?” He whined, as the group began to walk.

“Cause you’re the one who had the idea for coffee, genius,” Josuke replied, elbowing his friend playfully as they walked ahead. Koichi was walking close, but turned towards Echo with a small smile.

“You know, despite how they look or how loud they are, they’re both good guys.” He said simply, as if he knew exactly how Echo’s impression of them was. She blinked, watching the shorter boy turn back towards his friends.

She stood there for a moment, looking at the trio, still hesitating if she should follow them along. Her fingers mindlessly passed through where her wounds used to be. Their words ran through her mind.  She drew a slow, steadying breath. Shoulders squared, she let herself admit it: maybe she didn’t have to keep everyone at arm’s length. Maybe, just this once, she could risk lowering her guard. Maybe, for the first time, she could let herself hope for something other than loneliness. With one last look at the trio, she stepped forward, not out of obligation, but out of defiance against the solitude that had defined her. For the first time in a long while, Echo chose to reach for connection, even if it terrified her. And in that moment, the world felt a little less cold.

End Of Chapter 1