Ardion Prosili
An (im)Perfect Cell
[X] In Aswan, a cloaked woman faces off with stolen life in the mysterious ruins.
Go deal with zombie woman.
Go deal with zombie woman.
Seventh Stand User: Emperor's Paradise
LostDeviljho
Flame Dragon Princess
- Location
- The glorious Pacific Northwest
- Pronouns
- Any
Vote Tally : Seventh Stand User: Emperor's Paradise | Sufficient Velocity
##### NetTally 1.7.9
[X] In Cairo, a man who sought heaven showed his dominance over the first two to reach him.
No. of Votes: 10
[X] In an Arabian Mansion, an unstoppable force hunts in a dead mansion.
No. of Votes: 6
[X] In Aswan, a cloaked woman faces off with stolen life in the mysterious ruins.
No. of Votes: 2
Total No. of Voters: 18
##### NetTally 1.7.9
[X] In Cairo, a man who sought heaven showed his dominance over the first two to reach him.
No. of Votes: 10
[X] In an Arabian Mansion, an unstoppable force hunts in a dead mansion.
No. of Votes: 6
[X] In Aswan, a cloaked woman faces off with stolen life in the mysterious ruins.
No. of Votes: 2
Total No. of Voters: 18
Update 2
Mortifer
Embrace your inner lunatic. Fun times guaranteed.
- Location
- Under a rock.
[X] In Cairo, a man who sought heaven showed his dominance over the first two to reach him.
"Is that good?" Chika asked, as she tightened the curtain around Polneraff's foot.
"Yeah..." He wheezed out. "Should stop the bleeding, at least."
For a moment, the girl's eyes turned to the side of the room. Polneraff didn't need to look, to know what she was looking at.
"Iggy..." He whispered, before focusing. "Iggy wouldn't want us to mourn him yet. DIO's still here. We can't lose heart until we defeat him."
Chika opened her mouth to respond, but paused, as another sound echoed through the room.
Footsteps, from the stairs above.
"So, you were able to defeat Vanilla Ice..." Said a proud voice. Even though she had never heard it before, Chika knew, instantly, who it belonged to.
"DIO." Polneraff hissed.
"It's been a long time, Polneraff." The vampire replied. "I should congratulate you. You've managed to avenge your sisters death, after so long."
"Don't talk about her." The Stand User shouted, Silver Chariot forming by his side.
DIO observed the Stand with a smile, but didn't move to call forth his own. Chika called Deep Purple to her side, and stared up at the vampire.
"You do not wish to speak to me?" The vampire asked. "Very well then. Perhaps your companion will be more conversational?"
"Shut up." Chika snapped. "I have nothing to say to you."
DIO's smile seemed to grow wider. "Tell me, Amachi. What is your hearts desire?"
Chika didn't respond, but that didn't seem to discourage the man.
"Oh, you don't have to answer me." DIO replied. "I already know, of course. It is the same goal that all of mankind reaches for. Amachi Chika, the desire in your heart is nothing less than peace of mind."
"What are you playing at?" The girl asked, and DIO gave a small laugh.
"Doesn't it make you uneasy?" The vampire asked. "Preparing to fight me, with the knowledge that any moment with me could be the last moment you spend alive?"
"Even if it did." Polneraff cut in. "To die facing you would be a good death. To end your evil here would make it a life well spent."
"Is that what you have decided, Polneraff?" DIO asked. "Very well, then. But what of your companion?"
"Don't even bother." The Frenchman snorted. "Turning allies against each other, planting seeds of doubt? Such a cliched tactic."
DIO seemed to ignore him. "Amachi Chika. I've been watching you. I've seen you, in your moments of triumph, and in your moments of weakness."
In the back of her mind, Chika tried to form some form of sarcastic reply. But, against DIO, it didn't seem fitting. This wasn't a foe to be bantered with. This was a foe who you put all your effort into surviving against.
"I noticed an interesting pattern, as well. In those moments of weakness, you grew angry. Fearful, perhaps, but mostly, you were sustained by rage. Would I be wrong in saying that you are a person who despises feeling helpless?"
...That wasn't wrong. Try as she might, Chika couldn't deny it.
"I can see it in your expression, Amachi. So I am correct. Very well then. I, DIO, shall grant you peace of mind."
"What are you talking about?" Chika asked.
"Join me." DIO proposed. "Turn on your companion. Kill Polneraff. Help me kill the Joestars. And, in exchange, I shall ensure that you never have to worry about your weakness. You will be granted a life where you will never be helpless, never need to be stronger. All the things you fear, erased. Everything you desire, within reach. All it shall cost you is the life of a friend."
"As if Chika would agree to that!" Polneraff interrupted.
DIO's smile grew more insidious. "Wouldn't she? If it was so certain that she would reject the deal, why was it you, not her, who objected to it?"
Chika looked at him. "What do you mean?"
"You were considering it." DIO replied. "Perhaps subconsciously. Perhaps you didn't even realise it. But you hesitated. You know that what I offer you is tempting."
"S-Shut up!" Chika shouted.
"If you didn't see the truth in my words, you would have rejected them immediately." DIO claimed. "The fact that you grow so fearful at the idea that I am right speaks volumes as well."
"You talk too much." Polneraff interrupted, as Silver Chariot aimed it's blade. Suddenly, the thin rapier shot out, missing DIO by less than an inch. The vampire seemed amused, even as the blade hit the wall, behind him, bouncing back at just the right angle to strike DIO in the back of the head.
He didn't see the attack coming, Chika realised. His Stand wasn't summoned and he was about to take a blow to the head. Had Polneraff ended the battle before it could begin?
The answer came to her with a sudden pain in her chest. Crying out, Chika looked down.
Silver Chariot's blade had found itself lodged in her chest.
"W-What..." Chika wheezed out.
Above them, DIO began to clap.
"I did not suspect you had it in you, Polneraff." The vampire began. "Attacking your own ally, before I can turn them against you? Even if the inflicted blow doesn't appear lethal, it is more than I suspected, for one who values honour such as yourself."
DIO's words reverberated in Chika's mind.
Polneraff... Had attacked her?
"No... No!" Polneraff shouted. "I didn't do this! This... This is your Stand, isn't it, DIO?"
The words broke Chika out of her dazed conclusion. No, of course Polneraff hadn't attacked her. He wasn't like that.
Right?
Gently, she pulled the blade out of her chest. Somehow, it had hit a rib, and stopped before it penetrated any further. Her rib felt like it was broken, but her vital organs were untouched.
Deep Purple rippled the air around her, passing the blade back towards Polneraff. Silver Chariot moved to catch the slowly floating object, but all of a sudden, it vanished.
"Gah!" Polneraff cried, as the blade cut into his arm. In a flash, Silver Chariot pulled it out, but left a large cut in it's wake.
DIO said nothing, but his pose had not changed. The implication he was trying to plant was clear.
Gritting her teeth, Chika considered her options.
Deep Purple may be a powerful Stand when used right, but in the end, it lacked a 'Physical Form.' Unlike Silver Chariot and Star Platinum, she couldn't just run up and punch DIO. To say nothing of DIO's own Stand- She could hardly rush at him, even if it meant she couldn't make use of her Hamon, if she didn't know what his Stand was. Instead, she had to be more creative.
Poisoning the air here would do little, and attempting to spread explosive gas was unwise in most circumstances. Fortunately, she had other options.
With a ripple, the air around Chika shot towards DIO, as if fired from an air cannon. And yet, mere moments after the attack manifested, the air was disrupted, somehow.
"Seeking to convince yourself that you still oppose me, Amachi?" DIO asked. "To lie to oneself is such an ugly thing."
Polneraff shouted, and began running up the stairs. Meanwhile, Chika reached to her waist, pulling out the small gun she was able to conceal in Cairo.
She may not be the best shot, but if her Stand's attacks weren't reliable here- And if Polneraff's Stand kept being turned against them- Then perhaps a non-Stand Based attack would work.
Was that the power of DIO's stand? Could he manipulate the Stands of others? If so, it was no wonder others bowed so easily to him.
Pulling her gun out, Chika lined up a shot, as Polneraff's Silver Chariot came into range.
A moment passed, as Chika prepared her shot. Taking aim at DIO's centre of mass, she took a moment to confirm no obstructions. Polneraff wouldn't reach DIO for another moment, so he was unlikely to be hit. With that resolved, she squeezed the trigger-
-And realised, as the bullet left the chamber, that she was aiming at Polneraff.
"Look out!" She called, only to realise, a moment too late, that DIO had finally made his move- A knife was sailing through the air, aimed at Silver Chariot.
Did Polneraff think that was what she was warning him about?
The knife was deflected, and Chika once again felt a stabbing pain in her chest, against one of her ribs. Then, the bullet hit home, hitting the wound on Polneraff's arm.
A cry of pain went up, as Polneraff clutched his arm. DIO looked upon the sight, with a smile.
"Your aim has improved, Amachi." DIO noted. "Congratulations."
Polneraff gritted his teeth, and took another step towards DIO. The gun in Chika's hand fired, and a second bullet just barely missed the Frenchman.
Chika looked down at her hands, in shock.
Had... Had she done that? Was DIO right? Did she... Did she really want to betray her friends?
DIO's Stand... If it was to just redirect attacks, it could be explained away. But that last shot, that was one she made, when she knew she was aiming at Polneraff. She'd fired on her friend, even if she didn't remember pulling the trigger.
Was this... What she really wanted?
Polneraff looked at Chika following the second bullet. It made sense, after all. With how quickly she fired, she wouldn't have had time to re-aim at DIO, meaning she fired while still aiming at Polneraff.
Tears blurred Chika's vision, and her hands started shaking. Then, she thrust them to the side, throwing her gun at the wall.
She couldn't trust herself with it. Not anymore. If she couldn't even bring herself to strike at DIO, if she kept subconsciously trying to do as he asked-
Then what was she doing there?
...So, she was dreaming of that, was she?
It was hardly the worst memory she had of that night. Her three other companions arrived shortly afterwards, and it hadn't been long before Chika found out that DIO had simply been using his true ability, to stop time, to gaslight her into thinking she had attacked Polneraff.
But still, the memory was a painful one. Even if she had worse, the fact that she was dreaming of it now wasn't a fond thought.
Just how long would she continue to have nightmares of that night?
...No matter. It was morning now, anyway.
It had been a week, since the others had left Cairo. Two weeks since DIO had been killed. It was a... Surprisingly peaceful, week.
Perhaps it was going to be a while before she stops saying that. DIO is gone, his minions, for the most part, defeated. That Vins woman had been dealt with, and most of her minions had been killed when she unleashed zombies in Silver Fox's mansion.
Perhaps she'd just grown too use to the heat of battle.
Still, it wouldn't last. DIO may be dead, but his resources were not. While some were easy to co-opt- Such as the criminal network contacts which had been able to organise the ownership of DIO's former mansion into her name- Other's were... Somewhat more loyal.
To say nothing of the surviving Stand Users, and wherever their loyalties lied, Hol Horse reported that DIO had some ties to the Churches of Cairo. Oingo and Boingo had been put to work looking for anything in the mansion which would shed light on the subject, while Hol Horse checked DIO's other resources to determine who was loyal, and who was working for money.
...And finding someone who wouldn't ask questions to fix the mansion. Vanilla Ice didn't exactly seem to care about limiting how much damage he caused, during their fight.
The point was, DIO may be gone, but his remnants lurked in the world, a constant threat that may seek to avenge their Master. Jotaro may have been the one to finish him off, but Chika had also fought against him, and, more pressingly, was an easier target for whatever minions were still in Cairo.
Stretching a bit as she got out of bed, careful not to bump around her cast- Her arm was almost healed, fortunately, but the doctors recommended a few more days to be sure- Chika decided it was time for a status report.
Quickly making sure she looked professional in the large mirror in the room- DIO had them set up in every bedroom, apparently- Chika stepped out, and made her way towards the largest dining room in the mansion.
Sure enough, the minion squad was gathered. Hol Horse and Oingo were sitting close together, discussing something, while Boingo's position was easy to determine from the shaking chair next to Oingo.
...That boy's fear was going to be a problem, one of these days. At the very least, he needs to stop being terrified of her. She only threatened to kill him once.
"Morning, boss." Hol Horse called, as she walked in, pushing a mug towards her. "Coffee?"
Chika blinked. "How did you-"
"Boingo predicted you walking in looking for one." Oingo replied. "Thought it'd be simpler to have one prepared in advance."
"Truly, Thoth is the most powerful of Stands." Chika declared, taking the coffee. "So, anyone find anything?"
"We managed to find out some more about DIO's ties with the church." Oingo began.
"Oh?" Chika asked. "Anything good?"
"I didn't find anything about Stand Users there." Hol Horse began. "But apparently, DIO subverted one of the local church's a while back. Converted everyone there to his own personal cult."
"...I could buy it." Chika replied. "Guy seemed a little self-centred, and between N'Doul and Vanilla Ice, he certainly had the charisma."
"Yeah, well, there's a bit of bad new on that front." Hol Horse continued. "DIO had been using the place for a few purposes. Keeping donations for the church and throwing them at his purposes. Recruitment. Bringing in weapons to outfit an army, if needed."
"...So they're armed." The girl said. "And probably fanatically loyal, too."
"Still, a church hiding weapons is probably something the police would frown on." Hol Horse mentioned. "We can't just report them- Too likely that some will slip through the gaps, or decide they have nothing to lose- But according to what we found, they gather on Sunday's. DIO was slated to turn up in person on their next gathering, so I'm betting everyone will be there."
"Go in, break some heads." Chika realised. "Then report them to the police. Everyone gathered, and nobody able to get to the weapons and cause a scene. And anybody who claims to be a fresh recruit pressured into it would be watched more afterwards, wouldn't they?"
"Exactly." Hol Horse noted. "The only thing we need is a plan-"
Before he could continue, Oingo reached under the table, before throwing Thoth in front of the group.
"Does this work?" The buff boy asked, as Hol Horse and Chika looked over the panels.
There was only two panels of any relevance, really. The first, Hol Horse and Chika, walking into a church, surrounded by people in dark cloaks. Deep Purple was manifested in front of Chika, reflected in the eyes of both the girl and her minion, but not in the eyes of anyone else looking.
In the second panel, Hol Horse and Chika were posing, victoriously, over a pile of unconscious bodies.
"Well, that seems clear cut." Chika noted. Hol Horse shook his head.
"Thoth has a way of being misleading." He noted. "You haven't experienced it yet, but trust me. For all we know, there's a Stand User there who can change people's faces around, and they're just not in the first image."
Sipping her coffee, Chika thought it over for a moment. "So, we just need to be prepared for things going wrong, somehow?"
"Pretty much." Hol Horse confirmed.
It didn't take too long, for Chika to come up with a plan.
[X] Oingo uses Khnum to take Hol Horse's appearance. Hol Horse remains outside, ready to shoot in as a suprise attack. Boingo stays with Hol Horse, outside, hiding in a box.
[X] Chika and Hol Horse go in. Oingo and Boingo have a getaway car, in case things go wrong somehow.
[X] Write-in.
"Is that good?" Chika asked, as she tightened the curtain around Polneraff's foot.
"Yeah..." He wheezed out. "Should stop the bleeding, at least."
For a moment, the girl's eyes turned to the side of the room. Polneraff didn't need to look, to know what she was looking at.
"Iggy..." He whispered, before focusing. "Iggy wouldn't want us to mourn him yet. DIO's still here. We can't lose heart until we defeat him."
Chika opened her mouth to respond, but paused, as another sound echoed through the room.
Footsteps, from the stairs above.
"So, you were able to defeat Vanilla Ice..." Said a proud voice. Even though she had never heard it before, Chika knew, instantly, who it belonged to.
"DIO." Polneraff hissed.
"It's been a long time, Polneraff." The vampire replied. "I should congratulate you. You've managed to avenge your sisters death, after so long."
"Don't talk about her." The Stand User shouted, Silver Chariot forming by his side.
DIO observed the Stand with a smile, but didn't move to call forth his own. Chika called Deep Purple to her side, and stared up at the vampire.
"You do not wish to speak to me?" The vampire asked. "Very well then. Perhaps your companion will be more conversational?"
"Shut up." Chika snapped. "I have nothing to say to you."
DIO's smile seemed to grow wider. "Tell me, Amachi. What is your hearts desire?"
Chika didn't respond, but that didn't seem to discourage the man.
"Oh, you don't have to answer me." DIO replied. "I already know, of course. It is the same goal that all of mankind reaches for. Amachi Chika, the desire in your heart is nothing less than peace of mind."
"What are you playing at?" The girl asked, and DIO gave a small laugh.
"Doesn't it make you uneasy?" The vampire asked. "Preparing to fight me, with the knowledge that any moment with me could be the last moment you spend alive?"
"Even if it did." Polneraff cut in. "To die facing you would be a good death. To end your evil here would make it a life well spent."
"Is that what you have decided, Polneraff?" DIO asked. "Very well, then. But what of your companion?"
"Don't even bother." The Frenchman snorted. "Turning allies against each other, planting seeds of doubt? Such a cliched tactic."
DIO seemed to ignore him. "Amachi Chika. I've been watching you. I've seen you, in your moments of triumph, and in your moments of weakness."
In the back of her mind, Chika tried to form some form of sarcastic reply. But, against DIO, it didn't seem fitting. This wasn't a foe to be bantered with. This was a foe who you put all your effort into surviving against.
"I noticed an interesting pattern, as well. In those moments of weakness, you grew angry. Fearful, perhaps, but mostly, you were sustained by rage. Would I be wrong in saying that you are a person who despises feeling helpless?"
...That wasn't wrong. Try as she might, Chika couldn't deny it.
"I can see it in your expression, Amachi. So I am correct. Very well then. I, DIO, shall grant you peace of mind."
"What are you talking about?" Chika asked.
"Join me." DIO proposed. "Turn on your companion. Kill Polneraff. Help me kill the Joestars. And, in exchange, I shall ensure that you never have to worry about your weakness. You will be granted a life where you will never be helpless, never need to be stronger. All the things you fear, erased. Everything you desire, within reach. All it shall cost you is the life of a friend."
"As if Chika would agree to that!" Polneraff interrupted.
DIO's smile grew more insidious. "Wouldn't she? If it was so certain that she would reject the deal, why was it you, not her, who objected to it?"
Chika looked at him. "What do you mean?"
"You were considering it." DIO replied. "Perhaps subconsciously. Perhaps you didn't even realise it. But you hesitated. You know that what I offer you is tempting."
"S-Shut up!" Chika shouted.
"If you didn't see the truth in my words, you would have rejected them immediately." DIO claimed. "The fact that you grow so fearful at the idea that I am right speaks volumes as well."
"You talk too much." Polneraff interrupted, as Silver Chariot aimed it's blade. Suddenly, the thin rapier shot out, missing DIO by less than an inch. The vampire seemed amused, even as the blade hit the wall, behind him, bouncing back at just the right angle to strike DIO in the back of the head.
He didn't see the attack coming, Chika realised. His Stand wasn't summoned and he was about to take a blow to the head. Had Polneraff ended the battle before it could begin?
The answer came to her with a sudden pain in her chest. Crying out, Chika looked down.
Silver Chariot's blade had found itself lodged in her chest.
"W-What..." Chika wheezed out.
Above them, DIO began to clap.
"I did not suspect you had it in you, Polneraff." The vampire began. "Attacking your own ally, before I can turn them against you? Even if the inflicted blow doesn't appear lethal, it is more than I suspected, for one who values honour such as yourself."
DIO's words reverberated in Chika's mind.
Polneraff... Had attacked her?
"No... No!" Polneraff shouted. "I didn't do this! This... This is your Stand, isn't it, DIO?"
The words broke Chika out of her dazed conclusion. No, of course Polneraff hadn't attacked her. He wasn't like that.
Right?
Gently, she pulled the blade out of her chest. Somehow, it had hit a rib, and stopped before it penetrated any further. Her rib felt like it was broken, but her vital organs were untouched.
Deep Purple rippled the air around her, passing the blade back towards Polneraff. Silver Chariot moved to catch the slowly floating object, but all of a sudden, it vanished.
"Gah!" Polneraff cried, as the blade cut into his arm. In a flash, Silver Chariot pulled it out, but left a large cut in it's wake.
DIO said nothing, but his pose had not changed. The implication he was trying to plant was clear.
Gritting her teeth, Chika considered her options.
Deep Purple may be a powerful Stand when used right, but in the end, it lacked a 'Physical Form.' Unlike Silver Chariot and Star Platinum, she couldn't just run up and punch DIO. To say nothing of DIO's own Stand- She could hardly rush at him, even if it meant she couldn't make use of her Hamon, if she didn't know what his Stand was. Instead, she had to be more creative.
Poisoning the air here would do little, and attempting to spread explosive gas was unwise in most circumstances. Fortunately, she had other options.
With a ripple, the air around Chika shot towards DIO, as if fired from an air cannon. And yet, mere moments after the attack manifested, the air was disrupted, somehow.
"Seeking to convince yourself that you still oppose me, Amachi?" DIO asked. "To lie to oneself is such an ugly thing."
Polneraff shouted, and began running up the stairs. Meanwhile, Chika reached to her waist, pulling out the small gun she was able to conceal in Cairo.
She may not be the best shot, but if her Stand's attacks weren't reliable here- And if Polneraff's Stand kept being turned against them- Then perhaps a non-Stand Based attack would work.
Was that the power of DIO's stand? Could he manipulate the Stands of others? If so, it was no wonder others bowed so easily to him.
Pulling her gun out, Chika lined up a shot, as Polneraff's Silver Chariot came into range.
A moment passed, as Chika prepared her shot. Taking aim at DIO's centre of mass, she took a moment to confirm no obstructions. Polneraff wouldn't reach DIO for another moment, so he was unlikely to be hit. With that resolved, she squeezed the trigger-
-And realised, as the bullet left the chamber, that she was aiming at Polneraff.
"Look out!" She called, only to realise, a moment too late, that DIO had finally made his move- A knife was sailing through the air, aimed at Silver Chariot.
Did Polneraff think that was what she was warning him about?
The knife was deflected, and Chika once again felt a stabbing pain in her chest, against one of her ribs. Then, the bullet hit home, hitting the wound on Polneraff's arm.
A cry of pain went up, as Polneraff clutched his arm. DIO looked upon the sight, with a smile.
"Your aim has improved, Amachi." DIO noted. "Congratulations."
Polneraff gritted his teeth, and took another step towards DIO. The gun in Chika's hand fired, and a second bullet just barely missed the Frenchman.
Chika looked down at her hands, in shock.
Had... Had she done that? Was DIO right? Did she... Did she really want to betray her friends?
DIO's Stand... If it was to just redirect attacks, it could be explained away. But that last shot, that was one she made, when she knew she was aiming at Polneraff. She'd fired on her friend, even if she didn't remember pulling the trigger.
Was this... What she really wanted?
Polneraff looked at Chika following the second bullet. It made sense, after all. With how quickly she fired, she wouldn't have had time to re-aim at DIO, meaning she fired while still aiming at Polneraff.
Tears blurred Chika's vision, and her hands started shaking. Then, she thrust them to the side, throwing her gun at the wall.
She couldn't trust herself with it. Not anymore. If she couldn't even bring herself to strike at DIO, if she kept subconsciously trying to do as he asked-
Then what was she doing there?
~~~~~
Amachi Chika's eyes opened blearily, as she awoke from her slumber....So, she was dreaming of that, was she?
It was hardly the worst memory she had of that night. Her three other companions arrived shortly afterwards, and it hadn't been long before Chika found out that DIO had simply been using his true ability, to stop time, to gaslight her into thinking she had attacked Polneraff.
But still, the memory was a painful one. Even if she had worse, the fact that she was dreaming of it now wasn't a fond thought.
Just how long would she continue to have nightmares of that night?
...No matter. It was morning now, anyway.
It had been a week, since the others had left Cairo. Two weeks since DIO had been killed. It was a... Surprisingly peaceful, week.
Perhaps it was going to be a while before she stops saying that. DIO is gone, his minions, for the most part, defeated. That Vins woman had been dealt with, and most of her minions had been killed when she unleashed zombies in Silver Fox's mansion.
Perhaps she'd just grown too use to the heat of battle.
Still, it wouldn't last. DIO may be dead, but his resources were not. While some were easy to co-opt- Such as the criminal network contacts which had been able to organise the ownership of DIO's former mansion into her name- Other's were... Somewhat more loyal.
To say nothing of the surviving Stand Users, and wherever their loyalties lied, Hol Horse reported that DIO had some ties to the Churches of Cairo. Oingo and Boingo had been put to work looking for anything in the mansion which would shed light on the subject, while Hol Horse checked DIO's other resources to determine who was loyal, and who was working for money.
...And finding someone who wouldn't ask questions to fix the mansion. Vanilla Ice didn't exactly seem to care about limiting how much damage he caused, during their fight.
The point was, DIO may be gone, but his remnants lurked in the world, a constant threat that may seek to avenge their Master. Jotaro may have been the one to finish him off, but Chika had also fought against him, and, more pressingly, was an easier target for whatever minions were still in Cairo.
Stretching a bit as she got out of bed, careful not to bump around her cast- Her arm was almost healed, fortunately, but the doctors recommended a few more days to be sure- Chika decided it was time for a status report.
Quickly making sure she looked professional in the large mirror in the room- DIO had them set up in every bedroom, apparently- Chika stepped out, and made her way towards the largest dining room in the mansion.
Sure enough, the minion squad was gathered. Hol Horse and Oingo were sitting close together, discussing something, while Boingo's position was easy to determine from the shaking chair next to Oingo.
...That boy's fear was going to be a problem, one of these days. At the very least, he needs to stop being terrified of her. She only threatened to kill him once.
"Morning, boss." Hol Horse called, as she walked in, pushing a mug towards her. "Coffee?"
Chika blinked. "How did you-"
"Boingo predicted you walking in looking for one." Oingo replied. "Thought it'd be simpler to have one prepared in advance."
"Truly, Thoth is the most powerful of Stands." Chika declared, taking the coffee. "So, anyone find anything?"
"We managed to find out some more about DIO's ties with the church." Oingo began.
"Oh?" Chika asked. "Anything good?"
"I didn't find anything about Stand Users there." Hol Horse began. "But apparently, DIO subverted one of the local church's a while back. Converted everyone there to his own personal cult."
"...I could buy it." Chika replied. "Guy seemed a little self-centred, and between N'Doul and Vanilla Ice, he certainly had the charisma."
"Yeah, well, there's a bit of bad new on that front." Hol Horse continued. "DIO had been using the place for a few purposes. Keeping donations for the church and throwing them at his purposes. Recruitment. Bringing in weapons to outfit an army, if needed."
"...So they're armed." The girl said. "And probably fanatically loyal, too."
"Still, a church hiding weapons is probably something the police would frown on." Hol Horse mentioned. "We can't just report them- Too likely that some will slip through the gaps, or decide they have nothing to lose- But according to what we found, they gather on Sunday's. DIO was slated to turn up in person on their next gathering, so I'm betting everyone will be there."
"Go in, break some heads." Chika realised. "Then report them to the police. Everyone gathered, and nobody able to get to the weapons and cause a scene. And anybody who claims to be a fresh recruit pressured into it would be watched more afterwards, wouldn't they?"
"Exactly." Hol Horse noted. "The only thing we need is a plan-"
Before he could continue, Oingo reached under the table, before throwing Thoth in front of the group.
"Does this work?" The buff boy asked, as Hol Horse and Chika looked over the panels.
There was only two panels of any relevance, really. The first, Hol Horse and Chika, walking into a church, surrounded by people in dark cloaks. Deep Purple was manifested in front of Chika, reflected in the eyes of both the girl and her minion, but not in the eyes of anyone else looking.
In the second panel, Hol Horse and Chika were posing, victoriously, over a pile of unconscious bodies.
"Well, that seems clear cut." Chika noted. Hol Horse shook his head.
"Thoth has a way of being misleading." He noted. "You haven't experienced it yet, but trust me. For all we know, there's a Stand User there who can change people's faces around, and they're just not in the first image."
Sipping her coffee, Chika thought it over for a moment. "So, we just need to be prepared for things going wrong, somehow?"
"Pretty much." Hol Horse confirmed.
It didn't take too long, for Chika to come up with a plan.
[X] Oingo uses Khnum to take Hol Horse's appearance. Hol Horse remains outside, ready to shoot in as a suprise attack. Boingo stays with Hol Horse, outside, hiding in a box.
[X] Chika and Hol Horse go in. Oingo and Boingo have a getaway car, in case things go wrong somehow.
[X] Write-in.
The Out Of World
Lichte's Brain
- Location
- -
[X] Hol Horse and Chika sneak into the church congregation, disguised with sets of dark cloaks similar to the cultists shown in Thoth's pages. Before entering, they stash a set of gas masks nearby for later retrieval.
-[X] Oingo, disguised as DIO and wearing a cloak of his own to sell the vampire bit, arrives slightly later in the getaway car and enters the church to begin the congregation. Meanwhile, he has three or four gas masks hidden under his cloak for the next stage of the plan. Boingo accompanies him, using a cloak, cane and bandages to disguise himself as an elderly claivoyant named Ani, who is one of DIO's trusted confidants.
--[X] As DIO begins to address his cultists, he calls on 'Ani' to reveal traitors in their midst, pointing out Hol Horse and Chika hidden among the congregation. DIO orders them to be captured and set aside in a private room, where he claims he will execute them later and revive their corpses as his slaves in front of his faithful as punishment for trespassing on his 'holy ground.'
---[X] Oingo-DIO stalls for time as he tries to put on his best overzealous villain act while Hol Horse and Chika quietly escape their confinement with the power of their Stands. Chika finds a vent or similar vector to begin leaking gas (hallucinogenic or sedative) into the main congregation area, then escape out the back or a window to collect the stashed gas masks.
----[X] Once the cultists (alongside Oingo and Boingo) are gassed and incapacitated, Hol Horse and Chika begin cuffing/tying the cultists to prevent them from escaping or fighting back. Their work done, Chika clears the gas from the room and makes a call to the police about a compound of armed terrorists and the authorities will be left to sweep up the rest.
-[X] Oingo, disguised as DIO and wearing a cloak of his own to sell the vampire bit, arrives slightly later in the getaway car and enters the church to begin the congregation. Meanwhile, he has three or four gas masks hidden under his cloak for the next stage of the plan. Boingo accompanies him, using a cloak, cane and bandages to disguise himself as an elderly claivoyant named Ani, who is one of DIO's trusted confidants.
--[X] As DIO begins to address his cultists, he calls on 'Ani' to reveal traitors in their midst, pointing out Hol Horse and Chika hidden among the congregation. DIO orders them to be captured and set aside in a private room, where he claims he will execute them later and revive their corpses as his slaves in front of his faithful as punishment for trespassing on his 'holy ground.'
---[X] Oingo-DIO stalls for time as he tries to put on his best overzealous villain act while Hol Horse and Chika quietly escape their confinement with the power of their Stands. Chika finds a vent or similar vector to begin leaking gas (hallucinogenic or sedative) into the main congregation area, then escape out the back or a window to collect the stashed gas masks.
----[X] Once the cultists (alongside Oingo and Boingo) are gassed and incapacitated, Hol Horse and Chika begin cuffing/tying the cultists to prevent them from escaping or fighting back. Their work done, Chika clears the gas from the room and makes a call to the police about a compound of armed terrorists and the authorities will be left to sweep up the rest.
Finagle007
[Verified Great Old One]
- Pronouns
- He/Him/His
That must be the "Church of the Dark Lord" from in-game. We must be careful; even if Pucci isn't present, there may well be another Stand user and/or vampire in the congregation...
Ridiculously Average Guy
I'm you, but stronger
- Location
-
[X] Stay outside the church, use deep purple to turn all of their air into there into something super flamable and also disabling if necessary, especially above, out of sight level (the best part of enemies using hoods, is that it cuts off their vision above).
[X] Lead the gas to a lit candle (if there are any) or throw a molotov cocktail in through the window.
[X] Have Hol shoot any survivors.
[X] Lead the gas to a lit candle (if there are any) or throw a molotov cocktail in through the window.
[X] Have Hol shoot any survivors.
The Fourth Monado
S U B A R A S H I I
- Location
- Away
[X] Stay outside the church, use deep purple to turn all of their air into there into something super flamable and also disabling if necessary, especially above, out of sight level (the best part of enemies using hoods, is that it cuts off their vision above).
[X] Lead the gas to a lit candle (if there are any) or throw a molotov cocktail in through the window.
[X] Have Hol shoot any survivors.
[X] Lead the gas to a lit candle (if there are any) or throw a molotov cocktail in through the window.
[X] Have Hol shoot any survivors.
TheRuisu
I think that I'm the Dragon
- Location
- Best Location, of course. Keijoverse
[X] Hol Horse and Chika sneak into the church congregation, disguised with sets of dark cloaks similar to the cultists shown in Thoth's pages. Before entering, they stash a set of gas masks nearby for later retrieval.
-[X] Oingo, disguised as DIO and wearing a cloak of his own to sell the vampire bit, arrives slightly later in the getaway car and enters the church to begin the congregation. Meanwhile, he has three or four gas masks hidden under his cloak for the next stage of the plan. Boingo accompanies him, using a cloak, cane and bandages to disguise himself as an elderly claivoyant named Ani, who is one of DIO's trusted confidants.
--[X] As DIO begins to address his cultists, he calls on 'Ani' to reveal traitors in their midst, pointing out Hol Horse and Chika hidden among the congregation. DIO orders them to be captured and set aside in a private room, where he claims he will execute them later and revive their corpses as his slaves in front of his faithful as punishment for trespassing on his 'holy ground.'
---[X] Oingo-DIO stalls for time as he tries to put on his best overzealous villain act while Hol Horse and Chika quietly escape their confinement with the power of their Stands. Chika finds a vent or similar vector to begin leaking gas (hallucinogenic or sedative) into the main congregation area, then escape out the back or a window to collect the stashed gas masks.
----[X] Once the cultists (alongside Oingo and Boingo) are gassed and incapacitated, Hol Horse and Chika begin cuffing/tying the cultists to prevent them from escaping or fighting back. Their work done, Chika clears the gas from the room and makes a call to the police about a compound of armed terrorists and the authorities will be left to sweep up the rest.
-[X] Oingo, disguised as DIO and wearing a cloak of his own to sell the vampire bit, arrives slightly later in the getaway car and enters the church to begin the congregation. Meanwhile, he has three or four gas masks hidden under his cloak for the next stage of the plan. Boingo accompanies him, using a cloak, cane and bandages to disguise himself as an elderly claivoyant named Ani, who is one of DIO's trusted confidants.
--[X] As DIO begins to address his cultists, he calls on 'Ani' to reveal traitors in their midst, pointing out Hol Horse and Chika hidden among the congregation. DIO orders them to be captured and set aside in a private room, where he claims he will execute them later and revive their corpses as his slaves in front of his faithful as punishment for trespassing on his 'holy ground.'
---[X] Oingo-DIO stalls for time as he tries to put on his best overzealous villain act while Hol Horse and Chika quietly escape their confinement with the power of their Stands. Chika finds a vent or similar vector to begin leaking gas (hallucinogenic or sedative) into the main congregation area, then escape out the back or a window to collect the stashed gas masks.
----[X] Once the cultists (alongside Oingo and Boingo) are gassed and incapacitated, Hol Horse and Chika begin cuffing/tying the cultists to prevent them from escaping or fighting back. Their work done, Chika clears the gas from the room and makes a call to the police about a compound of armed terrorists and the authorities will be left to sweep up the rest.
Takoe
Dad
- Location
- Xehafort
Won't work. Thoth's prediction will come true.
And it has them as unconscious, not as very dead.
[X] Hol Horse and Chika sneak into the church congregation, disguised with sets of dark cloaks similar to the cultists shown in Thoth's pages. Before entering, they stash a set of gas masks nearby for later retrieval.
-[X] Oingo, disguised as DIO and wearing a cloak of his own to sell the vampire bit, arrives slightly later in the getaway car and enters the church to begin the congregation. Meanwhile, he has three or four gas masks hidden under his cloak for the next stage of the plan. Boingo accompanies him, using a cloak, cane and bandages to disguise himself as an elderly claivoyant named Ani, who is one of DIO's trusted confidants.
--[X] As DIO begins to address his cultists, he calls on 'Ani' to reveal traitors in their midst, pointing out Hol Horse and Chika hidden among the congregation. DIO orders them to be captured and set aside in a private room, where he claims he will execute them later and revive their corpses as his slaves in front of his faithful as punishment for trespassing on his 'holy ground.'
---[X] Oingo-DIO stalls for time as he tries to put on his best overzealous villain act while Hol Horse and Chika quietly escape their confinement with the power of their Stands. Chika finds a vent or similar vector to begin leaking gas (hallucinogenic or sedative) into the main congregation area, then escape out the back or a window to collect the stashed gas masks.
----[X] Once the cultists (alongside Oingo and Boingo) are gassed and incapacitated, Hol Horse and Chika begin cuffing/tying the cultists to prevent them from escaping or fighting back. Their work done, Chika clears the gas from the room and makes a call to the police about a compound of armed terrorists and the authorities will be left to sweep up the rest.
shenron
Marengo crossing the Alps
[X] Hol Horse and Chika sneak into the church congregation, disguised with sets of dark cloaks similar to the cultists shown in Thoth's pages. Before entering, they stash a set of gas masks nearby for later retrieval.
-[X] Oingo, disguised as DIO and wearing a cloak of his own to sell the vampire bit, arrives slightly later in the getaway car and enters the church to begin the congregation. Meanwhile, he has three or four gas masks hidden under his cloak for the next stage of the plan. Boingo accompanies him, using a cloak, cane and bandages to disguise himself as an elderly claivoyant named Ani, who is one of DIO's trusted confidants.
--[X] As DIO begins to address his cultists, he calls on 'Ani' to reveal traitors in their midst, pointing out Hol Horse and Chika hidden among the congregation. DIO orders them to be captured and set aside in a private room, where he claims he will execute them later and revive their corpses as his slaves in front of his faithful as punishment for trespassing on his 'holy ground.'
---[X] Oingo-DIO stalls for time as he tries to put on his best overzealous villain act while Hol Horse and Chika quietly escape their confinement with the power of their Stands. Chika finds a vent or similar vector to begin leaking gas (hallucinogenic or sedative) into the main congregation area, then escape out the back or a window to collect the stashed gas masks.
----[X] Once the cultists (alongside Oingo and Boingo) are gassed and incapacitated, Hol Horse and Chika begin cuffing/tying the cultists to prevent them from escaping or fighting back. Their work done, Chika clears the gas from the room and makes a call to the police about a compound of armed terrorists and the authorities will be left to sweep up the rest.
-[X] Oingo, disguised as DIO and wearing a cloak of his own to sell the vampire bit, arrives slightly later in the getaway car and enters the church to begin the congregation. Meanwhile, he has three or four gas masks hidden under his cloak for the next stage of the plan. Boingo accompanies him, using a cloak, cane and bandages to disguise himself as an elderly claivoyant named Ani, who is one of DIO's trusted confidants.
--[X] As DIO begins to address his cultists, he calls on 'Ani' to reveal traitors in their midst, pointing out Hol Horse and Chika hidden among the congregation. DIO orders them to be captured and set aside in a private room, where he claims he will execute them later and revive their corpses as his slaves in front of his faithful as punishment for trespassing on his 'holy ground.'
---[X] Oingo-DIO stalls for time as he tries to put on his best overzealous villain act while Hol Horse and Chika quietly escape their confinement with the power of their Stands. Chika finds a vent or similar vector to begin leaking gas (hallucinogenic or sedative) into the main congregation area, then escape out the back or a window to collect the stashed gas masks.
----[X] Once the cultists (alongside Oingo and Boingo) are gassed and incapacitated, Hol Horse and Chika begin cuffing/tying the cultists to prevent them from escaping or fighting back. Their work done, Chika clears the gas from the room and makes a call to the police about a compound of armed terrorists and the authorities will be left to sweep up the rest.
Mortifer
Embrace your inner lunatic. Fun times guaranteed.
- Location
- Under a rock.
*Looks over votes*
Well, I think the winner here is obvious, but it's tradition to ask for a vote count anyway. Vote isn't locked just yet, I have other things to write before I get to this, but this seems like all the votes this is going to get, so may as well get the count now so I don't have to ask later.
Well, I think the winner here is obvious, but it's tradition to ask for a vote count anyway. Vote isn't locked just yet, I have other things to write before I get to this, but this seems like all the votes this is going to get, so may as well get the count now so I don't have to ask later.
Ψυχή
Beyond my wingbeats lie the fate of all worlds...
- Location
- Void between SB and SV
[X] Hol Horse and Chika sneak into the church congregation, disguised with sets of dark cloaks similar to the cultists shown in Thoth's pages. Before entering, they stash a set of gas masks nearby for later retrieval.
-[X] Oingo, disguised as DIO and wearing a cloak of his own to sell the vampire bit, arrives slightly later in the getaway car and enters the church to begin the congregation. Meanwhile, he has three or four gas masks hidden under his cloak for the next stage of the plan. Boingo accompanies him, using a cloak, cane and bandages to disguise himself as an elderly claivoyant named Ani, who is one of DIO's trusted confidants.
--[X] As DIO begins to address his cultists, he calls on 'Ani' to reveal traitors in their midst, pointing out Hol Horse and Chika hidden among the congregation. DIO orders them to be captured and set aside in a private room, where he claims he will execute them later and revive their corpses as his slaves in front of his faithful as punishment for trespassing on his 'holy ground.'
---[X] Oingo-DIO stalls for time as he tries to put on his best overzealous villain act while Hol Horse and Chika quietly escape their confinement with the power of their Stands. Chika finds a vent or similar vector to begin leaking gas (hallucinogenic or sedative) into the main congregation area, then escape out the back or a window to collect the stashed gas masks.
----[X] Once the cultists (alongside Oingo and Boingo) are gassed and incapacitated, Hol Horse and Chika begin cuffing/tying the cultists to prevent them from escaping or fighting back. Their work done, Chika clears the gas from the room and makes a call to the police about a compound of armed terrorists and the authorities will be left to sweep up the rest.
-[X] Oingo, disguised as DIO and wearing a cloak of his own to sell the vampire bit, arrives slightly later in the getaway car and enters the church to begin the congregation. Meanwhile, he has three or four gas masks hidden under his cloak for the next stage of the plan. Boingo accompanies him, using a cloak, cane and bandages to disguise himself as an elderly claivoyant named Ani, who is one of DIO's trusted confidants.
--[X] As DIO begins to address his cultists, he calls on 'Ani' to reveal traitors in their midst, pointing out Hol Horse and Chika hidden among the congregation. DIO orders them to be captured and set aside in a private room, where he claims he will execute them later and revive their corpses as his slaves in front of his faithful as punishment for trespassing on his 'holy ground.'
---[X] Oingo-DIO stalls for time as he tries to put on his best overzealous villain act while Hol Horse and Chika quietly escape their confinement with the power of their Stands. Chika finds a vent or similar vector to begin leaking gas (hallucinogenic or sedative) into the main congregation area, then escape out the back or a window to collect the stashed gas masks.
----[X] Once the cultists (alongside Oingo and Boingo) are gassed and incapacitated, Hol Horse and Chika begin cuffing/tying the cultists to prevent them from escaping or fighting back. Their work done, Chika clears the gas from the room and makes a call to the police about a compound of armed terrorists and the authorities will be left to sweep up the rest.
Including myself, we've got 5 votes for the above and 2 for "Fight them at range w/ Hol Horse as back-up".
Update 3
Mortifer
Embrace your inner lunatic. Fun times guaranteed.
- Location
- Under a rock.
[X] Hol Horse and Chika sneak into the church congregation, disguised with sets of dark cloaks similar to the cultists shown in Thoth's pages. Before entering, they stash a set of gas masks nearby for later retrieval.
-[X] Oingo, disguised as DIO and wearing a cloak of his own to sell the vampire bit, arrives slightly later in the getaway car and enters the church to begin the congregation. Meanwhile, he has three or four gas masks hidden under his cloak for the next stage of the plan. Boingo accompanies him, using a cloak, cane and bandages to disguise himself as an elderly claivoyant named Ani, who is one of DIO's trusted confidants.
--[X] As DIO begins to address his cultists, he calls on 'Ani' to reveal traitors in their midst, pointing out Hol Horse and Chika hidden among the congregation. DIO orders them to be captured and set aside in a private room, where he claims he will execute them later and revive their corpses as his slaves in front of his faithful as punishment for trespassing on his 'holy ground.'
---[X] Oingo-DIO stalls for time as he tries to put on his best overzealous villain act while Hol Horse and Chika quietly escape their confinement with the power of their Stands. Chika finds a vent or similar vector to begin leaking gas (hallucinogenic or sedative) into the main congregation area, then escape out the back or a window to collect the stashed gas masks.
----[X] Once the cultists (alongside Oingo and Boingo) are gassed and incapacitated, Hol Horse and Chika begin cuffing/tying the cultists to prevent them from escaping or fighting back. Their work done, Chika clears the gas from the room and makes a call to the police about a compound of armed terrorists and the authorities will be left to sweep up the rest.
Perhaps the plan was a bit complex, Chika thought. But it was fine. Her arm was out of it's cast, Oingo had spent the last few days getting into character, and Hol Horse had found some robes hidden away somewhere that were both dark and vaguely religious enough to be matches for the dark cloaks in Thoth's comic.
The main point of failure in this plan would be Oingo's acting skills, but hopefully, the cultists would not have met DIO often enough that Oingo could get away with a few slip-ups, as long as he didn't crack under the pressure.
Sunday came, and as night fell, the cult began to gather. It was a slow trickle of people going in, avoiding attention. Some walked through the front door. Others went around the back or through nearby back alleys, no doubt heading towards a secret entrance. From the observance she had done, Chika knew that there was already a large gathering inside the Church, who had been in their for hours.
A good way of avoiding suspicion, though how they get out would be a sight to see. Perhaps some of them would stay in the Church overnight, and go in and out the following day? Or maybe they felt that the cover of darkness was enough protection, in a city where their object of worship lived.
Still, there was no point delaying much longer. Pulling a cloak over her head to hide her appearance, Chika began walking towards the Church, Hol Horse a moment behind her.
The plan had been something discussed frequently during the last few days. One aspect that Chika had brought up was the linguistics issue. While everyone in the group spoke English, Chika couldn't speak Arabic. While it was agreed that the cult wasn't likely to turn someone away due to language, her lack of understanding meant she might draw attention to herself.
Of course, the solution to that problem was to have Oingo and Boingo arrive just after Chika and Hol Horse did, but the linguistic angle was still an annoying one. A weakness that needed to be covered up. She could stand right next to two opponents discussing how best to take her down and never realise it, as it was.
Well, at least learning enough of the language to get by would give the girl something to do in her spare time.
What mattered now, though, was the act. Chika wasn't the best actor, but she knew her role here well enough to play it. First thing's first, she had to look like she knew what she was doing, and that she had every right to be in the Church. If someone thought she looked too nervous, that was already a question someone might ask, far too many.
Chika stepped through the front door, Hol Horse a moment behind her, and the cultists within said... Something, to her.
Hol Horse took a step forward, repeating what had been said, and then continued. Chika heard DIO's name mentioned a few times, before the cultists seemed to grow excited. One stepped forward, a woman in a Nun's habit, and turned to Chika.
"Child." She spoke, and Chika was glad she was speaking English. Even if she wasn't the most fluent speaker, it was better than nothing. "It is a pleasure to see the Church drawing members such as yourself like this. The word of DIO is truly the word of God, to overcome all barriers to draw you in."
Now came the hard part. Putting on the act. Sounding completely devoted to DIO, but hopefully sounding unsure, as a newcomer would.
"As if there was doubt." Chika replied, after a moment. "Lord DIO would not allow any obstacle to stand before him, after all."
The woman smiled. "Truly. Welcome to the Church of the Lord, child. You can call me Sister Mina. Father Pucci is rarely able to attend, and Father Dima prefers to stay in his room until the moment to lead the sermon comes, so for now, I am the most senior member present. If you feel uncomfortable, don't hesitate to talk to me about it. I wouldn't want this experience to be anything less than perfect for you."
"I heard Lord DIO would be coming here tonight." Chika nodded. "Even if I would feel uncomfortable, I can endure, for the chance to see him once more."
Beside her, Hol Horse was talking to other members of the assembly, and over time, they drifted from the crowd, the novelty of newcomers fading enough that they returned to their business.
"Do not fear, child." Sister Mina replied. "For he shall be here soon. It shall be a joyous occasion- The fact that the Joestar family have been forced back is truly a sign of DIO's might."
And here was the tightrope that Chika found herself on. How much did the Church know of Polneraff, Jotaro, and all the others? Of her? She had prepared a false name to be sure, and the fact that Chika hadn't been called out already meant that she hadn't been recognised by what was visible through her hood, but she couldn't misspeak, or else the Church would grow suspicious.
Fortunately, she had the perfect excuse to cover her ignorance of what the cultists knew. Simply act as if she knew nothing at all.
"The Joestars..." Chika muttered. "I had heard that Lord DIO had enemies approaching, but have not heard more. I had assumed that Lord DIO had eliminated them."
"One mustn't underestimate the bloodline of Jonathan, child." Sister Mina scolded softly. "Lord DIO has spoken of his ancient foe as a man among men, the true pinnacle of what humanity can seek to achieve. Even if his descendants aren't as worthy of that respect, the Joestar blood is strong. The fact that they have been defeated was always certain, but had Lord DIO slain them, he would have called us to his home so that we may witness his ascension through their blood."
"Ah." Chika nodded. "Forgive me, Sister, there is still so much I do not know."
"Do not worry, child." The Nun assured her. "I shall be sure to teach you, once this gathering has concluded it's main event."
And at that, the door opened again, and everyone in the building turned to see who had entered.
The disguise, physically, was perfect. It may have lacked the imposing, menacing presence that Chika would never be able to forget, but there was no doubt that, from appearances, the man could be nobody other than DIO himself.
For the cultists, the appearance was enough. Blindly loyal as they were, they wouldn't doubt his appearance for a moment.
Around the room, the cultists positions shifted, before each began to fall into a kneel. Sister Mina pulled Chika to the side, before kneeling herself, and Chika followed suit. Hol Horse mimicked the action himself to Chika's left, and the girl took a moment to observe the room.
The cultists had formed a path for 'DIO', to the altar of the room. Of course. The vampire had always wanted to be the centre of attention.
Khnum wrapped tight to his form, Oingo began to walk through the room. He had been instructed, throughout his stay, to be able to mimic DIO's casual strut easily. A sensual movement that drew attention to each of the defined muscles on his body.
Chika caught herself staring, and quickly focused on the hair on Oingo's head instead. The exact shade of blonde DIO had once been.
A moment behind Oingo, almost invisible with the way the tiny form stumbled unassumingly behind the man, was Boingo. His part in this was simple enough. Say nothing, point at Chika and Hol Horse when prompted, return to the side. And yet, it was still a role he was reluctant to play.
Footsteps were the only sound to echo through the room for a moment, and the only other sound in Chika's ears was her heartbeat.
This was it. Make it or break it time. Deep Purple manifested around her, just to keep her plan B open, and she saw The Emperor in Hol Horse's hand out of the corner of her eye.
Oingo reached the altar, and turned back to his worshippers. Boingo stumbled for a moment, barely avoiding running into him, and quickly moved to his side.
Turning to the crowd, Chika got a good look at Boingo's disguise. His face was mostly covered in bandages, and she saw a loose bandage fall from out of his arm, by which he held a cane. The cane hand was shaking, reflecting Boingo's fear of the moment, but he somehow managed to remain silent.
So far so good. Now for phase 2.
There was silence, for a moment, as Oingo looked over the crowd in his DIO disguise. The gathered cultists were motionless, as they bowed before him, until Oingo spoke.
"Stand." He commanded. "Set your eyes on your master, and know that he had granted you the privilege of standing in his presence."
The gathering did as he commanded, almost entirely in unison. It was a disconcerting effect, really.
For a moment, Oingo looked them over, as if to judge them. After a moment, one of the cultists stumbled out of the crowd, and came to kneel before the false replica of his god.
"Lord DIO..." The man wheezed. "Take my blood. I beg of you. Allow me the blessing of being able to spend my worthless life to provide you with subsistence."
Chika was taken aback of the sudden bluntness the cultist showed, in requesting something that would most likely result in his death. Was this really the effect DIO had on people?
Oingo looked at the man for a moment, as if in consideration. Surely, he had prepared for this inevitability, right?
Sure enough, when that moment passed, Oingo gave a reply. "No. None of you will serve as my meal on this night."
There were moans of despair from the cultists, including one from Sister Mina. Hearing this, Oingo looked up to them.
"Do not overstep yourselves." He commanded. "If I wish to feast on one of you, I shall. You do not offer yourself unless I demand it. You do not show disappointment at not being chosen. Instead, strive to impress me, so that I may see your blood as worthy of entering a being such as myself."
"Yes, Lord DIO." The cultists spoke unison. Chika joined them after a half-second delay, though Hol Horse was able to get the timing down better.
Satisfied that the cult was quiet now, Oingo spoke. "Before I tell you tale of my battle against the Joestars, this is something we need to take care of."
He gestured to Boingo beside him. "This is Ani, a Stand User under my employ. His power is... Not entirely relevant to you, but amongst his abilities he holds is one that allows him to divine truths. And recently, he has been able to divine a rather... Worrisome truth."
Oingo's posture shifted, as he looked at the cultists with disdain. For a moment, he was almost menacing. "There are traitors amongst us."
A gasp went around the Church, as the cultists heard the news. A traitor? It was unheard of. After all, any who betrayed Lord DIO would also betray their fellow cultist, and they seemed to be a close bunch.
"Ani shall find the traitor in our midst." The fake DIO continued. "And once he has done so, I shall ensure that the truth of their treachery is uncovered, and they shall be punished accordingly."
Everything was going according to plan. Chika looked to the side, to Sister Mina, and confirmed that the cultist near her was in some sort of state between shocked and enraged.
Good. If she was angry, she believed it. She believed 'DIO'. If she was anything like the other members of this little cult, that would mean all the others also believed it, and wouldn't try to defend Hol Horse and herself when the time came.
"Ani, find the traitors." Oingo commanded. Boingo hesitated for a moment, before moving his cane forward, as he began to walk.
For a moment, he walked in front of the crowd, looking for Chika and Hol Horse. A moment passed, as he reached the end of the room and turned around, walking back again. The cultists were tense as he walked past, afraid that, at any moment, he would point to someone beside them.
What was taking him so long? Even with the hoods and Chika being near the back, it couldn't take Boingo this long to identify her.
Apparently, the future teller had a similar thought, because his shaking was getting worse. No, no, this could be bad, if he got nervous, he might panic, or make a mistake-
Boingo's cane pointed out to the crowd, at the opposite side of the room than Chika.
Everyone in the room turned to where he was pointing, towards the mass Boingo was pointing at. People began to move out from where Boingo was pointing, though when a muscular figure near the cane attempted to do so, Boingo's cane followed them.
"Remove your hoods." Oingo commanded.
Slowly, a group of five cultists did so. All five were obviously Egyptian born, or close enough that Chika couldn't tell the difference. Two of them were about her age, and one was an old lady, but all of them were unmistakably not her.
Boingo took a step back in surprised, his mistake shocking him, and Chika nearly swore.
For a moment, Chika saw worry on the face that looked so much like DIO's, though nobody else was looking. Then, he stepped forward.
"I shall give you a moment to confess." DIO declared. "Which of you have betrayed me, say so, and your punishment shall be less severe."
"No..." One of the people in the crowd, a girl Chika's age wheezed out. "No, I didn't! It wasn't me! I wouldn't..."
"Be silent." Oingo cut in. "If you betrayed me, step forward. If not, stay still. If another talks, no matter what it is, I shall consider it an admission of guilt."
The five were silent, but also unmoving.
"Very well." Oingo declared. "The five of you shall be separated, until the traitor has been identified. Take them to any spare rooms you have without windows."
The five cultists nearest the five suspects stepped forward, taking the suspected traitors, forcing their hands to the back of their heads, and began to march them out of the room.
Chika almost smiled at Oingo. Somehow, he'd adapted to this fast enough to stop it from falling apart. The problem was, now what?
"First, I ask of you." DIO began, turning to the crowd. "Who of you here has seen suspicious behaviour, from the five who were taken away?"
Chika looked to Hol Horse, who was looking similarly concerned, as the suspects were marched out a door, the last non-suspected cultist closing it behind them.
The cultists began to talk with Oingo, offering reasons why certain suspects were unlikely to be the traitor, regaling the fake DIO with tales of their loyalty and servitude. As this happened, Chika began to think.
Okay, Plan A fell apart. No need to worry. She just had to move onto Plan B.
It was a shame that she wouldn't be able to gas the Church from a position of safety, but it was no concern. The lack of a gas mask meant she would need to stay close to Hol Horse to keep his lungs full of fresh air, but Deep Purple would be able to manage it, if she concentrated.
So, as the talk began, Chika manifested her Stand in the centre of the room, at the very edge of her range. Hol Horse looked at her, and Chika nodded.
Light magenta gas began to spread out of Deep Purple's skull jar, and the people nearest it reacted immediately.
"What the-" Said one man, as the gas enveloped him. It didn't take long, for him to start coughing.
"Enemy Stand!" Oingo declared, as he took Boingo's shoulder and leapt to the back of the room. "There is a Stand User amongst you, a second traitor! Whichever of you discovers the traitor, you shall be rewarded greatly!"
The first man to be enveloped fell to his knees, and fell unconscious a moment later. Chika reached to Hol Horse's hand, hoping to look afraid, and took a step back.
"Child." Sister Mina spoke to her, following her for a step. "Do not worry. We will find the traitor, and Lord DIO will punish them. Everything's going to be alrig-"
"I'll get Father Dima!" A voice called out, as a boy Chika's age ran for the door.
Before he could open the door, and give the gas Chika was making more paths to travel that weren't in the room, Hol Horse pointed Emperor at him, and fired. A moment later, the boy cried out, as the bullet hit his hand.
Everyone turned to Hol Horse, who was posed in a very noticeable position, pointing at the boy who had cried out in pain. The looks facing him, and Chika, were varied. Some were shocked. Some were angry. Some couldn't manage an expression before the gas caused them to collapse.
"You..." Sister Mina whispered. "You're the traitor? No... Both of you are!"
Perhaps Chika should have stepped away, after Hol Horse fired. Acted shocked. A shame. Now everyone knew she was against them too.
Ah, it was no big hassle. The gas had already spread out through the majority of the room, and already Oingo and Boingo were against the wall. Some people had torn off strips of clothes to hold against their face, in the hopes that would help, and Sister Mina had retreated to the edge of the room.
Though, as she realised who had betrayed her, she took in a deep breath, and held it as she ran for Chika.
Unfortunately for her, she held the advantage. Hol Horse fired again, and an Emperor bullet circled the doorknob. The gas began to envelop him, so Chika stepped closer to him to make sure he was close, and used Deep Purple to make a bubble of oxygen around the two.
The gas production stopped for a moment as she did so, and Chika quickly corrected her error, having Deep Purple taint the air around the bubble while keeping the inside at a breathable level-
Hol Horse's hand gripped Chika suddenly, and pulled her to the side, as Sister Mina's fist flew past her hand. The Nun had pulled a brass knuckle out of her robe, except her weapon had a spike. A dangerous punch, and one Chika had overlooked.
She was spreading herself too thin. Making the gas, protecting herself and Hol Horse from it, keeping Deep Purple doing both constant effects was taking her concentration, and she could barely focus on the fight.
But, this was fine. The oxygen would be alright for a moment, so she could just hold it, and stop refreshing it. She kept gas production going, and decided to focus it further.
As Mina stepped in for another punch, she took a breath of the oxygen bubble around Chika. As she did so, the Japanese girl had Deep Purple fill her lungs with the gas.
The Nun suddenly coughed, the shaking motion throwing off her aim, allowing Chika to duck in close and punch her in the face.
Her punching skills weren't the best in the world. Heck, before she began her journey, she'd never had to throw a punch, and she didn't exactly try to get within hitting distance of everyone. But leaving yourself vulnerable close-up was a mistake Chika refused to make, so she knew enough. Punch hard, punch strong, and punch like you're hitting behind the target. Don't stop the force just because you hit.
Sister Mina was knocked back a step, back outside the oxygen bubble, and Chika took a moment to focus. The gas production stopped for a moment- Though, at this point, most of the room was covered- And contorted the air around Mina.
A sudden rush of wind hit the Nun, and she was knocked backwards. Between that blow and the gas, she was out a moment later.
Chika smiled, as she refreshed the oxygen in her little bubble. Good.
"A gas mask?" A voice suddenly asked, and Chika turned at it suddenly.
Standing at the door, with a bullet wound in his hand, was a man Chika hadn't seen before. He was dressed as a priest, and looking over at Oingo and Boingo, who had put on their gas masks at some point in the confusion.
Two immediate thoughts came to Chika's mind. The first, that the man was unconcerned with a bullet wound in his hand.
"Why would Lord DIO have a gas mask?" The man asked. "He wouldn't need to worry about breathing in gas, imposter."
Second: The man wasn't breathing.
Vampire.
[X] Explosive gas. Spark. Blow the building to pieces. It'll buy time until you come up with a better plan.
[X] Rush the vampire. Hit him with Hamon before he can react.
[X] Try not to panic too much. Distract the vampire, fight it for a bit before going to Hamon.
[X] Run. You weren't prepared for a Vampire, especially not one with so many bodies around to feed on.
[X] Write-in.
-[X] Oingo, disguised as DIO and wearing a cloak of his own to sell the vampire bit, arrives slightly later in the getaway car and enters the church to begin the congregation. Meanwhile, he has three or four gas masks hidden under his cloak for the next stage of the plan. Boingo accompanies him, using a cloak, cane and bandages to disguise himself as an elderly claivoyant named Ani, who is one of DIO's trusted confidants.
--[X] As DIO begins to address his cultists, he calls on 'Ani' to reveal traitors in their midst, pointing out Hol Horse and Chika hidden among the congregation. DIO orders them to be captured and set aside in a private room, where he claims he will execute them later and revive their corpses as his slaves in front of his faithful as punishment for trespassing on his 'holy ground.'
---[X] Oingo-DIO stalls for time as he tries to put on his best overzealous villain act while Hol Horse and Chika quietly escape their confinement with the power of their Stands. Chika finds a vent or similar vector to begin leaking gas (hallucinogenic or sedative) into the main congregation area, then escape out the back or a window to collect the stashed gas masks.
----[X] Once the cultists (alongside Oingo and Boingo) are gassed and incapacitated, Hol Horse and Chika begin cuffing/tying the cultists to prevent them from escaping or fighting back. Their work done, Chika clears the gas from the room and makes a call to the police about a compound of armed terrorists and the authorities will be left to sweep up the rest.
Perhaps the plan was a bit complex, Chika thought. But it was fine. Her arm was out of it's cast, Oingo had spent the last few days getting into character, and Hol Horse had found some robes hidden away somewhere that were both dark and vaguely religious enough to be matches for the dark cloaks in Thoth's comic.
The main point of failure in this plan would be Oingo's acting skills, but hopefully, the cultists would not have met DIO often enough that Oingo could get away with a few slip-ups, as long as he didn't crack under the pressure.
Sunday came, and as night fell, the cult began to gather. It was a slow trickle of people going in, avoiding attention. Some walked through the front door. Others went around the back or through nearby back alleys, no doubt heading towards a secret entrance. From the observance she had done, Chika knew that there was already a large gathering inside the Church, who had been in their for hours.
A good way of avoiding suspicion, though how they get out would be a sight to see. Perhaps some of them would stay in the Church overnight, and go in and out the following day? Or maybe they felt that the cover of darkness was enough protection, in a city where their object of worship lived.
Still, there was no point delaying much longer. Pulling a cloak over her head to hide her appearance, Chika began walking towards the Church, Hol Horse a moment behind her.
The plan had been something discussed frequently during the last few days. One aspect that Chika had brought up was the linguistics issue. While everyone in the group spoke English, Chika couldn't speak Arabic. While it was agreed that the cult wasn't likely to turn someone away due to language, her lack of understanding meant she might draw attention to herself.
Of course, the solution to that problem was to have Oingo and Boingo arrive just after Chika and Hol Horse did, but the linguistic angle was still an annoying one. A weakness that needed to be covered up. She could stand right next to two opponents discussing how best to take her down and never realise it, as it was.
Well, at least learning enough of the language to get by would give the girl something to do in her spare time.
What mattered now, though, was the act. Chika wasn't the best actor, but she knew her role here well enough to play it. First thing's first, she had to look like she knew what she was doing, and that she had every right to be in the Church. If someone thought she looked too nervous, that was already a question someone might ask, far too many.
Chika stepped through the front door, Hol Horse a moment behind her, and the cultists within said... Something, to her.
Hol Horse took a step forward, repeating what had been said, and then continued. Chika heard DIO's name mentioned a few times, before the cultists seemed to grow excited. One stepped forward, a woman in a Nun's habit, and turned to Chika.
"Child." She spoke, and Chika was glad she was speaking English. Even if she wasn't the most fluent speaker, it was better than nothing. "It is a pleasure to see the Church drawing members such as yourself like this. The word of DIO is truly the word of God, to overcome all barriers to draw you in."
Now came the hard part. Putting on the act. Sounding completely devoted to DIO, but hopefully sounding unsure, as a newcomer would.
"As if there was doubt." Chika replied, after a moment. "Lord DIO would not allow any obstacle to stand before him, after all."
The woman smiled. "Truly. Welcome to the Church of the Lord, child. You can call me Sister Mina. Father Pucci is rarely able to attend, and Father Dima prefers to stay in his room until the moment to lead the sermon comes, so for now, I am the most senior member present. If you feel uncomfortable, don't hesitate to talk to me about it. I wouldn't want this experience to be anything less than perfect for you."
"I heard Lord DIO would be coming here tonight." Chika nodded. "Even if I would feel uncomfortable, I can endure, for the chance to see him once more."
Beside her, Hol Horse was talking to other members of the assembly, and over time, they drifted from the crowd, the novelty of newcomers fading enough that they returned to their business.
"Do not fear, child." Sister Mina replied. "For he shall be here soon. It shall be a joyous occasion- The fact that the Joestar family have been forced back is truly a sign of DIO's might."
And here was the tightrope that Chika found herself on. How much did the Church know of Polneraff, Jotaro, and all the others? Of her? She had prepared a false name to be sure, and the fact that Chika hadn't been called out already meant that she hadn't been recognised by what was visible through her hood, but she couldn't misspeak, or else the Church would grow suspicious.
Fortunately, she had the perfect excuse to cover her ignorance of what the cultists knew. Simply act as if she knew nothing at all.
"The Joestars..." Chika muttered. "I had heard that Lord DIO had enemies approaching, but have not heard more. I had assumed that Lord DIO had eliminated them."
"One mustn't underestimate the bloodline of Jonathan, child." Sister Mina scolded softly. "Lord DIO has spoken of his ancient foe as a man among men, the true pinnacle of what humanity can seek to achieve. Even if his descendants aren't as worthy of that respect, the Joestar blood is strong. The fact that they have been defeated was always certain, but had Lord DIO slain them, he would have called us to his home so that we may witness his ascension through their blood."
"Ah." Chika nodded. "Forgive me, Sister, there is still so much I do not know."
"Do not worry, child." The Nun assured her. "I shall be sure to teach you, once this gathering has concluded it's main event."
And at that, the door opened again, and everyone in the building turned to see who had entered.
The disguise, physically, was perfect. It may have lacked the imposing, menacing presence that Chika would never be able to forget, but there was no doubt that, from appearances, the man could be nobody other than DIO himself.
For the cultists, the appearance was enough. Blindly loyal as they were, they wouldn't doubt his appearance for a moment.
Around the room, the cultists positions shifted, before each began to fall into a kneel. Sister Mina pulled Chika to the side, before kneeling herself, and Chika followed suit. Hol Horse mimicked the action himself to Chika's left, and the girl took a moment to observe the room.
The cultists had formed a path for 'DIO', to the altar of the room. Of course. The vampire had always wanted to be the centre of attention.
Khnum wrapped tight to his form, Oingo began to walk through the room. He had been instructed, throughout his stay, to be able to mimic DIO's casual strut easily. A sensual movement that drew attention to each of the defined muscles on his body.
Chika caught herself staring, and quickly focused on the hair on Oingo's head instead. The exact shade of blonde DIO had once been.
A moment behind Oingo, almost invisible with the way the tiny form stumbled unassumingly behind the man, was Boingo. His part in this was simple enough. Say nothing, point at Chika and Hol Horse when prompted, return to the side. And yet, it was still a role he was reluctant to play.
Footsteps were the only sound to echo through the room for a moment, and the only other sound in Chika's ears was her heartbeat.
This was it. Make it or break it time. Deep Purple manifested around her, just to keep her plan B open, and she saw The Emperor in Hol Horse's hand out of the corner of her eye.
Oingo reached the altar, and turned back to his worshippers. Boingo stumbled for a moment, barely avoiding running into him, and quickly moved to his side.
Turning to the crowd, Chika got a good look at Boingo's disguise. His face was mostly covered in bandages, and she saw a loose bandage fall from out of his arm, by which he held a cane. The cane hand was shaking, reflecting Boingo's fear of the moment, but he somehow managed to remain silent.
So far so good. Now for phase 2.
There was silence, for a moment, as Oingo looked over the crowd in his DIO disguise. The gathered cultists were motionless, as they bowed before him, until Oingo spoke.
"Stand." He commanded. "Set your eyes on your master, and know that he had granted you the privilege of standing in his presence."
The gathering did as he commanded, almost entirely in unison. It was a disconcerting effect, really.
For a moment, Oingo looked them over, as if to judge them. After a moment, one of the cultists stumbled out of the crowd, and came to kneel before the false replica of his god.
"Lord DIO..." The man wheezed. "Take my blood. I beg of you. Allow me the blessing of being able to spend my worthless life to provide you with subsistence."
Chika was taken aback of the sudden bluntness the cultist showed, in requesting something that would most likely result in his death. Was this really the effect DIO had on people?
Oingo looked at the man for a moment, as if in consideration. Surely, he had prepared for this inevitability, right?
Sure enough, when that moment passed, Oingo gave a reply. "No. None of you will serve as my meal on this night."
There were moans of despair from the cultists, including one from Sister Mina. Hearing this, Oingo looked up to them.
"Do not overstep yourselves." He commanded. "If I wish to feast on one of you, I shall. You do not offer yourself unless I demand it. You do not show disappointment at not being chosen. Instead, strive to impress me, so that I may see your blood as worthy of entering a being such as myself."
"Yes, Lord DIO." The cultists spoke unison. Chika joined them after a half-second delay, though Hol Horse was able to get the timing down better.
Satisfied that the cult was quiet now, Oingo spoke. "Before I tell you tale of my battle against the Joestars, this is something we need to take care of."
He gestured to Boingo beside him. "This is Ani, a Stand User under my employ. His power is... Not entirely relevant to you, but amongst his abilities he holds is one that allows him to divine truths. And recently, he has been able to divine a rather... Worrisome truth."
Oingo's posture shifted, as he looked at the cultists with disdain. For a moment, he was almost menacing. "There are traitors amongst us."
A gasp went around the Church, as the cultists heard the news. A traitor? It was unheard of. After all, any who betrayed Lord DIO would also betray their fellow cultist, and they seemed to be a close bunch.
"Ani shall find the traitor in our midst." The fake DIO continued. "And once he has done so, I shall ensure that the truth of their treachery is uncovered, and they shall be punished accordingly."
Everything was going according to plan. Chika looked to the side, to Sister Mina, and confirmed that the cultist near her was in some sort of state between shocked and enraged.
Good. If she was angry, she believed it. She believed 'DIO'. If she was anything like the other members of this little cult, that would mean all the others also believed it, and wouldn't try to defend Hol Horse and herself when the time came.
"Ani, find the traitors." Oingo commanded. Boingo hesitated for a moment, before moving his cane forward, as he began to walk.
For a moment, he walked in front of the crowd, looking for Chika and Hol Horse. A moment passed, as he reached the end of the room and turned around, walking back again. The cultists were tense as he walked past, afraid that, at any moment, he would point to someone beside them.
What was taking him so long? Even with the hoods and Chika being near the back, it couldn't take Boingo this long to identify her.
Apparently, the future teller had a similar thought, because his shaking was getting worse. No, no, this could be bad, if he got nervous, he might panic, or make a mistake-
Boingo's cane pointed out to the crowd, at the opposite side of the room than Chika.
Everyone in the room turned to where he was pointing, towards the mass Boingo was pointing at. People began to move out from where Boingo was pointing, though when a muscular figure near the cane attempted to do so, Boingo's cane followed them.
"Remove your hoods." Oingo commanded.
Slowly, a group of five cultists did so. All five were obviously Egyptian born, or close enough that Chika couldn't tell the difference. Two of them were about her age, and one was an old lady, but all of them were unmistakably not her.
Boingo took a step back in surprised, his mistake shocking him, and Chika nearly swore.
For a moment, Chika saw worry on the face that looked so much like DIO's, though nobody else was looking. Then, he stepped forward.
"I shall give you a moment to confess." DIO declared. "Which of you have betrayed me, say so, and your punishment shall be less severe."
"No..." One of the people in the crowd, a girl Chika's age wheezed out. "No, I didn't! It wasn't me! I wouldn't..."
"Be silent." Oingo cut in. "If you betrayed me, step forward. If not, stay still. If another talks, no matter what it is, I shall consider it an admission of guilt."
The five were silent, but also unmoving.
"Very well." Oingo declared. "The five of you shall be separated, until the traitor has been identified. Take them to any spare rooms you have without windows."
The five cultists nearest the five suspects stepped forward, taking the suspected traitors, forcing their hands to the back of their heads, and began to march them out of the room.
Chika almost smiled at Oingo. Somehow, he'd adapted to this fast enough to stop it from falling apart. The problem was, now what?
"First, I ask of you." DIO began, turning to the crowd. "Who of you here has seen suspicious behaviour, from the five who were taken away?"
Chika looked to Hol Horse, who was looking similarly concerned, as the suspects were marched out a door, the last non-suspected cultist closing it behind them.
The cultists began to talk with Oingo, offering reasons why certain suspects were unlikely to be the traitor, regaling the fake DIO with tales of their loyalty and servitude. As this happened, Chika began to think.
Okay, Plan A fell apart. No need to worry. She just had to move onto Plan B.
It was a shame that she wouldn't be able to gas the Church from a position of safety, but it was no concern. The lack of a gas mask meant she would need to stay close to Hol Horse to keep his lungs full of fresh air, but Deep Purple would be able to manage it, if she concentrated.
So, as the talk began, Chika manifested her Stand in the centre of the room, at the very edge of her range. Hol Horse looked at her, and Chika nodded.
Light magenta gas began to spread out of Deep Purple's skull jar, and the people nearest it reacted immediately.
"What the-" Said one man, as the gas enveloped him. It didn't take long, for him to start coughing.
"Enemy Stand!" Oingo declared, as he took Boingo's shoulder and leapt to the back of the room. "There is a Stand User amongst you, a second traitor! Whichever of you discovers the traitor, you shall be rewarded greatly!"
The first man to be enveloped fell to his knees, and fell unconscious a moment later. Chika reached to Hol Horse's hand, hoping to look afraid, and took a step back.
"Child." Sister Mina spoke to her, following her for a step. "Do not worry. We will find the traitor, and Lord DIO will punish them. Everything's going to be alrig-"
"I'll get Father Dima!" A voice called out, as a boy Chika's age ran for the door.
Before he could open the door, and give the gas Chika was making more paths to travel that weren't in the room, Hol Horse pointed Emperor at him, and fired. A moment later, the boy cried out, as the bullet hit his hand.
Everyone turned to Hol Horse, who was posed in a very noticeable position, pointing at the boy who had cried out in pain. The looks facing him, and Chika, were varied. Some were shocked. Some were angry. Some couldn't manage an expression before the gas caused them to collapse.
"You..." Sister Mina whispered. "You're the traitor? No... Both of you are!"
Perhaps Chika should have stepped away, after Hol Horse fired. Acted shocked. A shame. Now everyone knew she was against them too.
Ah, it was no big hassle. The gas had already spread out through the majority of the room, and already Oingo and Boingo were against the wall. Some people had torn off strips of clothes to hold against their face, in the hopes that would help, and Sister Mina had retreated to the edge of the room.
Though, as she realised who had betrayed her, she took in a deep breath, and held it as she ran for Chika.
Unfortunately for her, she held the advantage. Hol Horse fired again, and an Emperor bullet circled the doorknob. The gas began to envelop him, so Chika stepped closer to him to make sure he was close, and used Deep Purple to make a bubble of oxygen around the two.
The gas production stopped for a moment as she did so, and Chika quickly corrected her error, having Deep Purple taint the air around the bubble while keeping the inside at a breathable level-
Hol Horse's hand gripped Chika suddenly, and pulled her to the side, as Sister Mina's fist flew past her hand. The Nun had pulled a brass knuckle out of her robe, except her weapon had a spike. A dangerous punch, and one Chika had overlooked.
She was spreading herself too thin. Making the gas, protecting herself and Hol Horse from it, keeping Deep Purple doing both constant effects was taking her concentration, and she could barely focus on the fight.
But, this was fine. The oxygen would be alright for a moment, so she could just hold it, and stop refreshing it. She kept gas production going, and decided to focus it further.
As Mina stepped in for another punch, she took a breath of the oxygen bubble around Chika. As she did so, the Japanese girl had Deep Purple fill her lungs with the gas.
The Nun suddenly coughed, the shaking motion throwing off her aim, allowing Chika to duck in close and punch her in the face.
Her punching skills weren't the best in the world. Heck, before she began her journey, she'd never had to throw a punch, and she didn't exactly try to get within hitting distance of everyone. But leaving yourself vulnerable close-up was a mistake Chika refused to make, so she knew enough. Punch hard, punch strong, and punch like you're hitting behind the target. Don't stop the force just because you hit.
Sister Mina was knocked back a step, back outside the oxygen bubble, and Chika took a moment to focus. The gas production stopped for a moment- Though, at this point, most of the room was covered- And contorted the air around Mina.
A sudden rush of wind hit the Nun, and she was knocked backwards. Between that blow and the gas, she was out a moment later.
Chika smiled, as she refreshed the oxygen in her little bubble. Good.
"A gas mask?" A voice suddenly asked, and Chika turned at it suddenly.
Standing at the door, with a bullet wound in his hand, was a man Chika hadn't seen before. He was dressed as a priest, and looking over at Oingo and Boingo, who had put on their gas masks at some point in the confusion.
Two immediate thoughts came to Chika's mind. The first, that the man was unconcerned with a bullet wound in his hand.
"Why would Lord DIO have a gas mask?" The man asked. "He wouldn't need to worry about breathing in gas, imposter."
Second: The man wasn't breathing.
Vampire.
[X] Explosive gas. Spark. Blow the building to pieces. It'll buy time until you come up with a better plan.
[X] Rush the vampire. Hit him with Hamon before he can react.
[X] Try not to panic too much. Distract the vampire, fight it for a bit before going to Hamon.
[X] Run. You weren't prepared for a Vampire, especially not one with so many bodies around to feed on.
[X] Write-in.
Finagle007
[Verified Great Old One]
- Pronouns
- He/Him/His
This must be Father Dima, since Pucci can't possibly be a vampire. No clue what his Stand may be, or if he even has a Stand, but still...
The Out Of World
Lichte's Brain
- Location
- -
[X] Try not to panic too much. Distract the vampire, fight it for a bit before going to Hamon.
-[X] Bait him into thinking he's got the limits of your Hamon figured out, then when he's sure of his invincibility, use Deep Purple to fire an Air Bullet from the Hamon-charged breath of your lungs.
I advocate this option since this vampire is a member of the Church, whose members have been shown to have at least some basic understanding of concepts dating back to earlier parts of DIO's life, so it's safe to assume he is at least informed of what signs to recognize for fighting a Hamon user. Rushing him head-on with blatant Hamon techniques would get Chika countered pretty quick.
RIP Dire ; - ;
-[X] Bait him into thinking he's got the limits of your Hamon figured out, then when he's sure of his invincibility, use Deep Purple to fire an Air Bullet from the Hamon-charged breath of your lungs.
I advocate this option since this vampire is a member of the Church, whose members have been shown to have at least some basic understanding of concepts dating back to earlier parts of DIO's life, so it's safe to assume he is at least informed of what signs to recognize for fighting a Hamon user. Rushing him head-on with blatant Hamon techniques would get Chika countered pretty quick.
RIP Dire ; - ;
Last edited:
The Fourth Monado
S U B A R A S H I I
- Location
- Away
[X] Try not to panic too much. Distract the vampire, fight it for a bit before going to Hamon.
-[X] Bait him into thinking he's got the limits of your Hamon figured out, then when he's sure of his invincibility, use Deep Purple to fire an Air Bullet from the Hamon-charged breath of your lungs.
-[X] Bait him into thinking he's got the limits of your Hamon figured out, then when he's sure of his invincibility, use Deep Purple to fire an Air Bullet from the Hamon-charged breath of your lungs.
Dragonjackel
GOLDEN Judgement
- Location
- Gregory House
[X] Try not to panic too much. Distract the vampire, fight it for a bit before going to Hamon.
-[X] Bait him into thinking he's got the limits of your Hamon figured out, then when he's sure of his invincibility, use Deep Purple to fire an Air Bullet from the Hamon-charged breath of your lungs.
This quest is great so far, the only thing I don't like is a personal gripe, Specials is the best stand in 7thJojo.
-[X] Bait him into thinking he's got the limits of your Hamon figured out, then when he's sure of his invincibility, use Deep Purple to fire an Air Bullet from the Hamon-charged breath of your lungs.
This quest is great so far, the only thing I don't like is a personal gripe, Specials is the best stand in 7thJojo.
Ridiculously Average Guy
I'm you, but stronger
- Location
-
[X] Try not to panic too much. Distract the vampire, fight it for a bit before going to Hamon.
-[X] Bait him into thinking he's got the limits of your Hamon figured out, then when he's sure of his invincibility, use Deep Purple to fire an Air Bullet from the Hamon-charged breath of your lungs.
-[X] Bait him into thinking he's got the limits of your Hamon figured out, then when he's sure of his invincibility, use Deep Purple to fire an Air Bullet from the Hamon-charged breath of your lungs.
Ψυχή
Beyond my wingbeats lie the fate of all worlds...
- Location
- Void between SB and SV
[X] Try not to panic too much. Distract the vampire, fight it for a bit before going to Hamon.
-[X] Bait him into thinking he's got the limits of your Hamon figured out, then when he's sure of his invincibility, use Deep Purple to fire an Air Bullet from the Hamon-charged breath of your lungs.
-[X] Bait him into thinking he's got the limits of your Hamon figured out, then when he's sure of his invincibility, use Deep Purple to fire an Air Bullet from the Hamon-charged breath of your lungs.
[X] Try not to panic too much. Distract the vampire, fight it for a bit before going to Hamon.
-[X] Bait him into thinking he's got the limits of your Hamon figured out, then when he's sure of his invincibility, use Deep Purple to fire an Air Bullet from the Hamon-charged breath of your lungs.
-[X] Bait him into thinking he's got the limits of your Hamon figured out, then when he's sure of his invincibility, use Deep Purple to fire an Air Bullet from the Hamon-charged breath of your lungs.
BlizzardWizard
Phantom Detective!
- Location
- Denmark
[X] Try not to panic too much. Distract the vampire, fight it for a bit before going to Hamon.
-[X] Bait him into thinking he's got the limits of your Hamon figured out, then when he's sure of his invincibility, use Deep Purple to fire an Air Bullet from the Hamon-charged breath of your lungs.
Great story so far. Will be watching.
-[X] Bait him into thinking he's got the limits of your Hamon figured out, then when he's sure of his invincibility, use Deep Purple to fire an Air Bullet from the Hamon-charged breath of your lungs.
Great story so far. Will be watching.
ziizo
Lazily Lurking
[X] Try not to panic too much. Distract the vampire, fight it for a bit before going to Hamon.
-[X] Bait him into thinking he's got the limits of your Hamon figured out, then when he's sure of his invincibility, use Deep Purple to fire an Air Bullet from the Hamon-charged breath of your lungs.
-[X] Bait him into thinking he's got the limits of your Hamon figured out, then when he's sure of his invincibility, use Deep Purple to fire an Air Bullet from the Hamon-charged breath of your lungs.
- Location
- my house
[X] Try not to panic too much. Distract the vampire, fight it for a bit before going to Hamon.
-[X] Bait him into thinking he's got the limits of your Hamon figured out, then when he's sure of his invincibility, use Deep Purple to fire an Air Bullet from the Hamon-charged breath of your lungs.
-[X] Bait him into thinking he's got the limits of your Hamon figured out, then when he's sure of his invincibility, use Deep Purple to fire an Air Bullet from the Hamon-charged breath of your lungs.
Finagle007
[Verified Great Old One]
- Pronouns
- He/Him/His
[X] Try not to panic too much. Distract the vampire, fight it for a bit before going to Hamon.
-[X] Bait him into thinking he's got the limits of your Hamon figured out, then when he's sure of his invincibility, use Deep Purple to fire an Air Bullet from the Hamon-charged breath of your lungs.
-[X] Bait him into thinking he's got the limits of your Hamon figured out, then when he's sure of his invincibility, use Deep Purple to fire an Air Bullet from the Hamon-charged breath of your lungs.