Fan Fiction ❯ Get Back ❯ Slayer ( Chapter 2 )

Disclaimer: I am not in this story. But Noriaki Kakyoin and everyone are real fictional characters belonging to Araki. All the rest are DC's. Bah. Silly DC.

To my three, sole, sole reviewers, thank you so much.

Get Back

Issue 2: Slayer

"I guess you could say that my mother was a lucky woman. She was on that ship the same night as the ... incident. But that's me getting ahead of myself," Joseph said. "It all started with a boy named Dio coming to the mansion where my grandfather, Jonathan, lived with his father and his beloved pet dog Danny."

"When was this?" Robin asked.

"It was during the Victorian period. My mother was a little girl then." He continued, not noticing Robin trying to do the mental math. "Dio was a strange lad. Intelligent and cunning despite his low class heritage, I can only imagine what fate befell his foul father, who George Joestar, Jonathan's strict father, had believed to owe a debt. Taking the boy in, Dio quickly began to estrange Jonathan from everyone and everything. He even kissed Grandma on the lips," he chuckled, "My grandma just washed her mouth out with mud." Jonathan sighed, "Dio was twisted. He would stop at nothing. He even arranged for Danny to be burned alive."

"This man," Beast Boy suddenly yelled, "Is a monster."

"That's what Grandfather thought. However, as time went on, isolated, Jonathan and Dio became somewhat friends. As college students, the two still, under the surface, continued their rivalry, and it came to a plot where Dio tried to kill Jonathan with a clay mask. I don't know where he learned about the true power of those things, but when he returned to find Jonathan exposing his plan to poison George Joestar, he soon used the kindly old gentleman who took him in to start the mask's evil power."

"What can this clay mask do, anyway?" Raven asked. "It's just a mask."

"Like everything," Kakyoin said, "There's hidden depths. If I remember correctly, when the mask came into contact with human blood it would come to life, seemingly, and pierce the wearer's brain."

"That sounds like an unpleasant way to die," Raven muttered.

"But he didn't," Joseph said. "He lived. As a vampire. The Mask released hidden potential, however, by making the wearer closer to these so-called Ultimate Life-forms, they became susceptible to the monster's weakness -- sunlight. To make a long story short, though he had thought he'd won against him in the mansion, Dio survived and transformed an entire city into a zombie-infested mess. Without Robert Edward O. Speedwagon--"

"REO Speedwagon?" Cyborg asked, "You're joking, right?"

"No!" Joseph said, "Robert was a good friend of mine. Wealthy oil magnate who taught my everything I know, well, except Hamon."

"What?" Raven asked, "Is that some kind of mysticism?"

"Hold up," Joseph said, "I'm not there yet. With Speedwagon's help, along with William Zepelli's, Jonathan used his newfound Hamon magic, the magic of the ripples of the breath, to destroy Dio's body. Unfortunately, despite the help of my master, Straizo, his fellow student Dire, and their master Tompetty, they were not enough to stop Dio there. That boat became my grandfather's grave when the head of Dio, still alive, preserved in a jar, came to take the body of Jonathan Joestar. The ship sank, and a hundred years later, in 1983, the reborn Dio emerged again!"

"Yare yare daze," Jotaro said, "You make it so dramatic, gramps."

"Isn't it dramatic? That my mother, and my yet unborn father, little infants on that frightening ship, escaped thanks to grandmother's bravery and continued my grandfather's proud heritage?"

"I suppose," Jotaro said. He shrugged.

"JoJo!" Kakyoin exclaimed. "He's always like this. He's excited as any of you are."

"Uh," Cyborg said, "You made all that up, right? There is no way, no way in any possible alternate reality that Tom Petty knows magic."

"Ah, but does he not display a certain propensity for mystical chanting already?" Starfire asked. "He does not?" she muttered a minute later after the Titans' cold looks drew her back down to reality. "I am sorry."

"Look, I don't mean any disrespect," Robin said, "But that story isn't very believable."

"Sure," Joseph said, "This coming from the Circus Performer."

"I retract my statement," Robin said, quietly.

"Look, all I told you is true. I don't expect people to believe that story, but it is true," Joseph said. "I swear on my Grandmother's life, bless her soul, that every word of that is truth."

"We believe you," Starfire offered, timidly.

"The only question left right now," Cyborg asked, "Is what Slade is planning."

"I don't know," Jotaro said. He added, as an after thought, "But keep on your toes." There was an eerie calm that fell on the room at his words. There was something not exactly right about this. Jotaro took off his cap and wiped his brow, angrily. Something was bugging him, but he couldn't place what.

"Ne, JoJo," Kakyoin said, quietly, "Did you carry a slip of paper in your coat pocket earlier?"

"Ah," Jotaro said, "This was the directions to the Tower." There was a pause and he pulled the page open. On one side was written a short poem, elegant, about a mystical world. "What's this?" The page folded over, taking itself from Jotaro's hand and falling to the ground with a loud thud. The page opened to the world and a hand, metallic and menacing, emerged from it.

"Slade," Robin muttered. "This is one of his drones," he continued, "He must have planted it."

"Then he's in league with that Stand User," Jotaro muttered. "I should have known."

"Titans! Go!"

"This is so cool," Joseph squealed. "A real live super hero battle!" Jotaro just tried to tune out his uncle. "Well, shouldn't we help them?"

"We're not going in if you say something corny," Jotaro warned him.

"I'm siding with him this time. Hierophant Green!" the Stand emerged. "Emerald Splash!" Liquid began to emerge from the Stand's palms as it brought its arms back to prepare the launch of its powerful salvo of emeralds. "Out of the way!" he called as the liquid crystallized mid-air and went through the growing force of drones that emerged from the page.

"Whoa!" Beast Boy said, "That was the coolest thing I've ever seen. They just went crash! And they were vapor in seconds." Raven looked at the Stand with mild apprehension. Whatever these things were, they were powerful enough to take out a whole force of those creatures. "Raven, look out!" Beast Boy called, transforming into an elephant and swiping away one of the drones that had tried to get the jump on her.

"Thanks," she said.

"What's gotten you so distracted?" He paused, "You got a thing for the mysterious shade wearing stranger?"

"What?" She threw a droid into another, knocking a third off course. "Of course not. You just can't see what did that to those robots."

"Oh, I saw alright," Beast Boy said. "That guy just waves his hand and their pulp."

"Idiot."

Jotaro meanwhile was tearing across the crowd, hands in his pockets. Star Platinum had three advantages. Speed. Power. Accuracy. Each blow hit with the full brunt of each. The robots were dismantled in quick order and he moved forward along with his Stand's barrage. To his amazement, Robin seemed able to keep up. "So, Jotaro, why do they call you JoJo?"

"I wish I knew," he answered.

"Seems like the wrong sort of nickname. If you were in an American high school, we'd probably call you Sir," he answered.

"Yare yare," Jotaro muttered. They barely noticed that some of the robots had slipped off to deal with the door. Unfortunately for the droids, the others were waiting.

"Booyah!" Cyborg yelled, destroying one with a sonic blast. "Pests try invading my turf? I don't think so."

"You're one tough kid," Joseph smirked. "But nothing beats the power of experience!" He brought one closer through the tendrils of Hermit Purple and brought his foot up to kick it in the face. He found it much more difficult than he at first thought. "Ouch!" escaped his breath and he grabbed his toe. The robot seemed almost confused before reacting. It found a starbolt to be a less than satisfying response and was hurtled into a wall by the sheer force.

"Please, Mr. Joestar, don't exert yourself," Starfire pleaded. She dodged another droid. "This is beginning to look hopeless." Joseph took a breath and brought a wave of energy out, shattering the heads of several of the droids. "Ah! That was most helpful, Mr. Joestar!"

"No problem," Joseph said with a smile. "Now who's next?"

Within time, the sheer number seemed to be too much for the Titans, even with the Joestars' help. The droids seemed endless. Their number increasing by the minute, one eventually broke through the group and headed to the exit. "This isn't good. After him!" Robin ordered. The Titans and the Joestars pursued the renegade Droid, fending off the ones that attacked them from behind.

The Titans descended down the elevator shaft, sending a series of assaults down at the descending elevator to stop the droid from reaching the entrance.

Other droids meanwhile had managed to drill through the floor with their weaponry and descended to the ground floor.

Raven's telekinesis held the elevator in place and the Titans, followed closely by the Joestars, descended down into the elevator. The drone looked quite irritated by the company and whipped out a gun. Joseph grabbed it from the drone's hands with violet tendrils, and with several tendrils still remaining as he took the gun for himself, the drone found itself at the violent end of an electrical Hamon attack.

"Good work," Robin said, congratulatory. "But it's not over yet." Raven opened the door to the ground floor and the others filed out. Afterwards, she let the elevator drop. "And we're going to have to fix that, aren't we?"

"No," Cyborg said, "But we'll be using the stairs for a week."

"That's too bad," a familiar voice cooed. "Maybe I could help. Well, after this mission of course."

"Terra!" Beast Boy squeaked.

"Traitor," Joseph whispered to the nearest person, Cyborg, who only nodded dumbly, rage taking a hold of him.

"You got some nerve coming back here!" he yelled. He aimed his sonic blaster at the earth below her feet, which was writhing as though it lived and breathed.

"Geez, guys, some welcome-back," she said, using the stones as a slide to reach the ground. "Okay, okay, I know I shouldn't expect happy reunions, but, please? Maybe just a little glee to see me?"

"Yare yare daze," Jotaro muttered for the seemingly hundredth time today. "This is getting ridiculous."

Slade paced around the base, waiting anxiously for news of a successful attack. Cinderblock loomed menacingly behind him. "Just a little longer," Slade told the giant monolith. "Just a little while longer." Someone laughed.

"You're so delightfully devious, you know? You remind me of myself when I was your age. Always plotting, always thinking," the voice was coming from the communication screen. "My, my, didn't expect me to know what was going on, did you?"

"You're Dio?" Slade asked. The man, face shrouded in shadow, merely shrugged. He took a sip of his drink. Having heard what Lord Dio, as Gordon had described him, was quite possibly, the possibilities of that wine being anything but became bitterly real. "Well, I suppose I should thank you." There was something in those shadows about Dio that brought a chill.

"You're quite welcome. We should help one another. It's only gentlemanly." He bowed his head, blonde strands curling wildly as he did. "Mr. Slade, I think our business relationship will be a most profitable one for the both of us."

"Do you," Slade stated, his tongue cutting the atmosphere.

"Most definitely. As we speak right now, I've sent one of my most persistent assassins to help you. He's a good man, if you only know how to use him." He chuckled. The cold sound sent a shiver down Slade's spine. Had he just made a deal with the devil? "That look in your eye. What's the matter?"

"Nothing," Slade answered, "Nothing at all. I'll deal with your pests, and then I want you to leave this world alone, understand?"

"Of course, of course." Dio chuckled, "I'm a man of my word, Mr. Slade. I've always been about my word. And I swear to you, on my honor, that my servants will leave." The screen blanked out, and Slade breathed heavily, waiting to be sure that Dio wasn't listening.

"Whoever he is," Slade muttered, "Maybe I've gotten in too deep."

Joseph Joestar watched a robotic drone switch stances threateningly. Its movements, carefully picked for intimidation, were quick and hard to follow. However, Joseph wasn't feeling quite well in the stomach. He took the gun he had taken from an earlier drone and shot it.

The robots had moved around Terra, who stood looking at the Titans carefully. They were moving towards her, knowing full well that she could order a retreat if she were in any real danger. Kakyoin watched the proceedings almost confused.

"Such an innocent looking girl," he said. Jotaro rolled his eyes. "She reminds me of that girl. Your little fan." Jotaro said nothing. He did have a soft spot for that kid, that was true, but in general he found girls to be whiney, annoying brats.

"So, Jotaro, how does it feel to be in a comic book?"

"I hate this, Gramps," Jotaro said, shooting the old man a warning glance. His hands tightened. "I should just finish this right now."

"Be careful, Jotaro, this could be a trap," Joseph warned. Something did feel off to the younger Joestar, and he looked around. Perhaps a Stand User was nearby. If that were the case, then things could become dangerous very quickly. None of the Titans, save the psychic, Raven, could see the Stands, and a Stand User could easily pick them off.

"Understood." Star Platinum and Jotaro walked closer to the girl, the Stand's hands moving with such speed that he seemed to stand still as he pummeled the robotic drones to pieces. "This has gone on long enough."

Terra panicked. "Has it?" she asked. The earth around them shook. "I'm not going down that easily. Just because you have this guy's power on your side, it doesn't mean I don't have a few tricks up my sleeves." She pulled out a ballista made from stone and placed the stone arrow on it. "I'll just take out one of you with this weapon Lord Dio gave us."

She aimed the weapon straight at Jotaro. When he noticed he grew quite angry and moved with unparalleled speed to intercept. The stone ballista launched the arrow at high speeds, and Jotaro knocked it to the side. "Ora ora ora!" the Stand screamed as punches began to pummel the stone that surrounded Terra.

"Stop!" she screamed. "Retreat!" She stumbled backwards.

"Ora ora ora!" Star Platinum yelled. The Titans cringed as they heard the sickening sound of fists contacting Terra's face. She flew through the stone walls and landed on the grass, battered and bruised. The Titans were mortified.

"Dude, why did you--" Beast Boy yelled, moving towards Jotaro. He grabbed Jotaro's coat, but felt himself pushed away. "She's not evil!"

"Didn't look that way to me." He looked to the others, "Everyone all right?" There was a quiet whimper from Starfire.

"Star?" Kakyoin asked. He moved closer. "Oh my. Mr. Joestar!" The group moved to what Starfire saw. Laid down, arrow through his throat, Robin seemed dead. "Is he--?"

"Believe it or not," Joseph said, after a while, "He's alive. I'm going to remove the arrow." He braced himself to remove the arrow, but it was much easier than he imagined. The wound wasn't even open as it was removed. No mark was even left. "Amazing."

"What is this thing?" Raven asked, looking it over carefully. "It's like an Indian arrow."

"Native American," Beast Boy reminded her, chiming in annoyingly.

"Whatever. In any case, we should look at this more carefully. There may be some kind of poison left over. Robin's still out cold. That can't possibly be a good sign."

"Robin!" Starfire yelled, "Wake up, Robin!" He groaned, but remained asleep. "Please Robin! You must wake up."

"Leave him be, Star," Cyborg said, pulling her away. "If he's going to wake up, it's going to be on his own volition. Nothing we can do but pray."

"But Robin!"

"He will wake up!" Cyborg told her. "Don't worry about him. Just give him air and calm down." Beast Boy looked a bit perturbed himself.

"She called him Lord Dio," he muttered, looking vaguely at the entrance. "Why?"

"Dio is a charismatic sort. I was once in his thrall, as well. She'll come out of it," Kakyoin said, placing a hand on the young Beast Boy's shoulder, "And if matters are complicated, Jotaro will save her. He saved me."

"Why?"

"I don't know," Kakyoin answered. "Because that's who Jotaro is. He's a good guy, under that bad boy image. He really is."

"I get that feeling," Beast Boy said, "But he also frightens me. A lot. I mean, all that quiet. How do you know what he's feeling?"

"You get used to it, eventually. He just doesn't know how stoic he appears."

"Weird." Beast Boy looked at the others. Raven seemed to be similarly stoic looking at the arrowhead. "Can you tell what she's thinking?"

"She's thinking," Kakyoin said sagely behind his shade, "That she may lose a friend if she can't find the mysteries of that arrow. And if she loses someone she cares about, she may not know what to do next."

"Wow! Really?" Beast Boy asked. Kakyoin chortled, shrugging. "I hope you're right. I'd hate to think if she went all psycho and put on a William Shatner mask."

"Well, I somehow doubt that," Kakyoin said, cheerfully.

Joseph looked at the boy, his face an unreadable expression as he tried to sort through the mixture of memory and confusion. "What is it?" Jotaro asked, coldly. Joseph didn't immediately answer.

"It reminds me of Holly," he finally answered when he heard a clock tick. "He seems to be sleeping just like she is, as if experiencing a fever that's fighting an invisible enemy."

"You don't think that --"

"He may be developing a Stand. But why?" Joseph thought through the question. "The arrowhead!" He ran after Raven. Jotaro shook his head slowly and looked over Robin.

"What will you be, friend or foe?" he asked, cryptically. He turned around and started to walk to the door. He had to talk to someone about a certain weasely Stand User.

Cyborg had received the alert to go to the scene of a bank robbery at the worst possible moment. "I don't think we have enough hands. Star, can you help me with this?" he asked. The alien nodded and floated over.

"I'll come along as well," Noriaki Kakyoin offered. "Perhaps there's some connection between this robbery and our predicament."

"With your man working with Slade, I wouldn't doubt it," Cyborg said. "Yo, Rave, BB! Keep an eye on Robin." Beast Boy was carrying Robin, in ape form, to the couch to rest. He gave a salute as he set him down, transforming to a dog to run for a wet towel. "Okay, we're going by car, folks. So buckle your safety belts."

They arrived at the car and prepared to leave when something occurred to Kakyoin, "How do you get off this island?" Cyborg rolled his eyes. "What?"

The car descended beneath the lake and Kakyoin could see the water pass by the tunnel. "That answer your question?" Cyborg asked as the roadway opened up for the Titans to take to the streets.

"Oh, most definitely." The car careened down the streets to a bank which was currently enjoying a rather, for lack of a better word, bizarre situation. The security guard was sporting a bullet wound, but the robber was not holding a gun. Cyborg whistled.

"Someone's been to the Looney Bin," he mentioned. "Friend of yours?"

"Not exactly," Kakyoin muttered. "However, I do know him. His name is Hol Horse. His Stand is a gun called The Emperor. He's a bit of a screw up, and he's never around without back up. For example, once he brought a truck to run us over when he stuck his fingers up Polnareff's nose."

"That is just plain freaky," Starfire said, touting her Earth Slang like a child.

"Believe me, I don't even know what happened there." A gunshot rung out and a bullet disturbed the air, invisible to all but Kakyoin. "Watch out!" The bullet suddenly veered around and struck Cyborg in the back, barely even denting him. It certainly caught his attention.

"Yeehaw!" Hol Horse laughed, "Looks like we got ourselves some lawmen in town." He aimed his gun again. "This time I'll hit something soft." He aimed at Kakyoin first, letting his finger linger over the trigger. He then moved it to Cyborg, letting the gun float over delicately, to add to the suspense. Then, slowly, he moved it deliberately over to Starfire.

The gun fired and Kakyoin's Stand flew out, an emerald blocking the bullet from moving. The bullet however, moved aside and moved after Kakyoin. Starfire moved in, quickly distracting Hol Horse. The bullet moved forward, unable to control its course, and eventually faded before hitting a target. "You will not use your strange stick of making gone or its curse of invisibility to hurt my friends!" Star declared.

That was when the wall moved and Cinderblock entered the room.

"Oh," Kakyoin said, quietly, "I take it that's not a friend of yours."

"Nope," Cyborg said.

"It's certainly very big."

"Yep."

"Let me handle Hol Horse," Kakyoin said. "If we get rid of his companion, he'll probably run off. He's not exactly the bravest assassin we've dealt with."

"Right. Hey, Star!" Cyborg said, getting her attention. "New game plan!"

Raven had frantically ran searches aplenty on the arrow, but nothing was detected on it. Only a sense of foreboding made her continue. It looked hopeless, there wasn't a single answer. "Maybe you should try another avenue of search," Joseph Joestar said.

"Every single medical database, every archeological find, there's nothing there."

"Then try comic books," Joseph said. "If you're comic book characters in our world, then can't we be comic book characters in yours?" Raven seemed to consider and then pulled down a menu.

"It's lucky Beast Boy collects comic books." She began to search through the sites. "If I can't find anything--"

"Then we're stuck," Joseph said. "But you'll find it." He smiled. "I got faith in you."

"... thanks," she said. She sighed and her search continued.  Joseph smiled and went to check the Boy Wonder. They had laid him on the couch, but to his surprise the couch was empty.

"Did he fall off?" Joseph asked, no one in particular answering. He looked at the foot of the couch, and he wasn't there. "Where did he go? He couldn't have just upped and left after that. No one could." The temperature seemed to chill. The shadows in front of him played in different color lights, and as he turned around, a hellish figure looked at him. A Stand. Hermit Purple wrapped around his hand, Hamon energy coursing through it, but it was too late and the Stand already moved to attack. He was pinned against the floor in short order.

"What have you done to me?" it said, the voice familiar, yet distorted.

"Robin --"

"What have you done to me?" he yelled.

"Nothing!" Joseph answered. He struggled. The vines of Hermit Purple moved furtively across the floor.

"You call this nothing?" he asked, "It came out of me! It's some kind of devil!"

"That's exactly what Jotaro thought," Joseph answered. "It's not evil, Robin. It's an embodiment of your will..." The cold blue flames danced as he talked. "It does what you want it to, not the other way around. Robin, let me go." He could feel Robin's boot at the tip of Hermit Purple. "Robin, please."

The figure relaxed for a second before tensing again. "Get rid of this!" The flames burnt cold, and they gave a pale blue light. Joseph could feel them touch his beard. He sighed.

"Sorry, boy," Joseph said. "Hamon Overdrive!" Hermit Purple transferred the electrical breath spell all the way to Robin's body. He screamed in pain and the Stand weakened. Joseph got to his feet, retracting his Stand, and walking over to Robin.

"What's going on?" Raven asked. She appeared from the shadows of a great bird. "I heard yelling."

"Robin woke up," Joseph said. "And he came at me like a bat out of hell."

"With what?" Raven said, looking over his beard. It was iced over.

"His Stand."

Jotaro stood amongst the ruins of many androids. The lair of Slade Wilson had easily been infiltrated and what security he had had ultimately fallen to Star Platinum's speed. He adjusted his hat. "Yare yare daze," he said, "Where are you, Slade?"

"Oh, so you've come," Slade said, his face hidden in shadows. "How wonderful to see you again, Jotaro. I had heard what you did to Terra. Most horrible. You could be a worthy apprentice. Much more worthy than her."

"Where is the Stand User who brought us here?"

"I'm afraid I don't know what you mean," Slade said. He laughed. "Your Stand won't save you now, Jotaro. You shouldn't have returned here." Jotaro smirked, walking forward, his Stand extending a foot in front of him. "I wouldn't do that, Jotaro."

He shook his head and launched an attack, his Stand's fists flying out with blinding speed. Slade brought his arms up to block, and an armored fist shot out of his own, his Stand hitting Stand. With a surprising strength, Slade did not even move back. It had the strangest look to anyone who would be watching. Jotaro was beginning to show signs of worry. Sweat appeared on his forehead. "Where did you get that?"

"I don't know," Slade said, calmly, "I don't even know how I'm supposed to use it." Slade was now under a powerful barrage of attacks by Jotaro's Stand. Star Platinum screamed out its battle cry over and over again, unceasingly. Slade didn't seem moved by it. His Stand merely blocked each blow and tossed it aside like it was really nothing at all.

"A defensive Stand?" Jotaro asked himself. "Possible." He brought his attacks to a close. He wasn't going to be able to get at him this way. He'd have to focus on his weak-point. A single eye? Jotaro smirked. He brought his hand out, and the Stand echoed his motion, except his finger extended with amazing speed towards Slade's eye. Slade moved his head just as quickly. His stand's armor turning to reveal a weapon. The barrel of the gun was leveled at Jotaro and fired.

He found himself pushed back, into a wall. "Not exactly defensive, is it?" The Stand fully materialized. It looked like a walking tank. Its one eye had a targeting device over it, while the other was replaced with smaller weaponry. Every inch of its body was covered in some kind of army plating unless there was a gun in its place. Blades extended from the edge of one of its arms, and another hung on its back.

A walking arsenal.

"I think I'll call it Slayer," Slade answered, moving towards Jotaro. "I'm sure you don't need an explanation as to why."

"You do like to talk a lot. Now that I know what your Stand does, it really isn't that much of a threat," he stood up. Then he pointed at Slade, looking defiant. "I'm going to have to kill you now."

"I've heard that one a lot," Slade retorted, "Prove it to me. And then, maybe, we can talk."

"Ora!" his Stand's fist flew out and met Slade's armored Stand.

Kakyoin's Kekkai Nets flew out of Hierophant Green as Hol Horse tried to get a clear shot at him. Hol Horse's bullet weaved and dodged through the webs and attempted to catch Kakyoin, only to find that more kekkai nets were hidden among the ones that he had tried to weave through. In short order he found himself reeling from the electrical impulse that was sent through them.

"Yellow-bellied..." he muttered, trying to recover from his shock. He couldn't find Kakyoin or Hierophant Green anywhere. Only, however, the two Titans who had begun their battle with Cinderblock.

The mighty behemoth found himself under the barrage of attacks from the more powerful Titans. Starfire's fists alone had managed to dent its tough outer surface. Along with the sonic blasts, Cinderblock was having its own share of difficulty. He aimed at the girl. "Easy," he muttered, his finger about to pull the trigger when he felt something wrap around his leg and force him to the ground. "What the?"

"Hello, Hol Horse," Kakyoin said, his Stand bringing his words to Hol, "Remember? My Stand can unravel itself to hide itself on the floor." The Stand had indeed unraveled and was now wrapped around Hol Horse's legs. It pulled him down to the ground. "It also can do other things. Like this for example." The Stand began to seep into Hol Horse's mouth.

Cinderblock fell to the ground again. This time, it had to pull itself up, only to find itself under attack by star bolts. "Hey, get out!" Hol Horse yelled, in the meantime, finding his body now under the control of another. Like a marionette, he moved, his movements not carrying the same weight as a normal person's. He moved his Stand over to aim at Cinderblock.

He took aim.

He fired.

The bullet soared and hit its target. Cinderblock fell over one last time, unmoving, as if it had been shut off. The Titans looked over at Hol Horse, who screamed as Hierophant Green emerged from his mouth, assembling into something too big to have easily fit inside him. Hol Horse looked to be sick. "I think I'll be running off into the sunset now."

"Villain! Return here and fight like a man!"

"Hey, Star, let it go for now," Cy said. "If we arrested him, no telling what would happen. I think it's best he goes on his own for a bit." Kakyoin emerged from his hiding place.

"I think I've scared him off for a few days at least," Kakyoin said with a smile. "We should return to base, shouldn't we?"

"Yeah. Hey, Raven, how's Robin doing?" he said, bringing out his communicator.

"Not good," the voice on the other end said. "He's awake, but he's in a pretty bad shape. Mr. Joestar's trying to keep him together, but there's no guarantee he'll be okay with this. Otherwise, it's quiet here."

"Good," Cyborg said, "Robin'll pull through, I know it."

"Where is Jotaro?" Kakyoin asked.

"I don't know," Raven answered, "We've been so busy we don't know if he's here or elsewhere."

"I don't like that," Kakyoin said. "No," he continued, "I don't like that one bit."

The cannons seemed to have an unlimited source of ammo, and the Star Platinum could only just keep up with each attack. Every bullet was thrown aside with amazing speed and accuracy, nothing was getting past Star Platinum, but, on the other hand, nothing was harming Slayer either. Jotaro just needed one clear shot and he would have it. If he hadn't been alone this would have been a simple matter of distracting him and letting someone else get the defenseless User.

But it was never that simple. He knew his weakness, and Slade wouldn't have used his Stand unless necessary. He understood that much about the mercenary all ready.

His Stand had a flaw. While it had a near-perfect defense and a near-perfect offense, it didn't have it at the same time. When it attacked, it left itself open. Unfortunately, he hadn't been able to capitalize on that because of the onslaught that had washed over him as soon as he stood up. Jotaro just had Star Platinum move closer to the Stand, blocking the bullets all the while.

Still, some ricocheted onto his Stand's arms and legs, and he was cut up and bleeding despite his best efforts.

"Yare yare daze," he smirked, "You're not going to win."

"You're so cocky," Slade answered.

"Ora! Ora! Ora!" Star Platinum yelled. His attacks pummeled the attacks backwards as he brought himself just a little bit closer, and a little bit closer. Finally, he had a striking range attack. Slade seemed confident. His Stand's main chest plate opened up. There was a build up of energy as Star Platinum's fist came crashing down towards it.

It fired its laser at Star Platinum as Star Platinum's fist came crashing down towards it.

To Be Continued -->>

A/N: This chapter introduces a few new things. Let's get started on what new Stands we have.

Bat Out of Hell -- The album and song by Meat Loaf

Slayer -- The band

Other references:

Zepelli -- Led Zeppelin

Robert Edward O. Speedwagon -- REO Speedwagon

Dire and Straizo -- Dire Straights, the band

Tompetty -- Rock Mutterer Tom Petty

Not too many this time. Next chapter: The Titans receive an unexpected visitor and are forced to go undercover and get -- jobs. Meanwhile, Jotaro and Kakyoin deal with another assassin sent by Dio, the beautiful seductress, Mariah.

And Joseph writes a letter to his wife.