My Little Pony: Phantom Shimmer

Dio and Trixie stood before George and the house servants. JoJo and Twilight stood directly beside George."

From now on, you two shall live here as my son does. You're both officially apart of this family!"

JoJo and Twilight glanced at each other with a worried expression.

"Twilight...?"

"I'm sure it'll be fine."

George gestured to the house servants.

"My trade will have me leave the mansion and at times the country. The staff here will take care of you during those times, so do get to know them!"

The house servants all bowed as Dio and Trixie bowed back. Dio spoke for them both.

"We cannot express our gratitude for your graciousness."

George laughed as he turned to the stairs.

"Nonsense! It's quite a pleasure to have you here! Now then, everyone! As you were! It's almost scotch o'clock!"

Twilight spoke up in a stern voice.

"Sir George! I thought we got rid of that clock!"

He turned to her with a flask in hand as he pulled it out from his coat pocket.

"Well now, maybe it's whiskey'noon then!"

He smiled at her scowl as the servants began to leave and return to their duties. JoJo reached down for Trixie's bag.

"Here, allow me-"

Dio snatched JoJo's wrist with a harsh hold.

"What do you think you are doing?"

Dio pulled JoJo around like a toy with a crushing grip.

"Don't touch our bags with your filthy hands, it has dog slobber and rat piss all over them."

"B-But, I was just trying to-

Dio elbowed JoJo in the chest with a merciless glare at him and Twilight. The other boy wheezed as he fell to his knees.

"I'm the one on top around here, don't either of you forget that."

He turned away from them as he began to scale the stairs. Twilight helped JoJo to his feet with a glare at Dio.

"What's the matter with you?! We've done nothing wrong to you!"

Trixie stepped onto Twilight's foot with a sneer.

"Not like you've done anything good by us either."

Before Twilight could respond, the smaller girl spat in her face and ran to her partner's side, both smiling as they walked away. Twilight seethed for a moment, but looked down at JoJo.

"Are you okay? He hit you really hard."

"I-I just wanted to help... Was that wrong?"

The boy had paled in her arms even as he tried to stand on his own. She hated to see him like this, it unnerved her.

"No way, you did the right thing! They're just... Maybe they're scared of us?"

"How could they be scared of us?"

"Dio and Trixie come from slums, the very bad part of town, so they must think that we'd look down on them. I think that, we should just power through this and show them we're better than that!"

An hour later, a loud smack sounded in the study of the great mansion. Twilight and JoJo let out a cry as they rubbed their hand. George had struck their wrist each with a ruler.

"That's wrong! You got two of them wrong, Twilight! I expect better from you!"

She looked down with downtrodden expression.

"B-But...! We rarely go over Pythagorean theorem."

"That's no excuse! I asked you to study it last week for a reason! And JoJo, you're doing simple calculus, how could you make the same mistake six times?!"

He had nothing to say for himself. The subject was simply harder for him to understand. George looked over Dio's work and smiled.

"Excellent work, Dio. All answers correctly! I'm quite impressed."

Dio smiled gently at George, a small glance to others.

"My mother believed education was the way of man, so before her untimely rest she educated me best she could, sir."

George smiled proudly at Dio.

"She has done a wonderful job. Surely your father must've worked hard with you."

Dio's eyes shifted into a fierce glare as George said this, but the older gentleman hadn't noticed as he had returned to the textbook, only Twilight saw the hatred in the young boy's eyes. Later in the day, outside by a river, a girl wept as two unruly teenagers snatched a doll from her.

"Heheh! Look at this lil' dolly!"

"Yeah! Too big for a baby like, Erina!"

"Too big? Ya ain't suggestin' that...!"

One of the boys pulled up the dress of the doll.

"Oh yeah! I bet anyone rich enough for these kinds of dolls have all the detail!"

"No way!~ Real panties!"

The boys noticed the sobbing of Erina and teased her.

"Aw! Now look at what we did!"

"Who cares! Erina's always been a cry baby!"

"Cry baby! Cry baby! Cry baby!" "Cry baby! Cry baby! Cry baby!"

Suddenly, a loud shout sounded off nearby.

"That's enough! This bullying buffoonery ends now!"

JoJo charged at one of the older boys, tackling the one that held the doll, and began to punch away at the torso. The bully was shaken by the initial tackle and dropped the doll, but he hadn't felt much after that as he scowled down at the young boy, fists clasped together as he raised his hands high.

"What're ya trying ta be?! Some knight in shining armor, cause you'll need to shake off a little bit of rust!"

The bully slammed his fists down on JoJo's head. The younger boy fell to his knees before he was kneed himself in the nose. The bully spat off to the side.

"Psh! I hate guys like this! The only thing I hate more than chumps like this, are rich pricks that live in mansions like that one over there!"

The bully thumbed over to the Joestar Mansion.

"Those Joestars think they've got it all bolly in their fancy house! I hate rich people like them, though they ain't ever did anything bad ta me, they never done me a good deed either! Huh?"

JoJo took out a handkerchief with his full name printed on the side. The bully and his accomplice took notice and sneered at the action.

"What an idiot! I knew this bastard had to be apart of that scummy family!"

"Lookin' down on us from down there, eh? We'll teach ya what for!"

They began to kick and stomp at him before both were pushed back by an unseen force, nearly falling right off their feet, the bullies scratched their heads.

"What th- Hey, did he push us back like that?"

"No way, otherwise he wouldn't be down like that! B-But..."

The older bully's fist suddenly flew into his own face. The younger let out a yelp.

"E-Eh?! Whas'amatta with you?! Huh!?"

The younger bully's foot flew high against the older bully's chin. Both fell to the ground until and looked around in a panic until they found Twilight by JoJo's side, a glare aimed at both of them as she helped her friend up.

"So you pick on the weak to make yourself feel better? It's not about being rich or poor that defines someone, but what they do with what they have, and how they treat others with that power!"

The boys shook in fear as they began to flee in terror.

"G-GAAAAAH! SOMEONE SAVE US!" "THERE'S A WITCH IN THE TOWN!"

As they ran off, JoJo scowled as he pushed Twilight away.

"Hng! Twilight, I didn't need your help!"

Twilight glanced to his bloodied lip and wiped it away with her own handkerchief.

"Don't say such stupid things, you didn't even shake him..."

JoJo was hurt by this. For a moment he felt utterly weak, what with the arrival of Dio and Trixie, the belittlement of his father. Now, his best friend pitying him? It wasn't the first time, but he absolutely hated it when she did so, it irked him to no end to have her fret over him like he was a hapless babe.

"E-Even so! I am to be a gentleman! I must to do what is right, regardless of the odds! Don't dote over me!"

He hadn't even glanced at Erina as he ran off. Twilight stood up with a worried expression.

"A-Ah! JoJo, wait!"

She turned to Erina with a small bow.

"I'm sorry we didn't introduce ourselves but, I've got to make sure he doesn't run into anymore trouble!"

As the two left the girl, she had noticed the boy had left his handkerchief behind, and picked it up.

"Jonathan Joestar..."

And yet not too far away, Trixie alone watched from behind a tree and was amazed at the sight of Twilight's magic, something she always believed in and yet had not proof of until now. She rushed ahead of the duo to the manor to tell Dio everything she had saw. Dio explored the mansion with an envious glint in his eyes. No one could deny it, the Joestars were every bit as wealthy as royalty, a number of foreign and exotic attractions. Numerous trophies from their ancestors, priceless artifacts and paintings, even a row of empty armor of the Medieval era. However none of this impressed Dio, but merely drove him toward his ambition to take it all for himself, until he came across an astounding sight. On the wall were a number of shimmering jewels assorted in a hexagonal pattern, with an eerily out of place artifact in the center, a haunting yet beautiful work of architecture. A Stone Mask. Dio felt unworthy, smaller at the sight, and it enraged him. However, it also gave him great intrigue, why would such worthless items make him feel such a way? They were nothing but a novelty, a sign of wealth and pride of uppity nobles, a soon to be trophy of his own mansion once he had finished his business. Without thinking, he had found his hands near the Stone Mask.

"Oddly alluring, is it not?"

Dio turned to see George coming down the hall.

"Though I must say, I'm quite surprised that you reached for that of all things, it raises a number of questions..."

George narrowed his eyes at Dio, who had only stared back, a small intense moment before the elder gentleman began to chuckle.

"I joke, my good boy! You could stare down a feral wolf with eyes like those!"

Dio gave a small smile, but unlike George his intense gaze hadn't left, merely moved back to the odd set of artifacts.

"What's all this here? It feels nothing like the rest of the objects I've seen, sir."

"Ah.~ The Elements of Harmony, powerful symbolic gems of the mystical land, Equestria."

"Excuse me? Do not patronize me, sir. I am not one for jokes sadly."

George smiled and shook his head.

"Hahaha!~ I mean no offense, Dio! However... I am quite serious. Watch closely."

George hovered a hand over one of the illustrious gems. A pink one. It began to sparkle and hum with an odd power behind it.

"This is the Element of Kindness. Each Element resonates with an individual that they find worthy as representatives of their respective traits. Sometimes, an individual can resonate with more than one, perhaps there's possibly a being out there who can wield them all at once."

Dio raised a brow.

"Wield? You say this as if they can do something other than glimmer on their own."

"Because they can, dear boy. In only the most dire of times, Equestrians used the Elements of Harmony to protect themselves from the numerous disasters that this world brings, from natural disasters to horrible monsters. Even then the power of the Elements is a kind one, the most ferocious of evils had been detained, rather then be utterly obliterated. However despite their amazing power, evidence of a once prospering kingdom faded away into obscurity and loss, save for these very items and Twilight herself."

Dio's eyes widened for a moment.

"Twilight? She's one of these, Equestrians?"

"Oh yes. You and Trixie will be living here so-"

Trixie barged into the room panting as she ran up to Dio, then to George, a glint in her eye despite terror on her face.

"L-Lo-Lor-Lo-Lord Joestar! It's terrifying!"

"Hmn? Calm down, sweet child."

George took a knee as Trixie threw herself at him. He was taken aback but hugged back with a sigh.

"To you George is enough. Calm down, you're safe here. I will do all I can for you both with no hesitance."

"H-Ha... Hah...! Uhn... I-I saw...!"

Just as she planned, at that moment JoJo and Twilight entered the room, JoJo held his head up as Twilight kept a napkin to his nose to keep it from bleeding. She held George tighter with a choked gasp and crocodile tears.

"Aah! S-She's a witch! She's going to hurt me like she hurt those boys!"

Twilight's eyes widen in fear. She was going to tell George herself what had happened, prepared for a light punishment as she was sure she'd understand her reasoning, but this was far worse. Trixie, a girl who clearly did not favor her, had seen and beat her to George. The elder man's face hardened as he glared at Twilight.

"I see... Twilight? Care to explain?"

She shrank back with a small whine.

"I-I... I..."

JoJo then stepped in front of her.

"I had gotten in a fight and was losing, so Twilight tried to help me and scared the others off, they didn't even get a bruise! She didn't hurt anyone and it was my fault from the beginning!"

"Jonathan! Not another word from you. Both of you to your rooms this instant, no dinner. I've told you to conserve your gifts Twilight, not show them off carelessly!"

Both the children flinched before they ran off. With a sigh George looked to Dio and Trixie.

"Please don't be afraid, Twilight isn't a witch, but has wondrous powers. Please, do not judge her for what she can do, but for who she is."

Trixie shivered but nodded as she moved to Dio's side. The two left for their room with skeptical thoughts. Trixie, who had wiped her eyes, sat on the edge of the bed.

"A witch's a witch, right? Even then, she's such a softie, I could do magic better than she ever could."

Dio looked out the window to the evening sky.

"That may be but she's clearly a threat to our plans... But, as you've said, she's soft. We're going to have to hasten our plans with a bit of effort in making those two utterly miserable. From here on, Trixie, we're going focus on Twilight until she can't take it anymore."

He grinned her way as she stared back with slight reluctance.

"Are you sure? What if she knows and casts a spell on us both...?"

"Nonsense."

Dio lifted her up from the bed and held her close.

"You are the Great and Powerful Trixie, and you can do anything, regardless of how you achieve it."

She held him in a hug with a silent nod. As the two held each other contently that night, JoJo and Twilight stayed up late in their rooms, contemplating the despair they had found themselves in within such a short time... Twilight walked down the street with a nervous expression. She had lost JoJo while on a small errand as he had ran off. While searching for him, she found a number of her friends near the local fountain.

"Hello everyone, quite a busy day today, isn't it?"

They all stared her way before one shouted loudly.

"There she is! The nasty witch!"

Another spat with great disgust.

"Get behind me, hag!"

The others threw jeers as they ran from her. Twilight was shocked. Not but a few days ago had she been invited personally to one their birthdays. Now, even a small number of adults gave her odd looks while children gave her scorn. Trixie watched from afar with great glee at Twilight's distraught expression.

"I wonder how Dio is doing... He said to focus but, he also had something planned for JoJo today."

On a hill not too far from town, JoJo snuck away to attend the boxing competition he had heard of, and he had been practicing. He always wanted to get stronger, even at the fear of being hurt, and to prove he could be something more than a noble's son. It didn't take himself long to get into the ring, everyone wanted a piece at the rich boy, but as soon as the rounds began JoJo took out each opponent. Not even taking a single hit himself. Five opponents, five wins, he was on a roll and money was raking in for him with the bets against him. Even the few who did know him were surprised by the turn of events! Then, he heard a name that made his blood run cold.

"Our next contender is another new face in the ring, and new in town, the mysterious Dio Brando!"

JoJo turned to Dio who finished pulling the strings on his boxing gloves. The referee told Dio the rules as he entered the ring, but he already knew, he had done more than his fair shares of street fights. Scuffles to hazes in the mud for scraps like starved dogs. The pain and experience, the bottled rage he held for the people who hurt him and let him be hurt, he'd unleash it all on this meager stain of dog shit on his road to greatness. JoJo saw the intent in Dio's eyes and unconsciously stepped back as they held up their hands. Within the ringing of the bell, JoJo had decided he'd be the one to strike first, jab after jab and hook after hook, he swung relentlessly for Dio. But the dark child merely sneered as he dodged and weaved, bobbed and duck, nearly dancing around JoJo's attacks. Dio inwardly gave the noble boy credit, he clearly knew how to throw a punch, but a fight is so much more than such an act. He'd show him with an abrupt strike to the side. JoJo coughed as Dio resumed with a few more blows to the body. No one around the ring had seen anything like Dio before, his experience, his guile. He was like a human machine gun, and JoJo, was a human punching bag. Dio finished his assault with a strike directly in the jaw.

"THERE IT IS! THE MATCH GOES TO DIO!"

But he wasn't done. He let his thumb out and jabbed it into JoJo's eye before going all the way through with the punch, from foot to waist and shoulders, a fluid motion that exerted all his kinetic energy. JoJo's eye even began to bleed a bit as he flew back with little air in him. Among the cheers and praise in Dio's victory, he heard a gasp.

"Jonathan...! What're you doing?!"

Twilight had found him at the worst possible time. He glanced to Dio with a tearful eye. He had unknowing bet all his allowance on this fight. Dio's own intense glare had kept him from keeping up. Wordlessly, Dio had defeated him and stolen his money fair and square. To add insult to injury, a few of JoJo's own friends had turned their backs on him, favoring Dio as their hero. As Twilight ran over to help him up, a rock made it across her brow.

"A-Agh!"

She hissed as blood was drawn. JoJo, who had readied himself to shove her away, reached out to her.

"T-Twilight?! Who woul-"

A number of voices drowned him out.

"It's the witch!" "Get out of here, devil!" "No one likes to be around you anyways!" "You were always so stuck up and smart!" "You never said it, but you always held yourself so high, what now huh!?"

Each jeer, each insult, to hear that these were her friends thoughts of her. People she had known, passed by, and even helped with their problems with her advice. Advice that was now told, hadn't helped.

"I didn't ever find out who stole my coin!" "You said sharing was caring, but now my sister walks all over me!" "Being nice only gets you in last, but I bet that was apart of your plan!" "Maybe she casts spells through her lies!"

She shook her head and stepped away as rocks and twigs were thrown at her.

"STOP IT!"

She held up her hands as all the children gasped with terrified eyes, but Trixie ran past her and pulled on a small rope she had carefully tied around Twilight's ankle, forcing the girl to stumble back and fall face first in the dirt. She spat out the filth and mud as the children laughed at her before they continued to throw things at her. She ran away with tears and small injuries as JoJo struggled to stand on his own.

"T-Twilight..."

Twilight ran to the river and wept as she did her best to wash herself of the mud. The harsh cruel words echoed in her head far louder than any of the pain she had physically retrieved. As she looked at her reaction from the river, she saw what they had told her, a bad dirty witch. An ugly stressed face wrinkled in frustration and nothing good to say to anyone. Was this who she really was? She stepped away from the river and curled herself up in a ball as she sobbed.

"E-Excuse me...?"

Twilight shot back with a gasps, but saw that the voice belonged to the girl that she had saved from the bullies.

"Oh my, it is you... What on Earth happened? Who did this to you?!"

She knelt down by Twilight as she brought a napkin and wiped away the trickles of blood that remained on her head. Twilight could only blink at the action.

"You... You're not scared of me?"

"Why would I be? You and that boy saved me from those horrid bullies! If you were a real witch, no one as kind as him would be with you, nor would you be so kind to anyone like him or myself."

Erina looked down with a small tint of pink to her cheeks.

"I thought... Well, I'd like to help in any way I can."

She held out a basket of fruits and fresh cheese with JoJo's handkerchief neatly folded.

"I got these, for the both of you, but with this handkerchief I only know his name. My name is, Erina Pendleton."

"... Twilight Sparkle.... T-Thank you."

Twilight smiled as she took the basket with great gratitude. Erina nodded before she began to walk away.

"I-I hope we can see each other again! M-My family is planning on a move soon but, I still want to met my new friends!"

"Of course! Anytime!"

The two girls smiled at each other as they went their ways, but despair fell upon Twilight as she met Dio again on the way home, backed up by a small posse of boys. Two she knew as the bullies from before. Dio shrugged casually at her.

"Well, well, well!~ If it isn't Twilight the Witch Sparkle? Bewitched another poor girl to give you free food? Isn't leeching off the gullible Joestars enough?"

She glared at him, and he glared back, the posse behind him cheered him on and insulted her in the process.

"Just leave me alone, Dio... You've had your fun and your victories today. Isn't that enough?"

"Not at all. I, Dio, believe I haven't driven the point home yet. JoJo's a smart boy, he gets that his place is beneath my heel now, but I knew you were a stubborn one."

He walked around her as she tensed up. His pacing unnerved her, his body language was simply foreign to her, and even at this moment. His soothing voice agitated her immensely.

"Please, stop talking to me... You can have this bask-"

Dio slapped the basket out of her hand as she offered it.

"Keep your filthy food to yourself. Who knows what concoctions you've been brewing with those hands. I've always wondered, what makes you so special, Equestrian?"

Her eyes widened as she turned to him in shock. His sneer only grew at the reaction.

"Surely you didn't think I wouldn't find out, did you? Think about it. You're from a cursed race destined by fate to meet a terrible end and die in obscurity. What makes you any different than from those who did vanish? Or perhaps, you sacrifice others for that?"

He kept his voice low, this talk would be between him and her strictly, and yet the boys who joined him egged him on regardless. Like fanatic soldiers they followed him even when they couldn't understand him. Twilight shrank back as Dio spouted such vile thoughts. Her heart sank as her mind raced.

"I can keep this a secret, from JoJo, that you're using him like this."

"... What?! H-How dare you! He wouldn't believe you anyways! You stupid, pig faced, spineless serpent! You're a bully and a vile human being!"

"Hmph! You may have a point... But will he believe you?"

"Be-Believe me?"

He leaned in close.

"I know you hold him dear. The way you glance to him when he's punished, or care for him when he's down, and glow when he's happy. It's all really sweet but, rather wasted on, he doesn't seem to care for you."

"... W-What?! What are you talking about, get away from me!"

"Is that what you really want? I can give him something he seems to be lacking in. You crave for it don't you!"

Twilight shoved him away and began to run, but Dio snatched her by the wrist and pulled her back, his other hand at the back of her head to pull her close.

"He'll never be able to give you, THIS!"

Dio kissed Twilight. Her eyes flew wide in shock and fright. Her hands radiated a great violet light that blew Dio back with a yelp. His boys grew terrified and ran off in fear, thinking Dio went to far, yet admiring him for it at the same time. Twilight fell to her knees as her tears came back. Dio merely chuckled.

"Now, he can never share that experience with you, it's fitting for a cretin like him. Your first kiss wasn't with JoJo, but with I, DIO!"

Twilight sat there before she noticed a small puddle of rain water in the ground. With no hesitance or reluctance, she began to wash her mouth out with the muddy water. It'd be an easier trek back to the river, at least that was clean water, but Dio saw it just as that. This girl would rather drink mud than kiss him. This, infuriated him, and she knew it.

"You taste like rat piss."

"W-What.... WHAT DID YOU SAY!? UNGRATEFUL BITCH!"

Even as he raised a hand to strike her, she glared at him with an odd fire in her eyes, even as she let out a whine from the blow across the cheek. Dio stomped away as he attempted to control himself. Rat Piss. That name he hated so much. It reminded him of his useless father, and he was nothing like him, he was already leagues ahead of the dead man. He wouldn't remember him. He'd let that infection of his life die off as history and fate deemed. Dario Brando would not be Dio Brando's downfall. From the other side of the riverside watched Trixie and JoJo. However, they were too far to hear anything, and Trixie had pulled JoJo away upon the scene of the kiss. Neither seeing the aftermath, only one seeing it out of context, Trixie knew the truth and began to bend it with a sympathetic frown.

"I'm... Really sorry, Jonathan. I don't think this is right at all. I don't care about what happened between us as we met, but Twilight doesn't seem to care about you at all..."

"T-That's not true! There's got to be an explanation...! Of... Some kind...!"

JoJo shook as he held his eye. It had stopped bleeding, yet the pain he felt in his chest out grew any other pain he felt, a metaphorical blow that wounded him greatly.

"Dio... Always Dio... Father favors him, my friends left me for him, and now even Twilight...?!"

Trixie placed a hand on JoJo's arm.

"If you ask me, it doesn't seem like there's many people you can depend on, but... You can depend on me."

She then hugged him, much to his own surprise.

"Dio left me behind... He even changed who he is for the sake of being popular, he barely takes care of me like he used to... But you're so nice and kind."

JoJo was taken aback and usually would not know what to do, his current situation had not helped his mindset, and as Trixie held onto him tighter... He found himself hugging back. She continued as she nuzzled into him.

"I don't care for winners or losers, just someone being nice to me, someone appreciating me for who I am. It's okay if you don't amount to anything, JoJo, because I'll be there for you."

"I..."

She released him and held his hand, glancing over to Twilight as she giggled loudly.

"You'll be mine and I'll be yours, we're no one else's, only to ourselves!"

JoJo stared at her and merely nodded with a faded expression.

"I... Guess."

He looked to Twilight, and she looked to him, both in overwhelming amount of conflicted feelings as they turned away from each other. Twilight began to make her way home alone, dragging herself along the lonely road as dark clouds loomed over her head. A great storm was picking up as thunder boomed and lighting shot across the sky, yet not a drop of rain landed yet. She found herself a large tree by an old wrecked carriage. It was a known site as the Ghost Carriage, a robbery had taken place here not too long ago, and the victims were said to haunt the tree for eternity. She found something that drew her attention. A long piece of rope.

"You got the question wrong again! I expected more from you, Twilight!"

Her constant failures.

"A-Aah! A witch! There's a witch in town!"

The people she's scared.

"You always held yourself higher than the rest of us!"

The people that scorned her.

"You're from a cursed race destined by fate to meet a terrible end and die in obscurity. What makes you any different than from those who did vanish? Or perhaps, you sacrifice others for that?"

And the cruel statements... Statements to thoughts she had before. She had always blamed herself for Mary Joestar's death. The woman was like a mother to her. She knew her culture's history, and had sparsely thought if it was meant to be, until now. To her it was almost as clear as the storm above her. The rain ready to fall... As was she as she prepared the knot. Maybe as a witch, it only fit that she'd have a witch's end. Such a horrible way to end and yet, maybe this would be easier to end the pain with. Twilight felt the pressure of rope around her neck as she used her magic in the attempt. Barely able to keep herself afloat as she tied the other end to a branch before... Letting go.

"... ight.... light... wilight...! TWILIGHT!"

Twilight woke up to JoJo over her. Utterly devastated until she coughed and opened her eyes.

"J-Jonathan...?"

"AH! You're alive! Thank God!"

He pulled her into a tight hug as he sobbed. The rain now poured as she simply remained in his arms.

"How'd you... When did you get here? Why?"

"I-I got scared! I was worried that the other kids would hurt you! B-But you... You tried to...!"

He pulled himself back to stare into her eyes.

"This is all my fault...! I wasn't good enough for you, to protect you...! I'm, utterly worthless... Dio's better than me in every way."

"What...?!"

"Trixie showed me you two and you'd... It's not like, I blame you for that."

Twilight's eyes narrowed.

"T-Trixie lead you? W-What, did you see?"

"Only the kiss...? Why?"

"Dio didn't kiss me, he forced himself. He said, terrible things, look at us JoJo... We're a royal mess."

She chuckled in their pitiful state, and half expected him to agree, until she saw his clenched fists. He stood up and took her by the hand as he pulled her up with great force to her feet.

"J-Jonathan?! JoJo what's-"

She grew silent as she saw the wild fire In his eyes. A dark flame that burned intensely within his soul. As they made it to the Joestar Manor's front door, JoJo swung the door open with a mighty roar.

"DIO!!!"

Dio sat in a chair by the fireplace with a raised brow, Trixie sat on an adjacent couch. He stood up with a pompous tone.

"Watch how you speak that name, knave! Who do you think you are!?"

JoJo let go of Twilight as he charged at Dio with righteous fury.

"I'M GOING TO MAKE YOU PAY!"

"Then come at me, peasant!"

JoJo threw a punch that was caught by Dio and met with a solid elbow to the nose, rubbed in for a effect.

"Get real, Joestar! Everyone's accepted that I am on top, and you are on the bottom, just accept it!"

Trixie sneered as Twilight gasped. JoJo stumbled back... Was this reality? He was simply, fated to be weaker, fated to live in Dio's encroaching shadow? Fated to be a small man, a meager weakling not able to even protect himself, let alone those he dared to love? No. JoJo lunged forward, but was kneed in the head. Twilight covered her mouth as she ran to pull JoJo back. Trixie watched with great amusement at JoJo's struggle and Dio's triumph. Dio believed such a blow would do the trick, but he was wrong, as JoJo grabbed Dio and gave him a savage headbutt to the nose. A crunchy snap with a spurt of blood made from the blow. Dio was stunned as his eyes rolled back, but JoJo had never felt more alive. Never before had he been so filled with such indignation, such furious wrath, but he felt no remorse or pity as he struck Dio devastating blow after devastating blow.

"BASTARD! PISSANT! SNAKE! DEVIL!"

Each punch struck harder than the last. Each strike hurt longer than the one before.

"THIEF! BRUTE! BULLY! MONSTER!"

Each moment was justified. Each second was payback for a sin committed. The great release was near. Dio felt, astonishment. How? How?! How could someone so lowly and weak, beat him near senselessly? Twilight was frightened, and yet amazed, she had never thought this side of her friend existed. It was something she shouldn't have admired and yet she couldn't look away. Trixie has risked her own life for Dio ona number of occasions, but she dared not intervene, Jonathan Joestar's display for her was something far more interesting. This weak boy bellowing out like a mad warlord excited her. This unseen identity gave her a rush. JoJo proclaimed loudly.

"I WON'T STOP HITTING YOU! I WON'T STOP BEATING YOU! NOT UNTIL YOUR A STAIN ON MY FIST! NOT UNTIL YOU'VE REGRETTED BEING BORN! NOT UNTIL, YOU CRY LIKE THE LOWLY WEAK CHILD YOU REALLY ARE! DIO!!!"

With a final uppercut, JoJo launched Dio into the air with a spray of blood hitting the wall. A wall that held the Elements of Harmony and the Stone Mask. The violet and scarlet Elements shone radiantly as JoJo came near, but the Stone Mask rumbled violently before protruding spike shot out, pushing itself off the wall and tumbled to the ground. All eyes moved to the Stone Mask, before Dio sat up with his head low.

"Y-You...! Yu-Uhn... Y-Yo-... YOU!"

No one, not even Trixie, expected Dio to actually be crying once he lifted his head.

"You bastard! I'll gut you for this! I'll make you goddamn squeal!"

He pulled out a knife on JoJo, but found himself unable to move the hand as he saw George from the corner of his eye. George shouted loudly at the scene.

"What in the blue collared blazes of smoked ham and hammocks is going on here?!"

Dio inwardly cursed as he glanced to the side and saw Twilight with her hand up. Her magic keeping him from concealing the blade. What made things worst, was that Twilight beat Trixie to the punch of explaining things.

"Master Joestar. As you can see we had another disagreement on our hands. JoJo and Dio had found themselves at an impasse, and Dio brought out a rathe deadly looking knife when I had already began to restrain JoJo myself. Odd considering Dio's impressive display at the boxing ring. In fact, you could say it was inconsistent."

George glared down at the boys.

"I can see that you're getting a better grasp on when and when not to use your abilities, Twilight. I commend you. Jonathan! You should know when to let up from an opponent! Look at Dio, you've beaten him to tears! And Dio... I am, incredibly, disappointed in you. I will be honest, if not for my vow to your father, I would have thrown you out for this. A blade against me is one thing, but against my own son, someone I expected you to treat as your own equal. To resort to such a lowly tactic is nearly irredeemable. However, I have faith in you. You will both be punished accordingly!"

For the first time in his life, Jonathan Joestar didn't mind punishment, as he kept his hardened gaze on Dio. Dio was seething in rage, but could do no more than go along with it, otherwise he'd sever any chances he had for the Joestar wealth. He'd have to play the good son and do all he could to amend his "mistakes". Trixie had plan to use JoJo as nothing more than a novelty pet. She believed him just attractive enough to keep around. However now it was quite evident that her interest in him had skyrocketed. To see such a one-eighty of the spoiled noble son made her mind wander, what else would he do, could he do at such an extreme? She smiled gleefully at the thought. Twilight released Dio as she walked with JoJo and held his hand tightly as she leaned into him.

"Thank you..."

He stared ahead as his face softened.

"I-I... I was simply doing my duty as a gentleman to protect you. I have no need for your thanks, though I am grateful for them!"

She smiled as she felt his hand hold hers tighter.

"You're such a bad liar... But, you're not wrong. You're a wonderful gentleman."

As the rain had subsided and the sunlight began to break through the heavy clouds, today would be the spark of something great, a bizarre adventure.