As the elevator doors slid open, Subterra Shiver was the first to notice the silence hanging in the air. There was not a sound besides their shoes clicking on the wooden planks beneath their feet. Ahead of them was a straight and short hallway with nothing but a doorway on their left at the very end.

“Do you feel that? Power.” Crafteon whispered to her. “Heavy power in the air. TWI is definitely here.”

“She’s waiting for us, isn’t she?” Subterra swallowed. “She definitely knows we’re here…”

“This place is really narrow…” Josher placed a hand on the wall. “I don’t know if Down Under can move much here.”

“She’s up ahead. I know it.” Shiho was more resolved than ever. “We can take her. Be ready.”

They walked as quietly as they could down the hall, but because of the unnatural silence around them, even their most silent footfalls could be heard if one were listening carefully enough.

When they got about halfway down the hall, Shiho sighed and ran a hand through her hair. “
Good grief, this is taking too much time. Ready yourselves. I’m going to attack. Follow after me.”

She threw out a piece of chalk and Curtain Call whipped its cloth around it, producing a small silver knife. She nodded to her friends and ran down the hall, her footsteps sounding like booms of thunder before she reached the doorway. Without skipping a beat, Shiho threw the knife into the room, watching as it sailed through thin air and hit the wall on the other side.

Curtain Call appeared, swinging its fists around the room, rapidly breaking everything in sight. “Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh!”

When even the bed had been shattered in half from a karate chop, Shiho called back her Stand and examined the room. TWI didn’t seem to be in the room, but towards the balcony at the right corner, was a tank. A tank with a familiar face in it.

“Granny!” Shiho rushed to the tank, putting a hand against it as her grandmother floated quietly within it.

The rest of the team entered the room and witnessed what had transpired.

“This is her?” Subterra walked towards Shiho and the tank.

The Japanese woman nodded. “This is my grandmother, Sunset Shimmer. This is where TWI had been keeping her all these years. I’m getting her out.”

Josher grabbed her arm all of a sudden. “What if it’s a trap?”

Shiho shrugged it away. “What do you mean?”

“We haven’t seen hide or hair of TWI. There’s no way she’d just leave your grandmother here and escape.”

“Maybe she’s too chicken to face us,” Shiho said. “I’ve beaten her once before, and there’s more of us this time. Perhaps she didn’t use the Stand geode after all.”

“I somehow doubt that…” Josher replied, looking around the room again. The whole place was littered with debris from Curtain Call’s initial charge, but aside from Sunset Shimmer, there was nobody else in the room. “Stay frosty, everyone. TWI could attack at any time.”

Leilani had bent low, spreading Jellyfish out around them, but now she stood, shaking her head. “She’s not in the room. I don’t feel her anywhere.”

“Impossible.” Shiho felt the top of the tank, looking for any way she could to free her grandmother. “See if you can find out if there’s a key or something to crack this thing. I’m not dragging this whole tank back to the boat. But keep an eye out for TWI. She has to be close.”

Subterra went to check the bedside tables, flipping the drawers open. There were papers in them, and some bits and bobs, but nothing seemed like it was part of the tank. She checked along the walls towards the balcony, but all of a sudden, she found herself at the balcony, almost tipping over the edge.

“W-Woaaahh!” Subterra flailed her arms around, trying to regain her balance. Crafteon latched on to her waist and pulled her back, helping her avoid a gruesome death. “That was really close…”

When she wheeled around to ask her friends what had just happened, she saw that Josher and Calypso were on the ground sitting across from each other, rubbing their heads and Leilani was sprawled across the bed for whatever reason.

“What are you all doing?” Shiho eyed them, still standing beside her grandmother’s tank.

“I-I don’t know…” Leilani got off the destroyed bed. “I was walking towards the bed. I don’t know what happened.”

She took an experimental step forward, but this time nothing happened.

“Weird…” Calypso shook her head, as if to clear it. “I think we should all be very careful. It might not be TWI herself, but there’s something happening here. Most likely Stand related, too.”

She took another step forward, but this time, she found herself crashing into the wall beside Shiho, groaning as she dropped on her back.

“Good grief, what are you doing walking into everything?” Shiho turned, but then she found herself in the process of falling to the ground. Curtain Call emerged and held her up, keeping her balance. “It has to be TWI doing this. What is going on?”

“TWI can slow down and speed things up,” Josher said as he made no attempt to move. “This has to be her. Could it be… that we are moving so fast that it looks like we’re teleporting around?”

“Well done, you figured it out…” TWI climbed up from under the balcony, swinging herself over the railing like a skilled ballerina. She was dressed in her striped top and pants, though with an additional purple vest over her body. “Hello, Shiho Sunfast. Subterra. It’s good to see you all again.”

Subterra backed away from her, keeping an eye on her glowing orange eyes. She had expected to be before TWI again, but now that she was, Subterra couldn’t help but feel the intimidation this woman cast on her. She moved her mouth up and down, but no words were uttered.

“You witch. There you are.” Shiho pointed a finger at her and frowned. “This time, it’ll be the end for you. You won’t get away again.”

“Yes. That’s right. You. My biggest opposition.” TWI stretched both arms towards her. “My plans cannot continue should you continue to live. I thought to spare you, to let you go on because we were once friends, but I see that I made a mistake giving in to my personal feelings.”

“And I should’ve destroyed you when I had the chance.” Shiho pumped a fist up. “The world will not see your tyranny this day, TWI.”

TWI put her arms out, then closed her eyes and smiled. “If you think you’re so bold, then come. Let me see what you’re made of.”

Shiho snarled and thrust Curtain Call forward, rushing her with its cloth spiraled and ready to strike. But it had only taken about three steps forward when it suddenly stopped moving, frozen completely on the spot. Shiho soon found herself unable to move as well, almost like gravity had completely turned against her.

“Like what my Stand can do?” TWI walked out of the way, revealing a golden Stand shrouded in shadow as the sunlight came in from the balcony behind it. “Do you think you can beat me now?”

Shiho tried to speak, but even that was impossible with the power weighing down over her. However, it soon subsided and she dropped a step forward, her body continuing where she had left off before she could stop herself.

“Have at you!” Josher flicked a card TWI’s way before Down Under barreled through the room, carving up part of the ceiling as it tried to swing its anchor at her.

TWI smiled and stepped out of the way before her Stand lunged forward, landing a single punch in Down Under’s gut. Josher lurched forward, coughing up blood as TWI’s Stand grabbed the knife off the wall and tossed it at him.

“Watch out!” Subterra had Crafteon spread its darkness around, engulfing TWI and her Stand before getting to Josher and pulling him out of the way just in time to avoid the knife.

TWI swung around at the darkness, but found she couldn’t hit it. It felt cold against her skin, reminding her of the evils of this world before it collapsed into a single figure now standing before her.

“Sp-Spike?” Shiho was the first to recognize him.

“TWI, you left me. You let me die!” Spike lumbered forward as black ooze began to flow from his eyes, nose and mouth.

“Yes, we’ve got her now.” Leilani gave Subterra a thumbs up. “Her worst fear will eat her up and spit her out!”

“Spike… I didn’t…” TWI seemed to falter and stepped away from him. Then her orange eyes flared up and she stopped. “No, I didn’t. You’re dead, Spike. This doesn’t change anything now. You know what must be done.”

TWI’s Stand dashed through Spike, coming out the other side as Spike exploded in a violent splash of black goo.

“N-No one’s ever countered their fears like that…” Subterra said with disbelief.

TWI brushed a hand through her hair and breathed in. “That’s because no one has the resolve I do for a peaceful realm. One without your human folly. With the Stand geode, Strange World has risen to heights never seen before! Observe. New Order!”

Her Stand was suddenly beside Subterra, grabbing her around the neck as it swung an arm out just as Calypso had Soldier Poet King throw a punch at it. Down Under tried to intervene, but it suddenly crashed into the wall beside the entrance, cracking the concrete.

Crafteon manifested, spreading more darkness around Subterra and TWI’s New Order, forcing TWI to let go as she suddenly reappeared further away like she had teleported; the shadows failed to reach her.

Curtain Call whipped its cloth at New Order, but again, it was stopped mid-movement and before Shiho knew it, her Stand had crashed into the wall and New Order had already moved.

“This space is too small.” Shiho had Curtain Call rip Sunset’s tank from the wall. “We’re going to have to take it outside if we hope to win.”

“Put your grandmother down.” TWI pointed to the ground. “I’ll be keeping her alive, but you, on the other hand, are going to pay with your life.”

“Eat dirt, witch.” And Shiho was the first to fling herself off the balcony, her Stand carrying her grandmother’s tank as they fell.

Subterra and Leilani were next to follow suit, but as Josher was about to follow, TWI screeched and sent New Order out. Down Under swung its anchor, but New Order was suddenly gone and so was TWI, both of them already flying off the balcony after the others.

“Shoot. Let’s go, Jojo!” Calypso tagged his arm and leapt off herself.

“Nuts…” Josher put on his goggles and followed, flying through the air as he sailed down after Shiho and the others.

“Subterra, buy me some time,” Shiho said as she sailed alongside Subterra and Leilani. The wind whipped past them as they succumbed to gravity, but they could still hear Shiho’s speech. “I’ve got a plan with my grandmother’s tank.”

“I’ll help.” Leilani nodded to Subterra. Subterra gave her a spirited glance in return as they left TWI’s balcony behind.

The younger girl turned as TWI descended towards them, rage and madness in her eyes. New Order swung its ponytail at them, its tip now brandishing a sharp, pink crystal, but Crafteon weaved its shadows around, forming two thick tentacles that caught the ponytail and stopped it from cutting off their faces. Leilani joined in, sending Jellyfish’s tentacles spreading across the air as they plummeted, but New Order was stronger than Subterra had reckoned, and it broke from the shadows almost immediately, then kicked through the air to avoid Jellyfish before spinning around and slashing out with its ponytail again.

Leilani dodged to the side, but part of her sash and right thigh were cut. Blood spewed up, floating above them as gravity took them down and Leilani screamed in pain as she clutched for her wound.

“You won’t stop me!” TWI struck a pose with both hands behind her head and her right leg cocked to the left as New Order kicked off the rocks, closing the distance between Leilani and itself, ready to finish her off. “My Stand is the strongest there is!”

But before she could properly react, a king tower appeared in front of New Order as it threw a punch, nullifying the attack and sending a shockwave of air out from the blow, which caused the ground to ripple slightly.

“Not so fast!” Calypso shouted as she commanded her Stand, Soldier Poet King, to change to its soldier face.

It swung its bladed knuckles at New Order, but TWI’s Stand deftly dodged around each one, before grabbing both of Soldier Poet King’s arms. Planting both feet against its chest, New Order launched Calypso’s Stand into a coconut tree, bending it far back before it rebounded back forward, catching Calypso as she fell, sending her crashing into the rock wall.

Blood spilled down from her face, but switching her Stand to its poet face, she threw up the book in her pack for her Stand to weave its contents into a whip, using it to fasten alongside a jagged rock to stop herself before she could slide along the craggy surface all the way down.

Calypso gave Josher a thumbs up as he passed. “I’ll catch up! Keep after her!”

Josher kept his arms and legs together and angled himself down, speeding up through the air as he fought to catch up to TWI and the others. Subterra had grappled on to her again, using Crafteon’s shadows to sling her across the air, but Crafteon just stopped in midair for a second, allowing TWI to gain some distance between her to get back to where Shiho was falling.

“Great, here you come again. Round two, you witch!” Shiho pounded a fist against her grandmother’s tank in defiance.

“You’ll pay for getting in my way. And for the death of my best friend, Spike!” TWI spun in the air and stretched her arms and legs out like a star as New Order aimed both fists at Shiho. “He did nothing that deserves death!”

Shiho rolled her eyes and let out a groan. “Good grief, it’s always about Spike this, Spike that, this world or yours. Enough! I’m sorry, TWI. Spike didn’t deserve it, okay? But you know what, you totally deserve it!”

Curtain Call spun around and with a flourish of its cloth, a round metal ball dropped out of it, which Shiho hurled in TWI’s direction. New Order swatted the projectile aside with one arm, then blinked in front of Curtain Call, clearing the distance between them instantaneously before driving a fist straight into its face.

Shiho’s head flicked to the side, her left cheek bruised, but before New Order could attack again, Curtain Call recovered and began countering punches with punches of its own.

“Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh! Neigh!”

“Nicker! Nicker! Nicker! Nicker! Nicker! Nicker! Nicker!”

Both Stands pummeled away at each other furiously, neither of their offenses or defenses failing, but through her Stand’s sharp eyes, Shiho could indeed see that Curtain Call’s fists were wearing out from the duel. She knew she wasn’t as strong as TWI, but her New Order was certainly a few steps ahead of Strange World. If she kept this up, she would lose, that much was certain. As Curtain Call’s knuckles cracked, Shiho had it spin away from the next punch, flicking its cloth around New Order’s neck before grabbing it on the other side. Leaping onto its back, Curtain Call twisted its weapon and pulled with all its might, tightening the cloth around its neck.

All of a sudden, Shiho found that she and Curtain Call could no longer move and New Order easily slipped free from the cloth’s embrace before grabbing Curtain Call around the neck and spinning around and using the added momentum to throw Curtain Call further down. Her movement resumed soon after as New Order spun upside down and delivered a swift but powerful axe kick to Curtain Call’s midsection.

Leilani carefully caught Shiho in Jellyfish’s embrace before stretching her arms out, deploying tentacles around the air in a web formation. Curtain Call and Shiho slipped beneath the Stand, joining Leilani and Subterra on the other side. “With Jellyfish’s tentacles out like this, it creates a barrier between TWI and us. If she wants to attack, she’ll have to first get through this web, which will shock and sting her on contact.”

“You think I can’t get through?” TWI grinned with mad eyes. “I won’t need to. The fall will take care of you.”

Leilani turned to see that they were indeed nearing the bottom now. She could see the Brandy 2 in detail about forty yards away now. Jellyfish began to spread out more tentacles under them, forming nets below Subterra and Shiho as they fell. She turned her attention back to TWI, but the woman wasn’t even making an effort to get through Jellyfish’s web of tentacles.

“That’s right, with all her power, there’s still no way for her to get around my tentacles,” Leilani said, but TWI looked confident. Too confident. “Wait, her powers… She doesn’t have to-”

Suddenly, they were right above the ground and Jellyfish had only partially finished the nets under Subterra and Shiho, but had yet to give Leilani anything.

Wha-what? God, help me.

With a sickening smash, Leilani’s whole world turned black.

• To be Continued...-

Author's Note