The Red Stone's Gleam (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Battle Tendency x Male O/C)

Chapter 5: Two New Allies Arrive

I addressed him "You're Joseph Joestar? I've heard about you. It's good to finally meet you in person." In response Joseph randomly did a goofy grin and exclaimed "Whoa! Some stranger has heard of me! I must be famous!" I bluntly added "Don't flatter yourself. I briefly met your friend Speedwagon. He mentioned you."

My blunt retort made Caesar snicker a bit as Joseph's eyes widened and he asked "You know Speedwagon?" I only nodded before saying "If that's all. Let's go, Lisa Lisa doesn't want to be kept waiting."

I turned and began walking back towards the jetty, Caesar and Joseph proceeded to walk behind me, the latter of which tried to spark conversation. "I just noticed, you're dressed almost identically to someone I know. Hmm... Who..."

I could tell he was messing with me so I responded "Straizo?" He clicked his fingers and said "Yeah! That's the one, what's up with that?" I explained "He was my old master, he taught me the ways of Hamon. After he turned, I came here, sought out Lisa Lisa's training."

Joseph let out an "Oooh..." Before going silent, it didn't take long for him to speak up again though, commenting on our surroundings. "What is this? I thought Venice was a tourist town. Why would a Master of Hamon be here?"

I didn't respond, instead opting to ask "So, what's your stories? Why show up out of the blue?" For a moment both Caesar and Joseph were silent, Joseph said "It's a long story, you might find out later. I don't know."

I just hummed under my breath until we arrived back on the same jetty I'd arrived at. Lisa Lisa was still just sat in the gondola, with the hat and mask on, you'd likely mistake her for a regular person.

Pointing out across the water, I explained "There it is, Air Supplena Island." Joseph followed my hand and stared for a moment before asking "So, how do we get there?" Caesar turned his attention to Lisa Lisa and as I thought, he mistook her for a usual gondola. He asked for passage across to Air Supplena Island.

She didn't respond, instead just continuing to stare out across the water. This caused Caesar to ask "Gondolier, are you listening?" At this, she turned around to reveal the strange mask she'd been wearing.

(I should mention, I went back and made a few minor edits to Chapter 3. Nothing too big, however one thing I changed was that Lisa Lisa wasn't wearing the mask when she met Gyalzen. Hence why he's acting like he doesn't recognize it.)

She slowly stood up from the gondola and pointed out at the pair. I stepped back, in order to allow the events to unfold. It was much like when I'd first met her, she tossed the oar into the water and proceeded to balance on it.

Joseph exclaimed "Who the hell is this guy?!" I simply stated "You'll see." This caught his attention and in that brief moment of distraction, Lisa Lisa kicked the oar upwards causing it to strike Joseph around the face!

Joseph was knocked toward the water however in an impressive display, he managed to catch himself and through Hamon, actually managed to BALANCE himself on it! Managing to stand up on the water, he scowled and stated angrily "I don't know who you are, but you're going to pay for that!"

This is when Lisa Lisa first spoke, "You can use Hamon well enough to stand on water, hmm?" In a swift motion, she finally removed both the hat and the mask, causing Joseph to exclaim "A woman?!" Caesar added "C-coach!"

Caesar turned to me and asked "Did you know this?" I nodded and replied "How else do you think I got from the island to here to meet you?" Even with this knowledge, Joseph declared "I still have to make you pay for hitting me with that oar. I won't hold back because you're a girl."

Lisa Lisa complimented "I tested your Hamon abilities and found them superb. I'm impressed you can walk on water without training. However-!" As Joseph began approaching her, she flung the oar into the air once more with a kick, adding "-You must be prepared to die if you want to master Hamon in a month!"

She leapt up and again, in a manner almost identical to what she did when we first met days ago,  she made a makeshift high bar out of it. Like a professional acrobat, she spun around on it before flying off it and diving down toward Joseph.

Instead of attacking him like she did with me though, a click sound was heard. I stepped closer to the jetty's edge to see her fasten one of those masks around his head. Joseph instantly began to panic, exclaiming "What the-?!"

Lisa Lisa flipped off him and landed gently back on the water, turning back to Joseph with her usual strict expression as she spoke. "Joseph Joestar, you will wear that breathing correction mask at all times."

Joseph flailed about, frantically trying to pull the mask off, however I knew already it was no use. I'd worn one of these masks years ago during my own training under Straizo. That was why I hadn't worn one in my training now and also why I knew how they worked. Lisa Lisa continued explaining.

"Use rhythm, with proper rhythm, you'll have no trouble. But if you fail to maintain rhythm, the mask will begin to suffocate you. You will learn to run 100 kilometres with the mask on!" Joseph snapped "Take this stupid thing off right-!"

Before he could finish his sentence, he fell into the water beneath him. Without rhythm, he couldn't breath properly, meaning he couldn't channel the Hamon to his feet to stay afloat. Lisa Lisa stepped onto the jetty, turning to him, saying "Your training has begun. I'll take it off for meals and tooth brushing."

Caesar called down to him with a smirk "JoJo, just maintain rhythm! It's like wearing a Halloween mask." I turned to Lisa Lisa and asked "Should I help him?" Lisa Lisa responded "No, he needs to figure this out. Otherwise there is no point in training him."

Joseph began to scramble out of the water, still cursing "Y-you're gonna get it, you-." He was cut off by Lisa Lisa raising her finger. "I have one more thing to tell you. I'm not teaching you so that you can save your own skin. I am forging warriors that can destroy our enemies."

I was left confused. Firstly, why did they want to master Hamon in only a month? And what did she mean by Joseph wanting to save his own skin? What was after him? This man defeated a Vampiric Straizo! There was something more to this. 

Joseph gasped out "Y-you witch!" Caesar simply asked "You want another round with her?" I shook my head saying "Believe me, you don't want to." Joseph shot his head to the side and declared "I don't hit women." This caused me to point out "Weren't you threatening to do that very thing before?" Joseph snapped at me "Shut up!" To which I blankly replied "No."

Lisa Lisa gave a thin-lipped smile before saying "Now Caesar, JoJo, Gyalzen. Welcome to Venice." As she turned to walk away, Joseph sighed. "Sheesh. I respect her skill with Hamon, but I'd never marry a girl like that."

Caesar approached him, grabbing hold of Joseph's head and lightly pushing it, saying "Bow to her." Joseph asked "What? Why is a playboy like you so polite to her?" To that Caesar shot Joseph a fierce glare, stating "I respect my coach like my own mother. I won't tolerate rudeness towards her."

I pointed out "Well said." Which caught both of their attention, Joseph asked "So, Gyalzen was it? What's your story?" I just shrugged and replied "You may find that out in time. For now, I have my own questions."

Caesar eyed me sceptically before saying "Go on..." I began listing my questions. Both of them. "Why are you here? What are you facing?" At this, both of them just went silent. I continued, aiming to gain answers from them.

"I listened to every word of this exchange. You wish to master Hamon in a month. Lisa Lisa also said Joseph wishes to save his own skin. I know you defeated Straizo, Joseph. Whatever this is, I wish to know what it is so I can help."

For a moment we were in silence, we began walking after Lisa Lisa and as we did so Caesar asked me a simple question. One that confused me for a moment however I think I understood what he meant.

"What do you know of men frozen within pillars?"

Author's Note: And that's it for this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it and as always, thank you for reading.