JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Paradox

Chapter 2: Dio the Pacifist Part 2

JoJo was about to pick up my look-alike's suitcase.

"Hang on a second, JoJo." I signaled him to stop as I knew what will happen next.

"Is there something wrong?"

"Umm, I feel like you should ask him first before you can carry his luggage."

"Oh...okay." JoJo turned his head to my look-alike, "Dio? Is it alright if I carry your luggage?"

My look-alike rolled his eyes with annoyance before he scoffed.

"Fine, but I will make no promises later on."

I've been noticing that same look painted on my look-alike's face when he saw me pet Danny earlier. The way he eyed me was wrapped with envy that would gradually proceed to my decisive destiny I'll choose. But, I don't want to fear the future just yet...

As the days went on, I tried to help JoJo study for the upcoming exam that he'll have to take with my look-alike separately. It appears that JoJo scored a 10/10 on the exam, which made my look-alike cringe enviously; even George I was impressed at how JoJo managed to pass it.

A few days later when we had our supper, I glanced at how JoJo was briskly indulging on his roast beef.

"JoJo?"

JoJo stopped shoving his beef so he could listen to me.

"Yes?" His voice was a little muffled from stuffing the food in his mouth, but I could understand him a bit.

"I wanted to show you how to eat properly. Just follow how I'm doing this."

JoJo's eyes looked down at my knife slowly cutting the meat and putting a small piece of it in my mouth, glacially savoring the flavor of its umami with grace.

He began to follow my movements and when he chewed slowly on the slice, he began to enjoy the taste of the beef a lot more.

"Oh, you should move your wine glass further from you," I recommended after I was finished chewing on the meat, "I don't want it to accidentally spill."

"Ah, you're right." JoJo puts his wine glass a little further so he couldn't topple it over and later looked at my ambers.

"You know, having another brother that looks like Dio seems to be a little odd, but I'm glad that you are a part of our family."

My heart began to flutter once I heard his compliment.

"You really mean it?" I asked with hints of awe in my voice.

"Of course." JoJo smiled in appreciation.

My 'twin' menacingly cringed at how I was interacting with JoJo as time still went on.

Weeks later, I learned to play the violin, which was a new hobby that was a little unusual to me. I didn't know that George I used to play the violin in his golden days.

When JoJo walked through the hallway in his boxing outfit, he heard Ballada, which was a beautiful number that was composed by Ciprian Porumbescu. He began to indulge its beautiful melody for two minutes before he enters the music room to see how I was doing.

I jolted a bit and halted my violin once I hear the door open.

"Ah, you scared me a bit, JoJo."

"Um, sorry if I interupted your session."

"No, it's fine."

"I just wanted to tell you that I have only a day left before my boxing match begins." 

Hearing him mentioning about the boxing match makes me visualize JoJo's defeat when I first met him.

"Oh, before your big day, is it alright if I help you win the match?"

"Um... it's fine, thanks."

"Do you know how to block an opponent?"

"I... don't think so..."

"Maybe I can help you."

A few minutes after we left the mansion, we strolled to the valley where it's empty enough for me to teach JoJo how to defend himself.

"So, I have to cover my face, right?" JoJo's fists covered his face and waited for a response.

"Hmm," I inspected his stance, "bend your knees a little more and don't lean too much."

"Like this?"

"Yeah, just like that. Now, let me do a brief demonstration on how you can block a boxer's punches. Pretend that I'm your opponent."

I put on my boxing gloves and tied up the laces before I could strike.

This is a horrible idea...I thought as I had a flashback of beating JoJo up in the match.

I began to spring my first attack at JoJo while he's in his blocking stance. His fists deflected my attacks from one jab to the next.

"Yes, that's it, keep it up!"

"Ghnnn..." JoJo started to grunt with a little pain from the jabs I threw, which I sort of feel bad for him mentally.

"You don't have to block yourself any longer," I gave him advice, "you can still atta-"

JoJo came for a low hook to my torso and an uppercut to my nose right when I can speak. I fell onto the ground while I feel the pain throbbing from my right oblique to my nose.

"Dio," JoJo started to grow worried and ran up to me to see if I'm alright after the striking blow, "did I punched you too hard?"
I slowly got up with a bleeding nose and glanced at his worried expression.

"I think you overdid those strikes, but-"

"Oh dear..." Jojo panicked when he saw my injuries as if they were permanent scars.

"No no no, I'll be fine." I replied, "You did well on blocking those punches, but I think you needed to improve your counterattacks a bit."

After a few hours of training, JoJo improved on his defenses. I was covered with bandages from all the punches I received that covered my nose bridge, my right eye, my left cheek, and my torso.

It was already sundown and we headed back to the mansion.

"I'm so sorry that I bruised you." JoJo apologized with a worryisome tone.

"JoJo, there's no need to apologise. You already know how to defend yourself." I responded, "You did great out there. Now, all you need to do is to wait until tomorrow's match. This will hopefully be a walk in the park."

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

As the sky creates an orange glow, I feel my pain begin slowly fade and my hopes begin to glow in my heart. I couldn't wait to see JoJo in the match tomorrow.

< To Be Continued |\/\|