((If you are confused on how [Marble Machine] works, let me explain. [Marble Machine] is a Stand that just manifests as an ability. I partially based [Marble Machine] off of [Doctor Wu] from JoJolion. Also why [Marble Machine] is visible to Non Stand Users, how else would you interpret a man turning into a bunch of metal marbles and cubes? I'm not entirely sure how some ability-only Stands are seen by Non Stand Users, so I had to go with the Stand being visible to Non Stand Users. Hopes that clears things up.))
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"Talking"
'Thinking'
"Whispering or emphasis"
"BEING LOUD"
*Action*
Specific Item/Object
((Author note))
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"I'm dehydrated and a danger to society."
-If Jotaro knew he could stop time from the beginning at 0:12 to 0:16
- Your POV -
"So... Why are you here again?" A random Loki Familia adventurer asks me.
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<<< Flashback <<<
"What? Why? Ain't I too new of an adventurer to go on an expedition?" I ask Loki.
"That's true... But I don't doubt the others will leave you defenseless. Besides, it will be a great experience, both bonding- and combat-wise!" Loki says, with an arm around my shoulders.
"I guess so... But it's still dangerous." I say uncomfortably. In actuality, I don't want my allies to witness my Stand powers or most things related to it.
"C'mon Kuro! It'll be great!" Loki encourages me more.
"I- Wait. 'Kuro?'" I question.
"It's my new nickname for you. I took the 'Do' out of 'Dokuro' and got 'Kuro.' I think it's catchy."
"Wh- Why??" I ask, confused.
"I honestly couldn't make a good nickname out of your first name." Loki tells me, arms still around my shoulders.
"I'm not even gonna ask."
"Well then... Are you up to it?"
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--- Present ---
"So... what's it like being on your first under leveled expedition, Kuro?" Lefiya asks.
". . . I just want to grind in the Dungeon alone."
>>> Timeskip >>>
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- Riveria POV -
Currently, we are on the middle floors. And (Y/N) has been quite the phenomenon. He has showed prowess above what his Status says. Speaking of which.
"ORYAYAA!"
He chops an large monster's neck in a specific area in which the monster becomes briefly paralyzed. He then spins around the neck, launches his other hand upward, stabbing its brain through the chin with his dirk.
Oh yeah. They weapons he ordered were... unusual. He got two dirks, or "dagger-rapiers" Tiona likes to say, and a whip. He has somehow been proficient with both, keeping up with his seniors. His dexterity with them is way above what his Status tells.
"Heads Up!" (Y/N) yells, he used his whip to grab the leg of some monster, causing it to fall and leaves it vulnerable.
"HYAAA!" Tiona battle cries, then butchers said monster. "Thanks, Kuro."
"Your welcome. Why is that nickname starting to stick?" He says back.
I look at Finn who is walking next to me, he looks back. Neither of us sensed any monsters for quite a distance.
"Finn, what do you think of (Y/N) so far." I ask him in a low voice.
"He has definitely showed skills and abilities above what we expected. Probably linked to his unknown skill." Finn replies back in a whisper.
"We should continue observing him."
"Agreed."
>>> Timeskip >>>
"ORYAYAYAAA!!" (Y/N) shouts while unleashing a barrage of stabs with his dirks onto a minotaur's face, not doing any actually damage, but to stagger it. Aiz comes up from behind and cleanly kills the minotaur.
Aiz puts her weapons away. "That should be the rest of them." We continue on our way.
"Hey Kuro. Can you tell us about your Skills. I forgot to ask that earlier." Tiona asks (Y/N).
"No."
"Why not?! The rest of the First-class have been curious as well!" Tiona says.
(Y/N) looks at the rest of us while pointing at Tiona. "Have you really..."
"We have theorized." I say with a cough.
(Y/N) gave us a look that gave a mix of disappointment, said: 'Really?,' and 'Are you serious?'
"'I ain't showing or explaining.' End of answer."
"Why not?" Lefiya asks.
"I'll tell you if you pet Bete first." (Y/N) says back.
"You know, I think I'll pass." Lefiya and Tiona say simultaneously.
"Hey!" Bete exclaims.
"Don't complain, I knew they weren't going to do that." (Y/N) says to Bete ever-so-casually. "How much longer until we hit the Safe Floor." He says to me or Finn
"I expect us to reach it in three to four more hours until. I believe the Monster Rex was also killed recently as well, it should be pretty smooth at this rate." I say to everyone. "But I don't think you should slack off (Y/N), you're still level 1 compared to the rest of us."
"Understood, ma'am." He replies. We continue on our journey.
>>> Timeskip >>>
- Still Riveria POV -
"I feels SO great to stretch after a long walk." (Y/N) says.
"Agreed." Tiona says, also stretching.
We arrived to the 18th Floor and set up camp. We sent a group ahead to scout out the 19th to 25th Floors.
I was sitting against a tree, quietly resting, until someone walked up to me. (Y/N).
"Hey... Miss Riveria?" He says.
I look up to meet his eyes. "What do you want, (Y/N)?"
"I was wondering if you could teach me?"
"Why pick me?" I ask.
"You are the Vice-captain, and you are relaxing. Well, so is Finn - as I was told, but I couldn't find him." He reasons
"Why should I teach you?"
"Because I have potential and skill. - Your next line is(sugi ni omaewa): 'Alright, then show me.' (Toiu!)"
"Okay, then show me." I ask. "Hm? Did you just try to predict what I was going to say?"
(Y/N) frowns and looks away. "Damnit, I was so close that time!" He angrily whispers to himself. He then looks back at me. "Sorry."
I close my eyes and think. "What do you even want me to teach you?"
"Magic." He states.
I open my eyes. "I can't simply do that."
"Why not?"
"Magic is not so easily obtained. Most people get it through their Falna, but most never have any spells appear. Falna is a reflection of the soul, so who you are may decide if you get a spell or not. Yet, last time we checked, you had no spells in the magic section of you Status."
"Damn." He says with disappointment, he then recollects himself suddenly. "I guess I'll have to do some other type of training." He then turns around and starts to jog away. "Thanks for the advice, Madame Riveira!"
I sigh after he leaves my sight. "What if he did learn magic. His skills already make him more strange. Right, Finn?"
Finn jumps down from a nearby tree he was hiding in. "What does he want to gain?"
"Perhaps he's like Lefiya, he looks up to us." I theorize.
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Unknown to the two, they thought (Y/N) wasn't just going to do some simple physical training. He's doing more than that.
- Your POV -
As I start to jog, I pick up the pace, getting farther away.
"I can deal with that. Yeah. I don't need magic; maybe not right now. But maybe I already have enough." I say to no one. I then start to change my breathing, yellow sparks start to surround my legs, making me feel less pain.
Hamon. I inherited from my father, like how Joseph Joestar inherited his Hamon powers from his grandfather, Jonathan, and then his mother. Hamon may be a technique meant for fighting creatures allergic to sunlight, but I like to see it as a stress-reliever unlike most other Hamon users. It also helps dull the pain in my muscles when I exercise.
I increase my speed to a fast run, the Hamon reduces pain. I will get stronger.
My ulterior motive for joining the Loki Familia wasn't directly because of fame or such, but because of protection. If that benefit didn't exist, I would have declined. My Stand is probably unique to this world and gather unwanted attention, maybe some magics could match up to its bizarreness.
But for now, I can only get stronger.
((Montage Time!!))
I jog up a steep slope, singing and humming one of my favorite songs.
"Where have all the good men gone
And where are all the gods?~"
The slope reveals to be a cliff; I have no real destination, besides strength. I grab onto the rocky wall of the cliff and start using Hamon to help me 'climb' down. I skip a few lines of lyrics(Usually by humming instead of singing).
"Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed?~"
I basically use my Hamon to slide down the wall and eventually slow down at the bottom. The decent is jolly. I continue singing.
"I need a hero!
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night!
He's gotta be strong, he's gotta be fast,
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight!~"
I reach the trees below and start my next exercise. I am to kick these trees with all my strength, but control my Hamon to the point where the trees would be unharmed.
"~He's gotta be sure, and it's gotta be soon,
And he's gotta be larger than life!~"
I kick these trees with immense physical strength, but not even a patch of moss is disturbed because of my Hamon. I think some flowers start to bloom on some trees.
"~Larger than life~"
I start to run through the forest, skipping more lyrics, until I reach a place I quickly spotted atop the cliff. A lake. I stop right before the lake and get into position. Using Hamon to keep me atop the water, I then sprint across the lake to reach the other side.
"Racing on the thunder,
And rising with the heat.
It's gonna take a Superman to sweep me off my feeeet!~"
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Unknown to (Y/N), there was a small group of girls from the Loki Familia bathing at the side of the Lake, away from (Y/N)'s path. (Y/N) didn't notice them, but they surely noticed him.
- Lefiya POV -
I was bathing with Tione and other girls from the expedition group.
"Hey! It's a Boy! A Guy!" A female member shouts out. She points towards a man standing at the edge of the water a distance away.
"EEEEKKK! He's Peeping!"
"Hey. Isn't that the new guy." Tione says, covering her chest.
"I think it is. Kuro, I think." I says, sinking into the water to hide mine.
"Not even a week in and he's a pervert!"
"Wait. He's not even glancing in our direction." Tione points out. Then, Kuro lunges forward, he is facing about 110 degrees away from our direction.
"What is he doing-"
To all our surprise, Kuro then runs on top of the water's surface to the other side of the lake. Those of us with high senses, like me, could hear singing coming from him.
"Racing on the thunder,
And rising with the heat.
It's gonna take a Superman to sweep me off my feeeet!~"
He's surprisingly good at singing.
"He's... singing?" Tione asks.
"I... I think so..."
"H- How is he running atop the water?!" I exclaim.
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- Back to Your POV -
The sprint across the lake feels great. I think I'm starting to believe that Jesus was a Hamon Master all along.
I reach land and start to continue at a jog.
"~I need a Hero!~"
I run through the forest again. This time, punching and kicking trees and plants with Hamon, causing them to bloom instead of destroying them. Skipping more lyrics.
"Up where the mountains meet the heavens above;
Out where the lightning splits the sea;
I could swear there is someone, somewhere watching me.~"
I stumble across a series of rocks and boulders. I infuse my legs with Hamon and run up a boulder sticking out of the ground like a random boner being hid by jeans. I reach the tip of the boulder and jump up several meters into the air and onto another boulder. Rinse and Repeat.
"I can feel his approach like a fire in my blood!
Like a fire in my Blood,
Like a fire in my Bloood,
Like a fire in my Bloood,
Like a fire in my Blood! Blood!~"
After jumping atop boulder, boulder, and more boulders like a kangaroo on steroids, I reach a forest yet again. But this time, I jump off of trees to boost myself. I sing that last bit of the song, though shaving a bit of lyrics off the end.
"I Need A Hero!
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night!
He's gotta be strong, he's gotta be fast,
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight!~"
"~I Need A Hero!
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light!
He's gotta be sure, and it's gotta be soon,
And he's gotta be larger than life..."
Eventually, I make it back to camp, sweaty. I stop my Hamon and the pain kicks in; I fall to the glassy floor.
But then, I notice a bunch of my Familia rushing around, arming themselves. We shouldn't be leaving for a few more hours. 'What happened while I was gone?'
I reach out to a random member of my Familia. "Hey. You. What's happening?" I say, still out of breath.
He looks down at my collapsed body. "You..."
"I was training away from the camp." I reply.
"Oh. Well..."
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- Lefiya POV -
We finished bathing and are dressed up. I want to ask Kuro about how he ran on water. But me and Tione immediately notice commotion coming from the camp. A female member runs up to us.
"Oh! You guys! We need to get ready to depart!"
"Why? What happened?"
"An irregularity on the 22nd Floor was reported by our scouts! The only man who came said they couldn't deal with it and it is high priority! We'll only be sending a smaller detachment to deal with it."
I look at Tione. "We could talk to Kuro later. Right now, we need to get ready." Tione says.
"Yes!" I reply. I start jogging towards were I kept my Adventuring gear.
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Meanwhile, on the 22nd Floor.
"We can't get close to this thing."
"We are doomed if we try to approach it."
"I've never seen anything like this in all my years. We're lucky no one died to whatever this thing is."
The group of seven scouts from the Loki Familia circle a creature with caution, carefully watching over it.
A small, green, baby.