The so-called "Lady Paranoia" looked up at Jojo, who lay on the ceiling, out of her reach.
Lady Paranoia: Hmph!
(Lady Paranoia; Francesca Paramore)
(Ignorance)
She and Jojo looked each other in the eyes, but as soon as he blinked, he completly forgot about her existence.
Unable to harm him, she opted to fix the one thing that had been killing her on the inside.
The two desks.
She shifted both desks so that they would satisfy her OCD.
Francesca: Ahhh~
Francesca: So much better... Ugh, I know that you won't be able to answer me, but why do you have a second desk?
(Drip)
Francesca: Hm?
(Drip, drip)
The entire room was dripped with "Paint It Black" paint. These smudges of paint were uneven and drove Francesca mad. She lost her cool to a degree that she was unable to acknowledge the heavy drops that were on her.
Francesca: Ra-ra-ra-ra-ra!?
Francesca: Why!? Why would you do this!? You disgusting bastard-
Torn from the ceiling, Francesca was smacked by the ceiling light.
(Shatter)
Now in complete darkness, only the street lights from the window dimly lit the office, but even that source faded away as black paint covered it.
Francesca: Huh?
John: You shouldn't have touched that desk... For because of you... I've lost control...
Paint It Black: Darkness has taken over...!
Francesca:(mind) Trying to scare me? I know for a fact, you won't be able to find me-
She feels two hands grab her. One hand was on her chest, the other was digging into her mouth.
John: So you're a woman... How unfortunate...
"Paint It Black" shoves Francesca, making her lose her sense of where she is in the room.
Francesca then attempts to speak but finds she is unable to move her tounge after it is painted black. She stayed calm, and she stayed confident.
John: In the shadows, you can't hide from me...
John: Through the messages I've written on my palm, I've retained plenty of information about you...
John: Though I don't know the precise function of your Stand...
John: Rest assured... You can no longer hide...
John: The paint on you, has left you heavy enough to make the floor creek.
John: I also undid a thread in your clothing, carefully pulling it, which I can follow to you...
John: And after touching you, I now have your scent...(sniff)... "Ocean XI" is quite a rich brand.
Francesca:!?!
John: I can hear you... Smell you... And have a lead to find you...
John: And when I get my hands on you... We'll see which intrusive thought wins.
(1st Floor)
Thinking fast, Annie grabs Hugo's headphones. Bootlegging their sound prowess, via "Smooth Criminal" she lifts her hand up to his ear and snaps.
(SNAP)
Hugo: Agh!?
Dropping Annie who couldn't move her legs, she began rolling away, to create distance.
Hugo:(rolls eyes) That accomplished so much...!
He walked over to Annie, who threw her purse. As she let go, Annie's Stand bootlegged its momentum, tossing upward, which she did to punch Hugo.
Hugo: Ack!? God damn it! Knock it off!
"Fairytale" spat out its tounge once again, aiming for Annie's head, this time, "Smooth Criminal" managed to block the hit, though Annie did receive damage, she didn't lose control over another limb.
Hugo:...
His Stand the rapidly began spitting its tounge, which "Smooth Criminal" stood strong and blocked, nevertheless, Annie felt as if she was getting rapidly punched in the gut.
Annie:(grunting)
Hugo walked over and picked up Annie like a bride.
Hugo: You can't beat me. Not with that weak Stand.
Annie: Tch! If you think I'll let another SHIT HEAD like you, make me into whatever you want...
Annie: Then you are sorely mistaken!
Hugo: Bold words, coming from someone who can't back does words up.
Annie: Don't count me out just yet!
She shoves her long nail finger as hard as she can into Hugo's right eye, just as "Fairytale" spat out and struck the side of her head.
Hugo/Annie: Agh!?
Hugo leaned back after getting poked in the eye and fell with Annie who lost the use of her arms. But the young blond wasn't out for the count just yet.
"Smooth Criminal" bootlegged Hugo's weight, adding it to Annie's, thus when he hit the ground with her still in his arms, she knocked the wind out of him.
Hugo:(coughs)!?
(2nd Floor)
Francesca was in great danger, and she knew that well. But she had a solution.
Most of the paint gave her weight, was on her jacket. Removing it, and tossing it aside, she needed only to trust in "Ignorance" to keep her hidden.
Throwing her jacket aside, she heard some mumbles of "Black, black", but that only grew her confidence back.
She tried to take a step.
(Creak)
Francesca:!
It then hit her, Jojo drooled paint all over the office.
Francesca:(mind) The paint on me was a red herring! The whole floor was set to the creek!
She feels her jacket get placed on her.
Francesca:!?
Ignorance: BAH!
She uses her Stand to attack, but "Paint It Black" is too fast for her to hit.
Francesca:!?
She turns around to find Jojo Stand hiding in the shadows.
Francesca:(mind) Where are you...?
Turning around, she found Jojo dropping from the ceiling before he grabbed her by the neck.
Francesca:!?!
Paint It Black: BLACK, BLACK, BLACK!!!
Painting his hand black, Jojo guaranteed, that even if he forgot Francesca, his hand would be stuck choking her.
John: Now...
John: Hm?
"Ignorance" ability activated, and Jojo completly forgot about Francesca who continued to be choked as John left the office after hearing a heavy stomp down below.
Making his way down to the first floor, with Francesca still choking.
As Jojo came across the scene of Annie getting shoved to the floor and Hugo about to choke her, Francesca called back her Stand undoing her power to get Jojo to stop.
(Tap, tap, tap)
John:(turns to Francesca)...
John:(sees the knife in the thigh)
Noticing Jojo, Annie tried calling for help, as Hugo warned him.
Hugo: Stay back, or I'll-
Jojo pulls the knife out of his thigh.
(John's Theme)
Hugo:!?
He brings it to Francesca's face.
Francesca:!?
Francesca:(shakes head)
Francesca: GHHHAAAA!!
Jojo drags the knife diagonally across Francesca's face, then places her in front of a window, where she can see her reflection. Jojo then painted her eyelids, so they stayed open, and then painted her so she stayed stuck in place.
Thus leaving her to suffer at the hands of her own OCD.
Hugo:!?
Immediately getting off of Annie, Hugo kept his distance from Jojo.
John:...
John: I... I have intrusive thoughts... Well... We all do.
John: But I naturally follow those thoughts...
John: My sister however took Pavlov's teaching to heart, and gave it a negative reinforcement spin, and conditioned me to be...
John: More "controlled".
John: However... Too many stimuli give me too many thoughts...
John: And when someone angers me... I simply lose the motivation to care about controlling my darkness.
John: Now why am I telling you this?
Paint It Black: B-Black...
John: Well... It's because of what I'm about to do to you... It's not personal...
Paint It Black: Black...!
John: No... What I'm about to do to you, is neither out of spite nor malice.
John: What I shall do... I do because I cannot resist... I do... Because...
Paint It Black/John: EVERYTHING MUST TURN BLACK!!!!
Hugo:!?
Before he could react, Jojo closed the distance and dyed Hugo pitch black.
Paint It Black: BLACK, BLACK, BLACK, BLACK, BLACK, BLACK, BLACK, BLACK, BLACK, BLACK!!
Paint It Black: EVERYTHING! BLACK!!!
Jojo doesn't know how long he painted Hugo, all he knows is that there's a crushed blob where Hugo once stood.
John:....
He turns to Annie who regained control over her limbs.
With his Darkness still wild, he approached her. He pushed her back to the floor, where he then sat atop her.
Annie/John:...
Annie: Why did you pull the knife out of your leg? You aren't supposed to do that.
John: It's fine... I've been stabbed before. It'll heal.
Annie then places her hand on his cheek.
Annie: So... What intrusive thoughts do you have for me?
There was an uncomfortable amount of eagerness in that question.
John: I wanted to see if you're a comfortable chair.
Annie:.....
Annie: Am I?
John:...
John:(shimmies butt)
John: Eh... As comfortable as a bicycle seat.
Annie: Tch...
Getting up, Jojo helped Annie stand.
John: Are you not, disturbed by the acts of my darkness?
Annie:....
Annie: I have no mercy for scum like him.
Annie: Her on the other hand...
Francesca: Ah-ah-Ah....!?
(Later....)
Tossing Francesca into a metal facility, Jojo and Annie returned to the office where Jojo immediately took one of the desks and shoved it up against the left wall.
Annie: What exactly is the deal with that desk? Why do you like it there?
John: This is my brother's desk...
Annie: Oh yeah! I completely forgot that you have one...
Annie: Jeez, I think Selina mentioning it the first time we met was the only time I heard anything about him.
John: His name is Jordan...
John: The reason why I put his desk against the wall, is because we have this little game.
John: Whoever is late for work, gets their desk shoved into the wall and has to play receptionist.
John: We'd sometimes even bet on it...
Annie:(smiles) That's cute.
Annie: Where is he now?
John: Job... One which leaves me with no clue where he is, or if he's coming back.
John: I would have gone with him... But... Well... Someone had to keep an eye on the city.
Annie: If he's anything like you, he should be fine.
John:.... I hope so.
Fixing his desk position, John takes his spot at the window and stares out.
Annie:....
Annie: Is that why you always stare out the window?
Annie: You're waiting to see him return?
John:....
John: If you're too tired to go home, the third floor has beds. Feel free to sleep on the one with red sheets.
Annie: Thanks. I think I'll take you up on that offer.
John: Goodnight.
Annie: Goodnight.
To be continued.....