"Could it be that he has 2 stands?"
Doppio looked at him from afar, as multiple invisible objects flew directly at Diavolo. Ruche had revealed his stand to them, but its ability did not seem to match its appearance. Not only that, but he had referred to it by 2 similar, yet different names.
"Cirkus Lizard... and Lizard Cirkus... what is the difference between them?" Doppio tried hard to understand their enemy, as to find a solution for that situation.
"When the Boss hit one of the puppets, I'm sure I saw blood in his hands! Maybe this really is the case..."
Diavolo was still trying to defend himself from the invisible onslaught, unable to avoid all the attacks.
"I don't see why he would have used only one of his abilities at a time, if he could have simply thrown the puppets at us while attacking with his stand. Maybe he can't..."
Diavolo fell to the ground, still smashing as many puppets as possible with King Crimson, focusing all his energy in not losing his own consciousness.
"Maybe..." Doppio looked at a fallen broken puppet near him "Maybe he can't even use both of them at the same time..."
He grabbed a knife from the puppet's hand
"And if I attack him while he's focusing on the Boss, he won't have a choice but to stop the attack and defend himself!"
Doppio ran into the seats, hiding while he approached the balcony where Ruche stood. The man was too focused on Diavolo to notice his absence. He approached the staircases and slowly got near the man. Holding the knife in the hand, Doppio stabbed Ruche in the neck.
Ruche was shocked and surprised, as the blood started to pour from his neck, where a sharp pain had suddenly begun. He turned around and saw Doppio, preparing another attack.
"Monsieur Loyal!"
Before Doppio could strike, the green arm of Ruche's stand reached the knife, punching it away. Doppio avoided tried using Epitaph to avoid his subsequent attacks but his stand was fast, landing a few hits and badly injuring Doppio.
As he rose up, Diavolo noticed the loud sound of multiple objects falling to the ground at once, while realizing that the attack on him had stopped. He looked around, confused, until he heard the commotion coming from the balcony. He ran towards the structure when suddenly, Doppio was thrown from the balcony, hitting the ground next to Diavolo. Ruche revealed himself, looking down at both men.
"Looks like I have underestimated you, Dopp-"
Before he could finish his sentence Diavolo disappeared from his line of sight. He turned back, and tried to defend himself with Cirkus Lizard, only avoiding being instantly killed by King Crimson, but being thrown far away from the balcony, hitting the floor hard on his back with a loud gasp.
"I can't give you much time to perform your tricks."
Diavolo said before jumping down and checking on Doppio, who was now sitting on the floor, trying to ignore the pain.
"Are you ok, Doppio."
"I guess so..."
Ruche was out of air because of the impact. He could hardly think, but tried his best to rise before he was attacked by Diavolo again.
Diavolo used King Crimson's ability, suddenly appearing near him. With a furious expression, King Crimson threw a powerful hand chop in Ruche's direction. But before it could hit, Ruche disappeared again.
"Two can play that game, Diavolo!"
His voice seemed to come out of thin air, and he was nowhere to be seen. Until a green hand came close to hitting Diavolo.
"Look out, Boss!"
Diavolo defended from the attack, just in time, but Ruche appeared to him only as a shade, disappearing as quickly as he attacked.
"Your King Crimson truly has remarkable power..."
Another attack, once again barely avoided by Diavolo.
"...and your reflexes are on point..."
A punch grazed Diavolo's head, making a cut on his cheek.
"...but it's just that..."
Another attack, hitting Diavolo in the gut, not strong enough to kill, but making Diavolo immediately bow down and cough blood.
"...reflexes. How long until you are too tired to react?"
Diavolo tried hitting the air in order to find Ruche, but to no avail.
"Pathetic. If at least you had your prediction..."
He appeared again, behind Diavolo, ready to deal a final blow directly to his unaware head.
"...you could try to not die so-"
*STAB*
Before he could finish his assault, Doppio had thrown a knife in Ruche's direction, hitting him in the back.
"You forget..."
Doppio struggled to rise to his feet, stumbling.
"...that we still have Epitaph on our side."
Ruche immediately tried to reach the knife on his back, while Diavolo pushed him away and used King Crimson to safely get away from him, and he now stood near Doppio, holding his torso with one hand.
"Boss, his ability is similar to King Crimson, it cannot attack while he's invisible!"
"I see..."
Ruche finally managed to take off the knife, and now stared angrily at Doppio.
"You little..."
He summoned Cirkus Lizard and ran towards them.
"YOU LITTLE SHIT!"
As he started to turn invisible, Diavolo turned to Doppio.
"Doppio, tell me where he is going to reappear."
Instead of answering Diavolo, Doppio shouted, directing his words at Ruche.
"WHY DON'T YOU STOP HIDING BEHIND YOUR FRIEND?"
Up until that point, even when invisible, they could hear Ruche's loud stomps towards their direction. However, they had now stopped. Diavolo looked at Doppio, confused.
"What... what do you mean?"
"ARE YOU REALLY THAT MUCH OF A COWARD, RUCHE? PUT LOYAL BACK AND FACE US YOURSELF!"
"Doppio, what are you-"
Ruche reappeared, furious looking and facing them. He was muttering to himself but still walked in their direction, slowly. While he did, many of the fallen puppets fallen on the ground had started moving.
"Doppio what have you done?!"
Doppio turned to Diavolo, slightly annoyed by the fact that he hadn't yet realized it yet. Then, he whispered.
"When he attacked me with Cirkus Lizard, he stopped throwing the objects at you, and before it appeared near him, he called for someone named Monsieur Loyal. Whenever he uses one of his abilities, his voice tone changes, and he refers to each one of them with different names."
"Wait, that means...!"
"There are 2 people inside Ruche, and they take turns in control of his body, but they cannot use their stands at the same time!"
Ruche got closer, and the first few puppets started being thrown in Doppio and Diavolo's direction. Still whispering, but without looking at Diavolo directly, Doppio gave him directions.
"Get behind him, before he can notice."
"What about you?"
"I'll survive. Go!"
As more puppets started flying towards them, Doppio had changed into a position near the ground, where no puppets had landed, despite the ground around him littered with them. Diavolo was not there.
Before he could notice the change, a hand grabbed Ruche by the neck. He had no time to react or switch to Monsieur Loyal, he could only fear the crimson beast that held him up, with its unchanging furious expression.
"KING CRIMSON!"
A fast barrage of punches broke Ruche's body bit by bit, tearing skin and bone. By the time Diavolo was done, he was but a bloody pulp on the ground.
"We did it..."
Doppio let out, catching his breath.
"Yes..." Diavolo answered, with a sigh of relief "...we did."
However, when they looked again, Ruche's corpse had vanished. Broken puppets on the ground started moving again.
"Maybe I should have been more careful with my ego."
They both looked at the balcony in shock. There stood Ruche, completely unharmed.
"No... That's impossible!"
"You fucking... HOW DID YOU DO THAT?"
Ruche looked at them, with a smug smile.
"Since I completed my trials, I have become immortal in this place."
"Oh no... this means!"
"GET BEHIND ME, DOPPIO!"
Diavolo stepped forward, summoning King Crimson by his side.
Ruche looked at them for a moment. Suddenly, his expression changed to one of playful frustration.
"Oh, don't get me wrong gentlemen, you have completed the trial!"
Diavolo stared him, incredulous.
"Maybe I should have been a little less Dramatic. Well, what can I do, it's in my nature."
"Let's go Doppio."
"Yes, Boss."
Ruche pushed a hidden button on the wall near him, opening the door under the balcony.
"This way, please."
Before the went through the door, Diavolo inquired him.
"Wait. Ruche, wasn't it? Answer me, why are our stands so similar in appearance?"
Ruche grinned from ear to ear.
"I'm afraid I cannot answer you that, Diavolo."
Diavolo shot him a deadly glance.
"But-"
"Do not worry, however. Your questions will be resolved in due time, so good luck on your next trials."
He thought of being more assertive and getting his answers, but Doppio put a hand on his shoulder, shaking his head as if to say it wasn't worth it.
"Fine."
As they went through the door, it started to close behind them.
"Au Revoir, Diavolo and Doppio."
The door closed completely behind them, and once more the two men found themselves in a long hallway.
Their injuries seemed to have healed before they could notice it.
"This sure is a strange place."
"Yes..."
Having sheepishly answered Diavolo's statement, Doppio's eyes widened, and he shook his head as he remembered something. He pushed Diavolo and looked at him, angrier than he had ever been.
"What was that for, Doppio?!"
"DON'T YOU THINK I HAVE FORGOTTEN ABOUT OUR CONVERSATION, BOSS! SPILL IT OUT, NOW!"
With nowhere to run, cornered and without a good excuse, Diavolo left out a sigh, closing his eyes. As he opened them, he faced Doppio serenely.
"We wore both born in the same body, Doppio. Two people living as the same person, much like Ruche and Royal, or even Drie."
Doppio stared at him, shocked. Diavolo continued.
"However, differently from them, only I was aware of this. When you would blackout, I would assume control of the body. That is why we look so similar. That is why you could use Epitaph when I allowed you."
Doppio fell to his knees, tears in his eyes, his mouth gaping, but he remained speechless"
"And that is why..."
Before he finished, Diavolo looked away, at the dark hallway, aimless."
"That is why..."
"...you were my most trusted subordinate."
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Stand User: Ruche Caché/Monsieur Loyal (Defeated)
Stand Name:「Cirkus Lizard」/「Lizard Cirkus」
2 out of 6 trials completed
__________________________________________________________________________________________