The Hierophant's March

A Talk on The Roof, Part 1: The ends (don't) justify the means

The day had come when their journey would soon be over. They thought they had the threat right in front of them & at their mercy. But it scurried between their fingers before they even got to blink. The evil presence was so powerful they just had one choice: To run away. They were standing on the roof of DIO's mansion, helplessly looking as the only thing keeping them safe from DIO slowly went out of sight: It was sundown on one of their last days to save Holly.

-Damn it, just look at the sun! it's almost gone below the horizon! –Joseph said worriedly.

-Which means DIO will have the advantage because of the dark. -Noriaki added. He sounded calm, but not like he didn't care. If anyone here wanted DIO dead, that was him. It was personal vendetta, so to speak. But even then he had to keep rational. Attacking DIO right now would mean a certain death that would throw overboard all of their efforts thus far. They had to find a way to ensure their victory with as less downs as possible. They had gotten enough of those.

As the crusaders discussed, Jotaro was sitting on the edge trying to think of plan, just as the rest. He just seemed to think better when he just sunk into his thoughts for a while. This was a stressful situation for him. This was for his mother & his grandfather's daughter, many of Polnareff's loved ones, Kakyoin himself, his fallen friends, it was all that weight on his shoulders pulling on him from all flanks... But why just his shoulders? He had his friends with him. But he felt as if most of the weight fell on him & him alone. As if he was supposed to take on DIO on his own for everyone's sake & if he failed & DIO finished everyone he cared about & loved... It would be his fault. & his fault alone.

-... hang on, come again?! Please don't tell me you guys are planning to run away & hide until dawn! -Polnareff was in clear disagreement with the suggested plan. –Listen to me, Mister Joestar. I'm finishing this. There's no way I'm packing up & heading for the hills! –

-Polnareff, I want to slit that bastard's throat as much as you do, but we can't risk going into enemy territory where He has the advantage & wasting all our efforts to follow Iggy & Abdul. -Noriaki's comment was so cold & straight forward all that was left of the crusaders was taken aback, except Jotaro, who knows the man's range all too well. Noriaki knew where to hit to get Polnareff to think clearly, since his comrades' passing had crushed him like boulder. He would miss them too, but they couldn't let their efforts go in vain by dying to DIO himself. Joseph's fear was clear on his face. Or maybe it was the sweat. You wouldn't be able to tell.

-I wanna get this over with as much as you do, -Started Joseph, -but the tad of the battle has turned! We may've faced his stand, "The World", but we still have no idea what its powers are! We're fighting blind here! –After shouting this statement, his tone went down, sounding a little calmer, while still nervous. -Think of it this way: It's like mount climbing without knowing the route. If we try to fight DIO right now, we'll all die... That fact is as inevitable as burping after knocking back a couple of colas. -He finished, or so they thought. –DIO would be a fool not to come racing after us but he only has until sunrise to kill us. In the meantime, we need to learn the extent of his stand's power & find a way to put him down. If we can just hold out until then-

-No way! -Interrupted Polnareff with the voice of a person that spoke for two-I'm not going back on my word! Abdul & Iggy died because of my weakness... I have to kill DIO, I'll go to hell & back to do it, but what I won't do is run away from my obligation! -

- "Obligation"? -Jotaro's voice was finally heard by the rest of the crusaders. He walked up to the French man, something among the lines of anger yet not quite anger glistening in his eyes along with the reflection of the remaining sunlight. –Polnareff, killing DIO is not your obligation. Your obligation is to survive this battle, that is all. -Then he turned to look at the rest until his eyes locked on Noriaki, who gave him a look just as intense in return. -...That goes for all of you. I think I know how DIO's ability works. –He said suddenly & everyone looked at him with shock in their eyes. -Not entirely, but I get the idea: He either stops time or he moves so fast it seems like time's stopped, which would require a lot of precision as well. -When Jotaro was done, the rest were finally able to speak, the first one being Polnareff.