The Ludicrous Escapade Pt.3

Hubris

Funny Valentine stopped on the other side of Johnny's horse, his body casting a shadow over you.

"Two years ago, when I was inaugurated president of this country, there was a celebratory dinner held in the town I was born in..." Valentine started to move a hand toward you, as if he planned to touch your face in some way. He quickly stopped, deciding to remain completely within the gap for now since he was sure you would take the opportunity to kill him if you could. "You were actually there with me." He let out a brief laugh. "Sorry, I mean the other (Y/N) was there. Truly a wonderful night..."

He shook his head, having gotten sidetracked with his story. "But back to the dinner itself... those present were treated to the meat of a freshly slaughtered lamb. It was an old custom passed down from a distant ancestor." He crouched down. "The reality of this human world is that when we draw the curtain to a new age there will certainly be trials we need to face. And in these trials, there are sure to be battles and spilled blood."

Valentine scooped up a handful of dirt, letting it sift through his fingers. "And the more formidable the foe, the better the trial." He stood back up to his full height, now clearly looking down on Johnny. "These trials are offerings. And the greater they are the better. The Boomboom family, Mountain Tim, Sandman, my former wife, Wekapipo, Dio... that is what you all are. Both allies and enemies, those who participated in this Steel Ball Run race are fresh lamb meat."

You raised your eyebrows at that, "Wow? Are you saying I'm just a slab of lamb meat to you?" You were just acting like you actually cared about what he had to say. Really you were just buying Johnny a bit of time to pick up the steel ball he had dropped, the one he had originally intended to return to Gyro. It was the only one that hadn't been chipped by the golden light. And when Johnny only had one nail left, you assumed it could prove useful.

"Yeah, geez..." Dio leaned on your shoulder with his elbow. "I can see why you called things off with that guy." He spoke loudly, as if the man he was talking about wasn't a few feet away. "He doesn't even see you as a person."

"And after I was looking forward to the wedding, too. I guess it just wasn't meant to be." You let out an over exaggerated sigh and Dio began patting your back.

Valentine narrowed his eyes. "Are you really mocking me right now? Do you forget the position you're in?" He was not particularly fond of this Dio that happened to be your Stand. "And (Y/N), of course I don't think of you as lamb meat. I was merely referring to all the other people involved in this race. While they're all trials, you are more like..." He tried to think of a good way to phrase it. "...the reward for completing said trials."

"But nevertheless..." The President had caught himself going off track again. "The only energy that can cross dimensional walls is my D4C. Perhaps with the exception of the creature who had brought you here, (Y/N). The napkin that symbolizes a new age will become the happiness of my country. There is no misfortune here. Is has been shot away somewhere else by the corpse."

Johnny held on tightly to the steel ball he had retrieved. He was contemplating now what exactly Gyro had meant by his fifth lesson and why he had decided to give it now of all times. Surely he must've had some kind of reason.

"You only have one nail bullet left now, don't you, Johnny Joestar? Your pinky finger, yes? Go ahead and fire it." Valentine was so confident in his victory and the new power he had obtained, that he was actually encouraging Johnny to shoot him.

That confidence would be his downfall.

"What will happen now is a sacrifice!" Proclaimed the President. "You, Johnny Joestar! This trial will end with the spilling of blood... Now, I'll make you attack first!"

Johnny passed you the steel ball, whispering, "Use Spin on my horse."

The Zeppeli hadn't thought he would survive and he knew Johnny had one of his steel balls. And since the President would definitely go after the man's horse, the detour Gyro was referring to must be forcing the horse's legs to move in the Golden Ratio yourselves.

Slow Dancer's legs shot out, kicking Johnny. Judging by the new form Tusk took immediately afterword, the plan had been a success.

You let out a small laugh to yourself. "Maybe this is what he meant when he asked me to trust him. Not for him to beat Valentine on his own, but that his final lesson would actually make some sense."

"Thank you, Gyro..." Mumbled Johnny, well aware that you were probably the only one listening to him. "This was the reason for lesson five. Thank you... I can't find any other words to express it." And, still in mid air from being kicked, he fired his final nail.

Valentine had realized his error too late. "You had your own body get kicked by the horse, letting you use the horse's power on the rotation. D4C! Come back inside the light!" His Stand had begun to leave in order to attack Johnny. "Right away! D4C, inside the light, hide!"

The finger nail rammed against the golden light. The sheer force of the attack seemed to create minuscule cuts diagonally across the President's face. Before Valentine could even catch his breath, Tusk jammed its hands into the light and began ripping the gap open.

"You did it, Johnny." You scooted yourself closer to him, settling an arm around his shoulders. "You used the special Spin and now your Stand can pierce through dimensional barriers. I'd say Valentine's got his work cut out for him, now."

Johnny gave you a tired smile as he leaned against you. "Yeah, I can't believe we might actually beat him." He was perfectly content to sit back and watch as the President would soon begin to spiral into his own demise.

Dio simply stood behind you, observing the scene before him. This new version of Tusk certainly appeared to be quite powerful.

"What...?" Valentine took a cautious step back as Tusk started reaching in. "What is this? It's the same as with Gyro Zeppeli. The form of this energy. Instead of being shot to somewhere on the other side of the world like China or Africa, it's clinging to this wall and trying to enter it." If possible, his eyes widened even more. "No... it's more than that. It's going to pry it open. This new power is Johnny Joestar's Stand!"

"D-Damn it!" Despite his previous confidence, Valentine now even found himself stuttering. "This is not good. With Gyro it was an elliptical sphere, but with Joestar, this is probably a perfect, or even higher level of rotation!"

"Chu... Chumimin!" Tusk squeezed itself into the opening it had created.

"What does this Stand intend to do? Once it's fully crossed this dimensional wall, what does it intend to do? When it comes in here and outstretches those arms, what is it going to do to me?!" Valentine hurriedly began removing his jacket. The light wasn't safe anymore. He needed to hide somewhere the Stand couldn't follow. He needed to retreat to one of the many neighboring dimensions.

"Tusk Act 4." Johnny decided on the name of his Stand's final evolution. "Now, President Valentine, who do you think the sacrifice will really be?"

"Damn it! It's fully entered the light!" Valentine finished taking off his jacket. "D4C, retreat further in!"

"Ora! Ora! Ora!" Tusk delivered a series of swift and powerful punches to D4C's face. The Stand was barely able to block them. Even then, it could only do so much.

You shook your head. "First Gyro, and now Johnny?" Maybe shouting 'Ora' while attacking was more popular than you thought.

Tusk continued its onslaught. Hit after hit, bashing Valentine against the ground. It did it so many times and with such force that he actually made a hole in the ground. At the bottom of the crater was only Valentine's jacket.

You peered over the edge. "So he actually managed to escape to another dimension. When, or if, he comes back, I guess it shouldn't be too hard to get you to use the horse's power again."

Johnny gave it some thought before speaking again, "I don't think that'll be necessary. It wasn't Valentine Tusk attacked, but his Stand. No matter how many Valentines he tries to pass it on to, they will all become subject to the infinite rotation." He placed a hand on the ground, staring intently at the pink jacket. "He's coming. One more time... Valentine will definitely come back one more time."