Mirrored In Your Stare

A soulmate is someone bonded to somebody as closely as fate will allow, their souls tied closer than any other. Not everyone has one, of course, but in this weird, twisted world, those who did would occasionally see their fated lover in the mirror in place of their own reflection. Some were elated upon seeing them, finally having their desire for one they could be close to fulfilled.

Others, however, refused to believe what they saw.

--

Like Speedwagon would buy any of that. Who on Earth could one possibly see in their own reflection other than themselves?? What a complete load of rubbish, that story was. Besides, in the thick of Ogre Street, there was absolutely no one you could rely on. Yes, around these parts, you only had yourself to trust...

As these thoughts were running through his mind, he caught an odd-looking man lurking around a dark corner of the street. Immediately, he alerted one of his cohorts to his presence, much to their dismay. "What the hell is someone like that doing here?" they asked quietly.

"Doesn't matter. Whatever that lad is doing, he's getting flayed tonight, that's for sure!"

Immediately, the gang rushed at the intruder, blades held at the ready. Oh, this'll be wonderful, Robert sneered to himself. "He's all yours, Tattoo, Use that shiv of yours to slice him open! I want his guts for garters!"

Despite the terrifying display, however, the stranger didn't make a single effort to step away, completely unfazed by their threats. Tattoo immediately attacked him full force...only for him to grab the blade like it was nothing?? "Get a load of this idiot! He grabbed my blade!", the attacker blurted. "In all my years, I've never seen the like... Hah! Stuck, ain't ya? One quick pull and you'll be pickin' your fingers out of the snow for a fortnight!!"

Utterly ridiculous, this man is. Just what is he thinking??

"Try it, then," he said. "The moment you pull, my leg will slam into your groin with the force of a sledgehammer!!" Oh, Speedwagon would love to see this rich kid try-

Before he could finish that thought, his men were on the ground, knocked out by two swift fists that simultaneously connected with their jaws. One of their blades fell face down into the snow, its handle facing upward. Oh well, that doesn't matter. Truly, I only have myself to rely on out here. As the stranger went on about an Asian apothecary he needed to see, Speedwagon quickly asserted himself.

"Tough talk! If you're lookin' to lose body parts, do stick around!! Observe," he advised as he pushed his hat up, revealing blades underneath the sides. To think this man thought he could defend himself out here, in Ogre Street! Not once has he seen a man defend himself against his arsenal...

"And now we dance."

Just as he uttered those words, the man did something that shattered not only his guarding stance, but his worldview and confidence, into pieces. He had kicked the dagger which was previously in the snow at him, and for a split second, he saw it.

In place of where his reflection would have glinted on the sharp blade was the very man in front of him.

He was frozen to the spot in an instant. No, that was impossible, a fairy tale. He couldn't have actually appeared before him...

As his soulmate.

Completely dazed, he failed to notice his hat being thrown out of the man's arm as if it hadn't cut him to the bone. In a split second, Speedwagon was sent flying as he landed a kick straight to his face (indeed, with the force of a sledgehammer). Having lost all of his resolve entirely, Speedwagon realized a very important fact about the fighter before him:

There was no way he could win. Not against someone with a reason so important to him that he would sacrifice every limb on his body in a heartbeat, but certainly not against such brilliant strength.

Whoever he is, he thought as he ungracefully crashed to the ground, he's a marvel.

Soon, Speedwagon noticed he was staring into the dagger that had been tossed earlier, which still showed a warped image of the man he was ready to kill moments earlier. Where that bloodthirsty desire resided, however, was replaced with a complete sense of awe and connection. The doubt in his mind, built up over years of backstabbing and fights just like these, that there could ever be anyone destined for him had crumbled completely, and all it took was this one man. He would be embarrased, but he had no energy left to care. He would fight... no, die for him. For a moment, he was making to just call the attack off entirely and assist him with what he needed.

In that moment, he completely forgot he was on Ogre Street at all.

To his dismay, the entire street had taken notice of the intruder, and were wasting no time rushing to get a piece of him with any weapon they could come across, from torches to scythes to battle axes. Speedwagon wasn't having any of it. Not this time.

"That's enough, lads! I won't let a single one of ya lay a finger on that gentleman over there!"

Everyone in the vicinity was taken back by this unexpected show of mercy, but especially the subject of it. "But why?", he asked.

"Let me tell ya something... You're strong as a bull, ain't ya? You could've bashed my head in with that foot of yours, but you went easy on me, didn't ya?"

With that, the stunning gentleman in front of him hardened with conviction. "I came here for the sake of my father," he explained. "You have a family, too, people who expect you to return home from this dark business. It is not my place to cause them grief."

Unimaginable, he thought. How'd a man like him survive so long? Surveying his surroundings, he saw, unbelievably, that those he'd fought with had been spared as well, having recovered from their quick defeat. He's a gentleman, through and through... And if it turns out this soulmate business really is true? Why, this isn't so bad of a person to end up with, if I do say so myself.

...Does he know?

"Tell me the name of him who spared my life," he asked.

"Jonathan Joestar," he answered simply.

"Well, pleased to make your acquaintance! If it's Asian concoctions you're looking for, then I'd be glad to show ya!"

Anything for you, Jonathan...