SuShi's Bizarre Adventure: Darkness Manifest

by Jojoleopard

Episode 10: The Ripple Goes On and On

Malden Island. This triangular atoll is part of the nation of Kiribati and it stands as a sanctuary for wildlife, or at least, what remains of animals today. The waters around it had once been protected to safeguard the marine population, but illegal fishing had decimated their numbers years ago. Birds inhabit the island, along with a few species of crabs and other tiny lifeforms.

In 2076, governments of the world attempted to airlift various endangered animals here, including the elephants, walruses and other types of larger mammals. Unfortunately, poachers had ambushed one of the transports, eliminating the last two elephants of the world just for their tusks. After that, the world thought it would be better to just protect the other endangered animals in their own habitats, doing what they can to keep poachers away. Zimbabwe had become the final sanctuary for the last two lowland gorillas of the world, having built up an impenetrable wall around their enclosure with automated turrets along the perimeter as a poacher deterrent.

“Good grief, you call this the closest island to the north?” Shiho Sunfast looked at the radar on the Brandy 2.

“It’s not that far.” Ocellus sat beside her, leaning her arms against the side and the seat. “It’s barely a mile away.”

“It’s the heat. It makes it feel as though we’ve been traveling for long.” Leilani shielded her eyes with one hand as she looked as high as she could to the sky. “The islands were never this hot, not when I was still a teenager. The world is really changing.”

Subterra pulled her knees up to her chin. Was there even a point to save this world from TWI at this rate? She couldn’t quite answer that, but for now, she knew she had to stop her from killing her way to leadership. That was not the right way, even if Crafteon sometimes said otherwise.

“We should have installed some kind of roof over this boat,” Shiho grumbled. “The sun might just kill us before we get there.”

“Oh, don’t be so overdramatic…” Ocellus blew air from her lips as she slid her body lower down her seat. “We’ll be there soon. It’s just clear sea all the way. Be thankful we’re not in a storm.”

Shiho looked up at the sky. “At least a storm will cover up the sun.”

“Just… Just keep going…” Ocellus was in no mood to let it go back and forth more.

“There. I can see land now.” Leilani stood up and pointed. Her black hair whipped around in the wind, flying all over her face and behind her. “Malden Island. Do you remember being at any animal sanctuary, Subby?”

Subterra didn’t at first realize she was talking to her. “O-Oh, you mean me. No, I have nothing except flashes of your church.”

Leilani’s gaze steeled. “Then perhaps we’ll find something for you there. Trust in God. He will deliver.”

Subterra just nodded and kept her eyes on the approaching island. She had never once thought of the concept of gods, and here Leilani was, so sure that there was indeed one. She found herself wondering why God would let the world run on in its ruined state. Everything was only getting worse and there didn’t seem to be a bright future ahead.

Her thoughts were jarred when the boat suddenly jammed to a stop, lifting its rear a bit, almost tipping Leilani and her out of their seats.

“What the hay, Shiho, what did you crash into?” Ocellus leaned out of the boat to check.

“There’s nothing. There’s nothing there.” Shiho pointed at the screen.

“Well, something clearly is there.” Ocellus waved both hands. “What’s the damage? We better not be swimming to the island.”

Shiho tapped away on her console, bringing up different holographic screens of words and numbers. “The front of the hull is cracked. Nothing serious, but we don’t want to risk hitting something else.”

“It could just be a rock,” Leilani explained. Some rocks reach the surface. We can just go around it.”

“I’m telling you, there’s no rock,” Shiho turned back and hissed. “There’s nothing there at all. It can only mean one thing.”

Subterra didn’t like the way she said that. “Is it another enemy Stand?”

“You guessed right,” a voice said behind them.

Everyone turned around to see a man in a tan-colored fedora standing behind them, equipped with a blue lifevest and white shorts. He had piercings all over his chest, running from his abdomen all the way to his neck.

He flipped up his shades over his eyes and grinned at them. “Allow me to introduce myself. Will. I. Knoe.”

“Know what?” Leilani asked him.

“No, that’s my name.” The man spun on the spot in a circle, then stuck a leg up against his chest as he thrust a palm out towards them. “I am Will. I. Knoe. And I have no problems with you. I’m only here for the girl. Give her to me and no one has to die out here far from land.”

Subterra looked down at where he was standing. Somehow, his feet were standing atop the water’s surface as though it was concrete.

“Then I’m afraid you’re in for a beating.” Ocellus slid a foot back and bent lower. “You’re not taking anyone.”

The man shook his head and flicked his shades back down. “I was hoping you’d say that. Ripple, let’s take care of business!”

From the other end of the boat, behind everyone, a blue and purple Stand that looked like an olympic swimmer shot out of the water like a drill bit. It spun three times before coming to a stop on the water’s surface without making even one splash.

“Curtain Call.” Shiho immediately sent her Stand out, swinging a punch at it.

Curtain Call’s first attack missed as the enemy Stand bent to one side, but Curtain Call grabbed its cloth in its other hand and flicked it at the enemy, smacking it in the side of the head. Will. I. Knoe flinched to one side, but his Stand was already moving, delivering a powerful blow under Curtain Call’s right arm. There was a blast of air and Curtain Call flew over the boat, crashing into the water to the boat’s left. It swam back up towards the surface, but the enemy’s Stand, Ripple, released three punches against the water’s surface. It created the slightest of ripples, seemingly doing nothing, but when Curtain Call attempted to breach the surface, it bumped its head against it before pressing both hands against it.

“Curtain Call’s trapped!” Ocellus exclaimed as she called out her own Stand between her and the enemy.

Shiho grabbed her throat, unable to breathe, but otherwise didn’t panic. She looked at the others and nodded.

“We’ll have to take care of this…” Ocellus cracked her knuckles and folded one corner of her lip. “Forest Rangers!”

Her Stands formed into a singular form and leapt out of the boat at Ripple, throwing a punch at it all in the same motion. The enemy Stand dodged, but before Forest Rangers could land in the water, Leilani’s Jellyfish had already moved, spreading out its tendrils from a spot on the Brandy 2, leaving a web of orange across the water’s surface that Ripple easily avoided. Forest Rangers expertly landed on one of these such tendrils, using it as balance as it raised both arms to fight.

Leilani saw Subterra looking and gave her the answer. “Jellyfish can decide if a target can step on its tentacles without being stung. I allowed all of you to do so. Your Crafteon can join the fight.”

The black haired girl nodded and sent her Stand out there to help Ocellus.

“Why fight, Subterra?” Will stretched both arms out parallel to the ocean line. “You can’t win. You should know that. You’ve faced Ripple before.”

The girl winced as Ripple danced atop the water’s surface. Something about the way its toes bounced on the water with barely a ripple sent a flash of blue through her mind. A sunny blue sky. The roaring of wind as a fist hit her Stand. Unfortunately, that was all she received.

“You think standing here is going to help you beat me?” Will. I. Knoe spun around and threw both hands forward. “Ripple has amazing footwork. Plus, anything it hits changes density. I could sink your boat right now, but where’s the fun in that?”

“I’ll show you fun.” Ocellus covered one eye with a hand and placed the other one on her neck as she twisted her body to one side. “Forest Rangers!”

Her Stand dropped to all fours, scuttling across Jellyfish’s tentacles as it jabbed its four spider-like appendages at the enemy. Ripple stepped back with each attack, avoiding each one as it shifted its body around expertly like that of a dancer. Forest Rangers reared its body up, punching at it, but Ripple continued to avoid it and Jellyfish’s tentacles at the same time, stepping across the water’s surface with the smallest of ripples.

Crafteon flew to Forest Rangers’ aid, swinging its tentacles around, trying to catch one of Ripple’s appendages as it spread its darkness out from another corner.

With another step, Ripple punched down against a portion of the water, then scooped its hand into it and flung it up at Forest Rangers. Punching the water again, it transformed it into solidified balls, sending them crashing through Ocellus’ Stand as it staggered back and off Jellyfish’s tentacles. Before it could hit the water, Ripple turned the surface back to its original form. Forest Rangers fell into the water and began splitting apart, unable to maintain its form.

“Two down.” Will beckoned for Subterra to continue. “I told you. Come back with me and this doesn’t need to continue. You can’t win, Subterra.”

Subterra looked at her last teammate, Leilani. “That won’t stop me from trying! I’ve got a cause now. And that’s to stop you and TWI and everyone else trying to do what you’re doing!”

“And don’t you see that what we’re doing benefits everyone?” Will shrugged and pointed a finger to the side as he shifted his black-tinted sunglasses down his nose. “It may look wrong, but look past that. In the future, this world will be righted! Imagine a world without the sun scorching over your head like it is now. Imagine a world where people stopped throwing trash into the ocean. Imagine a world where everything wasn’t so expensive! Think, Subterra!” He pressed two fingers to the sides of his head. “TWI knows what’s best for the world!”

TWI knows what’s best for the world!

That resonated in Subterra’s head and she put a hand up to it to steady herself. Crafteon floated over back to her, its large head pressed closed towards her.

“You know it. Do you not?” Crafteon spoke in her head.

Another flash of imagery came to Subterra. It was Will. I. Knoe again, standing before her as she gasped for breath. Ripple pounded its fists together and smiled as it disappeared.

“Not good enough, Subterra. You are meant for greatness. This isn’t it.” White boots walked around her field of vision. Purple fingers ran under her chin and tilted her head up. Now she gazed right into the orange glow of TWI’s eyes as she curled her mouth up into a smile. “The world needs you to be great. It will not go on if we fail. If you fail. You must rise up. Again. Will. I. Knoe is a talented Stand user, but his fear of tigers and lawsuits holds him back. He can be so much more, but he too has yet to realize his true power. Use that against him.”

As TWI limped away, Will spun on the spot and flared both arms out as Ripple appeared in front of him doing the same. “That hurt. But TWI knows what’s best for the world! If change is to happen, then you have to harness your powers and show her what you can do!”

Crafteon attacked, creeping its darkness across the floor, but even as Will’s hairs began to rise, he had Ripple avoid the shadows, dancing its way to Crafteon. Subterra’s Stand flailed its tentacles about, but Ripple grabbed one before pulling it in and smashing it between the eyes with its other fist.

Subterra fell back and hit her head on the floor as TWI walked back into her blurry vision. She ran a soothing hand down her head, then grabbed her by the hair and hauled her back up.

“That was pathetic. Again!” she said.

Each time Subterra attempted to attack, she was put down again and again and again. Ripple was just too fast for her and each time, TWI would get her back on her feet to fight again.

“No… I don’t… I won’t go back to that life again.” Subterra shook her head, returning to the present. “You won’t take me back!”

“You’ve lost every match against Ripple in the past…” Will jumped and kicked his feet together. “And now it’s just you and that big stupid jellyfish. I’ll have you back to TWI in no time.”

“You’re not hurting her.” Subterra threw a hand in front of Leilani, having a new burning desire to protect her friends. Shiho and Ocellus needed her help too and she wasn’t going to let them down, not after everything they’ve done for her. “These people are my friends. And friends protect their friends!”

Crafteon waved its tentacles around, then charged at Ripple. Ripple pounded its fists together and smiled, then followed suit, rushing to meet between the two of them. However, as Ripple struck it with its fist, a cloud of darkness exploded around Crafteon and the approaching darkness made Will recall his Stand, afraid of the shivers it would bring him.

Subterra stared at the cloud of dark, unsure what exactly had happened. She hadn’t asked her Stand to do that, but something felt weird. She could feel a change within the darkness, as though something was solidifying inside.

“Well done, Subterra…” Crafteon said in her head, but something about it was different. It sounded more… feminine. “The time has come.”

Subterra felt a welling of power surge within her soul, like something had touched the strings of her heart and imbued her with strength she never knew she had. Leilani continued to look between her and the cloud of shadows, and Will stood there with his arms folded, leaning back as his Stand did the same closely behind him, waiting for Subterra to make her move.

- To be Continued...-

Comments

[ArcticAce01]

Interesting, seems like Crafteon has evolved

[Golden_Reflection]

What? 「Crafteon Act 1」 is Evolving?

Congratulations! Your 「Crafteon Act 1」 evolved into 「Crafteon Act 2」!

[Golden_Reflection]

Something something Ripple and Hamon joke Something something.