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madimpossibledreamerSo, because I've got holiday posts lined up...surprise! Shadowed Suspicion chapter. Happy holidays, whatever you celebrate, or otherwise hope you have a good day!
Main Points:
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure/Buffy the Vampire Slayer AU
Chapter Summary: Darling gets ready for a tea party.
Word Count: 1423
Rating: Teen (Buffy|Jojo's level violence)
Note: HERE THERE PROBABLY BE BUFFY/JJBA SPOILERS
It’s a strange thing to dwell on, but Darling feels a little embarrassed. They don’t have to say it, but Speedwagon at least makes it clear. They think of her as the weakest link—not on purpose, no, but fighting isn’t her forte and everyone knows it. They know she’s not a coward. She’d fought a Stand User on her own, and she’s cool under pressure when she’s in her element. Maybe it’s not something she should be proud of, but she is proud of her work. It’s not like she’d had a lot else to practice and perfect, and maybe she has to feel good about it because her whole life would be unbearable. But she’s good at something, and that feels good, when they told her she was bad at everything she tried and couldn’t do anything right.
All the fighting before, it’d just been distractions to get away. No big deal. One Stand fight isn’t enough to make her an expert, and she knows it. She has a better idea about how to use Whisper now. It’s strange to think that he’s a Stand. He feels separate. Like he was her only friend for so long. Even now as she calls him out, it doesn’t feel like he’s simply a part of her, like a possession. He curls around her neck and shoulders like a big scarf, warm weight reassuring. He feels her worry and uncertainty and wants to reassure her.
From what little Speedwagon and Jojo have said, though, Stands are all different. And apparently Pretender talks to Jojo sometimes, so maybe Whisper’s different, too.
Whisper snuggles in. He understands. He always has. Partner. That’s more accurate for both of them.
She knows they’re worried about her being able to hold their own, but she feels…ready. Not overconfident. The adrenaline in her veins isn’t fear. It’s strength.
She doesn’t feel like she has to find somewhere to curl up and breathe. Which is how she can tell. If she was feeling weak, like she couldn’t deal with this, she’d find somewhere that would give other people claustrophobia, but she’s angry, but calm. She didn’t know that was a thing that could happen, but some people get claustrophobia in safe places, so it must just be something she’s never experienced before.
She hadn’t known how to feel before that strange Stand User had forced the words out of her. Society dictated simply regret, grief, but it’s not nearly that easy. She does miss them in her own way, but it will never be the same as it would for someone with a real familial connection—and she’s not one of those orphans who blindly thinks that just being born into the family gives you that. After all, she’s fairly certain that Jojo’s father was a jerk, and he’s not even an orphan.
It might not be a fight, even. More than anything, she just wants to understand. This Pixie is probably an orphan like her, and might have experienced worse. They all hear the horror stories, possibly spread by the adoption agencies to discourage repeats. She wants to understand what the girl was thinking. She’s not sure that she wants revenge, or justice, or if she’d just walk away, but she wants to know who she is, what she’ll do. And to start, she wants to understand.
Fortunately, she’s not walking into the complete unknown. It’s kind of scary, menacing even. It’s not the lack of people that gets Darling. She’s been in all sorts of places that are deserted. School is actually kind of cool when no one’s there, like some forbidden castle, and it’s best to steal from people when they’re not near their belongings anyway. Part of it is the worry that Speedwagon’s old man is here. Because he’s not a good guy, either, probably. With her newest set of adopted parents, it was the mum that was worse. Da just didn’t say anything when he should. And he should. She’s just a kid; how’s she going to protect herself from the people who are supposed to protect her, besides not being in home and doing things that would get them in trouble, which would get her in trouble, too, if they could catch her. But it’s not like they give her a choice.
The goth Stand User lady didn’t, either, even though she voiced it like one, because the choice between a fight with a bunch of Shadows that are some kind of Stand that can kill you and what might not be a fight isn’t really that much of a choice. Maybe she can’t understand. Maybe Pixie can’t either, because if they can’t understand that that’s not a choice, then maybe they won’t understand the rest of it, either, but she has to try.
It should be that they’re holding all the cards. They’ve got Speedwagon and Jojo possibly as hostages by a lady with a pretty terrifying Stand, and as clever and strong as Speedwagon and Jojo are, it just takes one little mistake for the opponent to get lucky. They’d accidentally proved that themselves, when she’d accidentally almost killed them trying to get away, and it was only because Jojo was so understanding and forgiving that things turned out even remotely okay. They have who knows how many other Stand Users around, and they have only the sadistic lady’s word that they’ll honor their ceasefire or whatever they want to call it. She’s not entirely sure what they’re doing, why they agreed or why she’s even going through with this. Before the Violettas died, before she’d known Jojo, she might have just walked away, hoping they’d leave her alone. She wasn’t heartless or anything. If cornered, she’d fight, but only to get away. She’d care about the pain and death, of course, but she didn’t believe she could manage something on her own like this. And maybe she’d been going through the motions, surviving but not really living. Maybe she didn’t really have a reason to live, a goal to strive for, but she has one now, and she’s not willing to give that up. Even if it’s scary. Even if it might, conversely, end all of that prematurely, because she’s got friends now, when she’d been told she was antisocial and would always be alone. Because she wants to understand. Because she wants to help her friends. Because she wants to take this as far as she can go.
They’re just following their instincts. Maybe that’s what a Stand is, at its core. Even Whisper, who rustles in response. It makes more sense than all of the rest of the definitions they’ve used. And Jojo was sure. So is she. The sadist goth lady was telling the truth. Maybe she’s just a really good liar, but Darling doesn’t think so. Following a hunch to find the truth. The question is, really, which of them is Sherlock Holmes. She resists the urge to giggle at the thought. It’s very silly.
And while someone else might own the theatre, it feels menacing, like the sisters took this place and made it their own. But if they’re both following rules, they can be understood, and maybe they can understand, too. It feels like this is the sort of game they’re committed to playing, and Darling’s had teatime before. It wasn’t for long, one of the good ones. Miss Young was great, but as much as she wanted to keep her when she was laid off she couldn’t support herself, let alone Darling, so back into the system she went. Still, the good memories, while brief, are all that much more important to keep.
She’d also read Alice in Wonderland, and that time it wasn’t even for school. She doesn’t remember everything, but just like that crazy artist statue lady had an obsession, maybe Pixie does, too. And maybe that’s a weakness.
The doors open on their own without Darling even touching them into what looks like maybe a dressing room, and every surface is covered in black lace and it looks like the mirror’s a prop, too. At a small table that looks like it came from a cartoon in the center with a teapot and a serving tray of biscuits sits the person that is probably Pixie, stroking a fluffy rabbit with three red eyes. “Welcome to my party, Darling. I’ve wanted to meet you for a long time.”
“Thank you.” Darling steps forward and the doors close behind her with a heavy sound.
Main Points:
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure/Buffy the Vampire Slayer AU
Chapter Summary: Darling gets ready for a tea party.
Word Count: 1423
Rating: Teen (Buffy|Jojo's level violence)
Note: HERE THERE PROBABLY BE BUFFY/JJBA SPOILERS
It’s a strange thing to dwell on, but Darling feels a little embarrassed. They don’t have to say it, but Speedwagon at least makes it clear. They think of her as the weakest link—not on purpose, no, but fighting isn’t her forte and everyone knows it. They know she’s not a coward. She’d fought a Stand User on her own, and she’s cool under pressure when she’s in her element. Maybe it’s not something she should be proud of, but she is proud of her work. It’s not like she’d had a lot else to practice and perfect, and maybe she has to feel good about it because her whole life would be unbearable. But she’s good at something, and that feels good, when they told her she was bad at everything she tried and couldn’t do anything right.
All the fighting before, it’d just been distractions to get away. No big deal. One Stand fight isn’t enough to make her an expert, and she knows it. She has a better idea about how to use Whisper now. It’s strange to think that he’s a Stand. He feels separate. Like he was her only friend for so long. Even now as she calls him out, it doesn’t feel like he’s simply a part of her, like a possession. He curls around her neck and shoulders like a big scarf, warm weight reassuring. He feels her worry and uncertainty and wants to reassure her.
From what little Speedwagon and Jojo have said, though, Stands are all different. And apparently Pretender talks to Jojo sometimes, so maybe Whisper’s different, too.
Whisper snuggles in. He understands. He always has. Partner. That’s more accurate for both of them.
She knows they’re worried about her being able to hold their own, but she feels…ready. Not overconfident. The adrenaline in her veins isn’t fear. It’s strength.
She doesn’t feel like she has to find somewhere to curl up and breathe. Which is how she can tell. If she was feeling weak, like she couldn’t deal with this, she’d find somewhere that would give other people claustrophobia, but she’s angry, but calm. She didn’t know that was a thing that could happen, but some people get claustrophobia in safe places, so it must just be something she’s never experienced before.
She hadn’t known how to feel before that strange Stand User had forced the words out of her. Society dictated simply regret, grief, but it’s not nearly that easy. She does miss them in her own way, but it will never be the same as it would for someone with a real familial connection—and she’s not one of those orphans who blindly thinks that just being born into the family gives you that. After all, she’s fairly certain that Jojo’s father was a jerk, and he’s not even an orphan.
It might not be a fight, even. More than anything, she just wants to understand. This Pixie is probably an orphan like her, and might have experienced worse. They all hear the horror stories, possibly spread by the adoption agencies to discourage repeats. She wants to understand what the girl was thinking. She’s not sure that she wants revenge, or justice, or if she’d just walk away, but she wants to know who she is, what she’ll do. And to start, she wants to understand.
Fortunately, she’s not walking into the complete unknown. It’s kind of scary, menacing even. It’s not the lack of people that gets Darling. She’s been in all sorts of places that are deserted. School is actually kind of cool when no one’s there, like some forbidden castle, and it’s best to steal from people when they’re not near their belongings anyway. Part of it is the worry that Speedwagon’s old man is here. Because he’s not a good guy, either, probably. With her newest set of adopted parents, it was the mum that was worse. Da just didn’t say anything when he should. And he should. She’s just a kid; how’s she going to protect herself from the people who are supposed to protect her, besides not being in home and doing things that would get them in trouble, which would get her in trouble, too, if they could catch her. But it’s not like they give her a choice.
The goth Stand User lady didn’t, either, even though she voiced it like one, because the choice between a fight with a bunch of Shadows that are some kind of Stand that can kill you and what might not be a fight isn’t really that much of a choice. Maybe she can’t understand. Maybe Pixie can’t either, because if they can’t understand that that’s not a choice, then maybe they won’t understand the rest of it, either, but she has to try.
It should be that they’re holding all the cards. They’ve got Speedwagon and Jojo possibly as hostages by a lady with a pretty terrifying Stand, and as clever and strong as Speedwagon and Jojo are, it just takes one little mistake for the opponent to get lucky. They’d accidentally proved that themselves, when she’d accidentally almost killed them trying to get away, and it was only because Jojo was so understanding and forgiving that things turned out even remotely okay. They have who knows how many other Stand Users around, and they have only the sadistic lady’s word that they’ll honor their ceasefire or whatever they want to call it. She’s not entirely sure what they’re doing, why they agreed or why she’s even going through with this. Before the Violettas died, before she’d known Jojo, she might have just walked away, hoping they’d leave her alone. She wasn’t heartless or anything. If cornered, she’d fight, but only to get away. She’d care about the pain and death, of course, but she didn’t believe she could manage something on her own like this. And maybe she’d been going through the motions, surviving but not really living. Maybe she didn’t really have a reason to live, a goal to strive for, but she has one now, and she’s not willing to give that up. Even if it’s scary. Even if it might, conversely, end all of that prematurely, because she’s got friends now, when she’d been told she was antisocial and would always be alone. Because she wants to understand. Because she wants to help her friends. Because she wants to take this as far as she can go.
They’re just following their instincts. Maybe that’s what a Stand is, at its core. Even Whisper, who rustles in response. It makes more sense than all of the rest of the definitions they’ve used. And Jojo was sure. So is she. The sadist goth lady was telling the truth. Maybe she’s just a really good liar, but Darling doesn’t think so. Following a hunch to find the truth. The question is, really, which of them is Sherlock Holmes. She resists the urge to giggle at the thought. It’s very silly.
And while someone else might own the theatre, it feels menacing, like the sisters took this place and made it their own. But if they’re both following rules, they can be understood, and maybe they can understand, too. It feels like this is the sort of game they’re committed to playing, and Darling’s had teatime before. It wasn’t for long, one of the good ones. Miss Young was great, but as much as she wanted to keep her when she was laid off she couldn’t support herself, let alone Darling, so back into the system she went. Still, the good memories, while brief, are all that much more important to keep.
She’d also read Alice in Wonderland, and that time it wasn’t even for school. She doesn’t remember everything, but just like that crazy artist statue lady had an obsession, maybe Pixie does, too. And maybe that’s a weakness.
The doors open on their own without Darling even touching them into what looks like maybe a dressing room, and every surface is covered in black lace and it looks like the mirror’s a prop, too. At a small table that looks like it came from a cartoon in the center with a teapot and a serving tray of biscuits sits the person that is probably Pixie, stroking a fluffy rabbit with three red eyes. “Welcome to my party, Darling. I’ve wanted to meet you for a long time.”
“Thank you.” Darling steps forward and the doors close behind her with a heavy sound.
