Omake 2: Maria the Ripper (1?)

Original Idea from: KingAllen (FFN)

There was an uneven line of blood trailing on the floor, away from the tracks and deep in the foliage.

I was forced me to turn and approach carefully as I felt I was getting closer to the criminal deed happening nearby.

I could have gotten out to find some of the guards and send them there, I could have avoided putting myself on the front of a surely-dangerous ordeal but… the blood was enough to drive me to intervene considering how deadly this predicament looked to be.

I wandered through the bushes with the intention of doing whatever I could to stop any aggressor, I was so certain of my bravery about the matter and… then I found myself paling at the scene I was introduced to.

The woman was alive, she was leaning on some tree while she continued to try begging her attacker to stop with his murderous intentions.

She had long black hair that reached down below her shoulders but just above her lower back, those were left untied and free. Her clothes were actually quite ‘freer’ than the conservative standard.

She was donning a frilly white dress, its skirt reaching just below her knees while her upper body was mostly covered… leaving only a particularly noticeable opening that gave a proper sight over her cleavage.

A prostitute.

“P-Please- No! I-I don’t want to die!”

But the silver haired young girl seemed to mind little about the cries of mercy, her posture showing relaxation and eagerness to commit to the final act.

I felt my mind blanking out just for a moment, her appearance suddenly clicking on my head.

Cloaked in a ragged, dark mantle, only her head was visible as she prepared to proceed with the final blow and… she stopped.

The child tensed a little without any particular reason and soon she started to turn her body around to glance right at…

ゴ

ゴ

ゴ

ゴ

Me.

Emerald eyes were wide open as she continued to silently stare right at my frame, her knives slowly easing over the previous murderous attempt as her attention was taken elsewhere.

She blinked, pondering over what she should be doing with the intruder to the scene, and I merely stared back as I didn’t have the means to produce the Spin in time for any attacks.

The girl took a step towards me, then another and I felt petrified at the predator-like attention I was receiving from her.

She crouched, preparing to lunge against me and I took a step back.

I had to do something before I get cleaved in half- ANYTHING!

There were some ideas in my brain, but most of those were things that I knew only thanks to the series she came from-

How did Assassin of Red get in the JoJoverse!?

Where was the insane dark-haired man with just a scary, odd knife and why the wraith was here to begin with?!

I gulped nervously and I finally spoke.

“Stop.” Her body was still tense despite my call. “I-I said stop… Jack.”

It was there, in that very moment, that the girl actually tensed up even more and disrupted her preparation to rush me up.

Her eyes were now sporting some recognition, some surprise over the absurdity of my knowledge over her real name.

She stood up, knives at ease once again. “Who are you?”

I found myself impressed by the sudden mood swing and glad that I wasn’t subjected to that tensions she was creating with her mere expressions.

Still, I didn’t let myself falter in that important predicament and nodded.

“M-My name is Dio, Jack,” I stated while pressing my left hand on my chest. “A-And I know what you are.”

Jackie looked confused, tilting her head at the cryptic words I decided to use. I knew well enough that I was talking to a child, a very smart one that could easily gut me at the wrong step taken, but still a child that I can talk out of trying to kill me.

“You hear voices, don’t you?” I continued, deciding to cut the chase to avoid any other hesitation. “Laments of those victims of the horrible nature of the rookeries.”

She took a step towards me.

“We are Jack and… we are angry.”

But the girl didn’t seem angry at me, her head slightly turning to furiously glare at the still trembling young woman.

“They hurt us, they don’t love us-” Her tone started to take a higher pitch. “They hate us and-”

“You wouldn’t be better than them.”

Jackie stopped, tension rising up again within her posture as she returned her attention right back at me.

“Why?”

Oh Lord, the commonest query a little kid could give to an older individual.

“Because it wouldn’t satisfy your anger,” I replied with a stronger voice. “It wouldn’t fill the void.”

An uneasy frown appeared on her face and her green orbs seemed to lose some of their ominous glow.

“W-Why?”

I stared away for a moment and… I imagined the irony of the situation.

I, Dio, was trying to restrain a furious wraith made by numerous children’s souls from murdering one of their possible parents… while I had so eagerly organized the homicide of Dario Brando to avenge my own mother’s passing.

“Because the glee of the murder wouldn’t give you the joy of peace,” I answered quietly. “It wouldn’t bring back the happiness of having a real life.”

The young Assassin took another step, then another and soon… she was standing right in front of me with her knife hanging low at the edges of her fingers.

“You are hurt too?”

I flinched, it was enough to get her to silently lean her head onto my chest, her chin pressing onto the cloth and her eyes still directed up at my face.

A blink, then two and… I felt drawn to try something from this closeness.

She tensed a little as my right hand carefully lifted up to her hair and started to caress her locks softly.

A soft pleased hum started to form in her throat as she slowly succumbed to the kind gesture, completely melting into my chest.

Two thuds dignified the fall of her knives as her hand were carefully wrapping around my waist while her head nuzzled close to it.

For a brief moment, I forgot who I was… for I, Dio, was reminded that there was a hint of connection with this unfortunate spirit.

“Jack,” I called her in a half-whisper. “I think we should be going now… before you catch a cold.”

Servants weren’t capable of getting sick with proper Masters, but this Jack wasn’t a Servant, just a Wraith that still was quick to get a cold without some proper warmth.

She gave a slow nod and I carefully lifted her up.

It was in this very instance that I remembered how skinny this child war as I could feel her rib through the little cloak she had.

With the girl’s head resting upon my shoulder, my orange eyes turned to the now calming down young woman while she continued to try and keep a hold of her wounded leg.

I slowly approached her, causing her to tense a little at me but she seemed less threatened by my presence and the sudden docile nature of her assailant, yet still unsure about what I wanted to do with her.

…

“Can you walk with your other leg?”