[center][h3]Filia – Moon Over Bourbon Street[/h3]
[@vitavitaAR][@flamelord][@trevor1001][@invisible man][/center]

Funnily enough, the juvenile and disgusting display put on by Krieg did not surprise Filia nearly as much as Kyouko's reaction to it.  At first, she assumed that the little girl in red joked by saying that she'd slaughter the psycho simply for wasting food.  After all, the entire City currently counted as a massive waste of food, didn't it?  When Filia realized that Kyouko was being serious, her eyebrows shot up in shock.  “Is...she serious?  She's not gonna try and eat that whole monster, is she?  It's bigger than a bus, and it's got bits of my hairball in it!  How gross!”

She noted that all this time she'd been speaking to Souji, who quite possibly knew as little about Kyouko's mental fortitude as she did.  Furthermore, to her embarrassment, she remembered that the pink-haired boy had asked a question and she'd thanked Kyouko instead.  Even if he'd been useless against the Tacodile, he didn't deserve to be ignored, whether accidentally or not.  “Uh, sorry, got sidetracked there.  My name is Filia, and this is...” the back of her head finished for her, [b]”Gregor Samson!  Nice to meet ya an' all that.  If you lay a hand on my host, you'll be part of the next Trichobezoar.”[/b]

[center][h3][b][color=yellow]DIO – Positively 4th Street, Roanapur[/color][/b][/h3]
[@gameguruGG][@Azakama][/center]

While he hadn't noticed them before, DIO now became aware of a small crowd of people spread out in a loose perimeter around where he and Juri had dueled.  Some left now that the action had been concluded, but a few others stayed, anticipating some further entertainment.  The entire situation, though not surprising to the vampire, did not sit well with him.  As powerful as he was, he never liked to have the spotlight of public attention attached to him, preferring instead the looming near-anonymity the shadows and urban legends could offer.  He paused in his formulation of a plan to answer his new comrade's question.  [color=yellow]”Indeed., Hotel California.  Its staff will recognize you as their superior and serve you, now that you and I are bound together.”[/color]  A frown manifested itself on his noble face.  [color=yellow]”I believe I already said, but I am DIO Brando.  Regardless, it is most excellent to make your acquaintance, Juri Han.  I will instruct you about the nature of Stands, as I have most of my servants.  But first...the World, toki wo tomare.”[/color]

Before DIO's eyes, the world slowed to a crawl.  Only he and his Stand remained animate in a land of unblinking, unmoving statues, where even color failed to properly resolve itself.  The vampire cast his eyes skyward, and spotted upon a roof a strange-looking woman.  More than likely, he suspected, this figure was another one of the individuals DIO now termed 'suspects', the beings that stood out from the uninspiring inhabitants of the City and so far proved to harbor unusual powers.  [color=yellow]”One second has passed.”[/color]  No time to figure out now; if this being had any interest in him, she would seek him out and prove herself either an ally or a corpse to be made an ally.  He stepped forward, took Juri in his arms, and began to run.

The next thing Juri knew, she and DIO were half a block away, alone, out of the reach of prying eyes.  Smiling again, DIO set her down.  The chill within him, born of circulation control, had subsided.  Putting his hands on his hips, he began to walk toward Hotel California, saying, [color=yellow]”A Stand is a vision formed of one's own life energy.  It is mastered through willpower; a weak soul who somehow manifests a Stand will be destroyed by it.  All Stands have unique abilities, and I will tell you mine.  I am not afraid to share the secret of my Stand with my strongest followers.  Doing so is tantamount to making a contract with them, for in exchange for their service, I give them my complete trust.  This may sound foolhardy, but I have never yet been betrayed, and I never will be.  It is not just fear that accomplishes this, for while I may kill any who lose faith in me, that is not the point.  To divulge the secret of my Stand is to betray my trust and my love, to take a knife into the back of your greatest friend.  I am certain that some of my followers, such as N'Doul, would rather kill themselves than shame me.”[/color]  Still walking, DIO paused to let that sink in, then turned his head so he could lock eye contact with Juri.  His presence flowed again.  [color=yellow]”Lovely, fierce, strong Juri Han.  The secret of my Stand, the World, is the power to stop time.”[/color]

After that intense moment, the day seemed normal again, sunnier even.  DIO permitted himself a small grimace but began again shorty after.  [color=yellow]”Who knows what your Stand will look like and what it can do?  Later, after you've recovered, I can guide you through your Stand's manifestation.  Until then, I may as well perform further reconnaissance on the City.  There are other suspects here that may prove problematic to us, and I wish to learn more about them.  If you can recover on the move, I would be pleased if you would accompany me, Juri Han.”[/color]