Bloody Ripple

It’s incredible how one event can change one’s life forever. Like a ripple on water, one small disturbance can set waves into motion that affects the entire pond. Such is the story of my life, and how one incident led to the complete shattering of the life I once had.

I grew up in Liverpool, on a wealthy estate with my late father. My mother had unfortunately died when I was young; there was a freak accident on the road one night that took her life. My father and I likely would have perished too, had we not been lucky enough to be saved by a man who was walking by with his own wife. My father was deeply grateful, and considered that man a friend from then on.

Skipping ahead to twelve years later, both the man and his wife had died; on his deathbed, he sent his son--whom I shall call “D”--to live with me and my father. At first, he and I didn’t really get along; we had a lot of fights, and it always seemed like he was trying to win my father’s favour. As we got older, though, D and I started to get along much better...at least, so it seemed. During that time, the two of us grew fascinated with a strange artifact my father had in his possession and had begun to study it; however, in the middle of those studies, my father fell ill. It didn’t seem too serious...until I discovered a letter from D’s father, written just before his death. To my surprise, his symptoms were exactly like those of what my father had. It was then that I realized: D was after my family’s fortune by poisoning my father, just as he had poisoned his own.

Shortly afterwards, I left home for London to find an antidote, but not before warning my father to only accept his medicine from the butler. The poison D was using came from the city’s criminal underground; I suspected the antidote could be found there, as well. Of course, the mean streets of London aren’t exactly the safest place for the wealthy, and before too long, I was jumped by a gang of thieves. Their leader and I fought, and I likely would have lost...but this man wasn’t like other thieves. He was honourable and just; he saw my determination, the virtue of my cause, and decided to help me in my quest to save my father. This criminal, whose name was Robert, would become my best friend and closest ally. Unfortunately, my efforts would be in vain.

When I got home, I found that D had gone to London, too; likely to get more poison. I gave the antidote to my father and told him about it, and we quickly got the police to arrest D for attempted murder. However, somehow, D had discovered just what dark purpose the artifact served; before the police could arrest him, D fatally stabbed my father before using the artifact on himself. At that moment, he ceased to be human, and the artifact transformed him into what he really was inside: a monster. I barely made it out alive; during the ensuing chaos, I had to set the house on fire, and assumed D had died in it before I collapsed from a combination of exhaustion and wounds which I had sustained during the fight. I was gravely mistaken.

After I had recovered from my injuries, I met a strange man who went by the name of Will. Like me, he too had an experience with that same accursed artifact. He also told me some chilling news: D was alive. In retrospect, I should have suspected that; after all, D was no longer human. He then took me under his wing, teaching me a strange art he had learned in Asia. I am still not quite sure how it works; something to do with proper breathing allowing the user to channel their energy. It would be the ultimate weapon to use against D and his minions.

And so, our new quest began: defeat D before his quest for power made him unstoppable. We would have many encounters and fights along the way; D’s transformation had granted him incredible powers, including the ability to reanimate the dead. Most of them were easy enough to defeat...but one was so strong that Will died trying to save me from him. Now it is up to me to stop D and save the world.

I’m coming for you, Dio Brando. The fate of the Joestar bloodline...and the world...rests in my hands.

MJSchooley