The tall black man rubs his eyes and looks up. “You’re a fucking Stand user. And other than me, the only other Stand users in this city are part of that organisation. I’ll ask again. Where is Tarantula?” In his eyes is a pure, smoking hate. For a moment, Shizuka is frozen in place. She can’t move, can’t speak, as his Stand emerges fully into view.
Voluminous furry sleeves and skeletal armour cover its reddish brown, thickly muscled flesh. It snarls, soft and hoarse from a mouth filled with crooked yellow teeth, its face covered with a milky pale skull mask and twisting cords ending in golden rings mimic its master’s hairstyle.
Despite herself, Shizuka forces a wry grin across her lips. “You’ve got a funny way of welcoming people. We don’t even know each other’s names yet–” and then she groans as he punches her in the face with his own hand. The Stand keeps holding her up against the wall.
“What’s your name, then?” the man asks as Shizuka’s eyes water.
“Shizuka…” she replies, her voice a nasal mumble, covering her bruised nose.
“Hi, Shizuka. I’m Kilo. Kilo Staples. And if you fuck with me again, I’m going to kill you. That a’ight with you?” She knows he means it, and grits her teeth. They are mere feet away from the main road, but hidden just out of sight.
“Not that I care who you are, or where you came from. The only people I know of, other than me, that have these powers, are those associated with that bastard’s association. I’ve been nice so far, but I’m losing patience. Now where can I find Tarantula?”
“I don’t know– what you’re talking about–” Shizuka groans. Kilo hits her again, this time in the gut, and she wheezes, the wind knocked out of her.
“I just told you not to fuck with me. Did you think I was lying when I said I’d kill you?” He leans down to her eyes, and goes on. “Whatever powers you got, raw strength probably ain’t your thing. Otherwise, you’d have used it when you hit me with that illusion. So cut the shit. Tell me what I want to know.”
“Uuugh… why?!” she cries, despite her situation, “Why is it so important you find this Tarantula person? Who is he to you? What do you need from him?!”
Kilo Staples doesn’t answer for a moment. Then, ignoring the question, he gestures with his thumb behind him. “You know about this thing?” he says, pointing to the strange building across the lot from them. “They call it the Theme Building. They made it in 1961, when they was renovating the whole airport to be what it is today.
“It was originally supposed to be this big ass glass dome that would connect all the terminals, right in the centre. In the end, they couldn’t get enough money, so they settled for this dinky-ass thing.”
He releases Shizuka, letting her fall to the ground, as he turns to watch the building, as if waiting for it to start moving. “Wasn’t all bad, though. They had this neat little restaurant up top that rotated around so folks could see the city while they ate. But the thing was made stationary anyway, and even the restaurant got closed after 9/11.
“Oh sure, the Observation Deck opened up again, but only on the weekends, and anyway, the city don’t look any better from up there to begin with. How lame is all that, huh? All these plans, only for all of it to fall through because of shit that don’t have nothing to do with you.”
Shizuka doesn’t understand. There is something new to the man’s presence now. A impression of resignation.
With a soft voice, Shizuka responded. “It’s OK… I understand how you feel….” Kilo responded with a questioning “Huh?” as he turns back around to face Shizuka, only for his eyes to meet a blinding light.
Kilo lets out a stinged yell, as he shields his eyes, not having time to see Shizuka do a leg sweep on him, knocking the robber on his ass. She stands defiantly over him. “Maybe you shouldn’t get emotional when you’re in the middle of mugging somebody!”
“Damn it,” says Kilo, rubbing his eyes. “Why did it have to be like this? Now I’m really going to kill you!”
He dashes to her and his Stand throws a punch, aiming for her face. And he blinks in surprise as the fist goes through her head. There is no crunching of bone or spatter of blood, as the ghostly hologram disappears just as the real Shizuka reappears to deliver a swift jab to Kilo’s cheek that sets him stumbling. She strikes him again in the gut when he grabs for her, then in the face again, landing her fist in his nose.
“You surprised me earlier!” she declares, having landed the strike, “Don’t think for a second I’m some helpless little girl!” She stands before him with her fists raised and blood seeping from her nose.
Harvest Guardian 