Rammstein's Bizarre Adventure Chapter 8: A slippery situation part 1

>Groggily, you look up from your bed.

>You see your phone going off on your nightstand.

>”From the Ollld world's demise! See an emmmpire rise!”

>You grab it tiredly, noting the time before checking who it is.

>It's Applejack.

>”From the nooorth reaching far! Here we-”

>*Beep!*

>You bring the phone up to your ear, still trying to resist the urge to plant your face in your pillow and snore.

“AJ? I hope you know it's 6:00 in the morning.”

>You hear the farm girl's voice on the other side.

>”Course I do, Rick! I've been up fer an hour workin’ the fields!”

>You sigh.

>That kind of dedication has your respect, but you're a night owl.

“You're an Uberfrau, AJ. I hope there's a good reason you're calling me.”

>”There is, Rick.”

>Though you're still half asleep, you managed to note the concern in Applejack's voice.

>”Can you meet me an’ the girls at the farm in an hour? We need yer help.”

>They need your help?

>It has to be important if they're asking you.

“...I'll be there, don't worry.”

>You hear her breathe a sigh of relief in the other end.

>”Thanks, Rick. It means a lot to me just that you agree to show up like that. I hope you know that.”

>You give her a tired chuckle.

“Anything for you, Hundchen.”

>You hear her flustered voice as you hit the end call button.

>”Now Rick, I dun told ya-”

>*Beep!*

 

>You decide to get out of bed.

>Breakfast can wait, you decide. You eat at 11:15 AM, no later.

>You put on deodorant, change out of your nightclothes, and look over to your dresser and cabinet.

>AJ and her friends are asking for help.

>Should you go casual for once, or make an impression?

>Well, these are AJ's friends.

>You've met them before, and managed to hit it off well despite some reluctance from a couple of them.

>Guess you should try your best to be your best.

>After a quick change into an undershirt and a pair of boxer-briefs, you put on your best Hugo-Boss pants and button down white shirt.

>For a tie, you went with the classic red.

>You lost your Schirmmutze cap the other day when you saved Tenna from being flattened by a bus.

>May it rest in peace.

>But luckily, you still have a nice Chauffeur cap to wear.

>You would wear a Kepi instead, but it doesn't look right without a nice brown shirt.

>After putting on your Jackboots and a suit jacket, you grab your other essentials.

>Wallet, keys, cellphone, and pocket knife.

>As an afterthought, you decide to wear a small button on your collar.

>Then, you head out the door.

 

>You arrive at the farmhouse ten minutes early.

>As you do.

>Because while you may be tired, absolutely no one can say you're late, because you make it a point to arrive early.

>You go ahead and text AJ.

>”It's me.”

>Then you ring the doorbell.

>You hear AJ walking up to the door.

>”Glad ya made it here early Rick.”

>She looks you over, giving a low whistle.

>”And my, yer lookin’ sharp.”

“A man looks his best when he's helping a lady, doesn't he? May I come in?”

>AJ is about to let you in, when she notices your button.

>”Uh, Rick…”

>She grabs your shoulder, and gives you a dirty look.

>”What'd I tell ya about politics on the farm?”

>You return her a deadpan stare.

“You're saying this to a man who only got three hours of sleep and is agreeing to do you a favor. You should feel lucky I didn't come in uniform, and believe you me, I could’ve.”

>You both stare at each other for a bit, trying to get the other to back down.

>It's a battle of wills, one you've had many times before.

>You've won some, and lost some.

>This time, you are the victor, as AJ relents with a sigh.

>”Fine, just...don't cause trouble.”

 

>You step inside, removing your hat.

>Normally, you wouldn't be so quick to remove a good source of shadow.

>But you're in someone's private residence.

>There's no sense in not being respectful.

>You look around, seeing the six other girls sitting around the dining room table.

>They all have concerned looks on their faces.

>When they see you, they give their respective acknowledgements.

>Some wave, others nod.

>They at least seem pleased you're here.

>You met these girls briefly in a park, and got into an intellectual debate with Twilight while everyone else chatted with each other.

>You remember this one guy watching you intensely.

>He was a gossip that followed you around occasionally, but he was harmless.

>You never actually got a chance to talk with the other girls, but you did manage to learn their names.

>You go ahead and take the empty seat next to Rarity.

>She seems to have taken a liking to your looks.

>You feel awkward, seeing her scan your body.

>You cough.

“See something you like, Rarity?”

>She looks up, and brings a dainty hand to her mouth.

>”Oh, I do apologize, Darling. I was simply admiring your attire. I must say, not many people can pull off a simplistic Hugo Boss, but your method is simply divine.”

>You reward her with a light laugh.

“It takes a real man to appreciate the finer things in life.”

>She responds by flashing a charming smile, and turning towards you slightly.

>”Oh, I agree entirely, Mr. Rammstein-”

>You hold up a hand to her.

“Erich. Sorry for interrupting, but any friend of AJ's is a friend of mine.”

>She gives a light giggle.

>”Erich, then. Oh, I just love how that rolls off my tongue. Er-r-r-rich.”

>She rolls her R's real well.

>But you know what's going on.

“You don't have to butter me up, Rarity. Unless you want me to rob a bank or something, which I highly doubt is the case, I'm not going to storm out in disgust or anything. After all, I agreed to hear you out, so there's no need to use your wiles to make me more agreeable.”

 

>Everyone blinks in surprise, except AJ, who looks smugly at Twilight.

>”I told ya it wouldn't work, Twi.”

>Twilight looks at you, leaning over the table.

>”But how did you figure that out? And so quickly?”

>You smirk decisively at her.

“You called me, waking me up, just to ask for my help. Given the circumstances, you must be assigning some importance to whatever it is you want me for. This was further cemented when I walked in. By the looks on your faces, you were all worried about something. But when Rarity started flirting with me, none of you moved to stop her, despite the urgency you girls exhibited. That meant you wanted me to be swayed by her. Which further means, whatever this request is, it's something major. Otherwise, you wouldn't have to resort to an attempt at seduction.”

>Your smirk then turns to a frown.

“And quite frankly, I'm a little insulted that you would try to do something like that before I even know what you want me to help with.”

>AJ sighs, scooting closer to you.

>”Rick, please don't worry about them. I told them not to, but we're a little desperate fer help.”

>You turn to your childhood friend.

“I don't see the point to the seduction, but I already agreed to hear you out.”

>AJ straightens up, nodding.

>”Put simply, Rick. There's a thief at Canterlot High. He's been botherin’ the girls somethin’ awful.”

>You raise an eyebrow.

“A thief?”

>AJ nods.

>”Someone has been breakin’ into girl's lockers, and stealin’ their stuff. We've all been victims of his antics, an’ we just about had it with him.”

“How do you know it's a guy?”

>That's the first thing that comes to mind.

 

>The girls all turn red, looking away.

>”The...the thief is stealin’...”

>You hear her mutter something as she looks away.

>Can't quite make out what it is.

“Say again. Negative copy.”

>AJ looks over at you again.

>She takes a deep breath, and voices with a Yelp.

>”He's stealin’ knickers!”

>You looks at AJ.

>She looks embarrassed.

>The thought of someone else in possession of her underwear seems to disturb her.

>You stand up, and walk over next to her.

>You place a hand down on the table, and look at her.

“You want me to investigate a panty thief at Canterlot high?”

>She looks up earnestly and nods.

>”We thought it was a girl doin’ this at first, because the thefts have always been in the girl's locker room in the gym. But then we found out the Janitor's comin’ back in the mornin’ gettin’ in trouble fer not lockin’ the locker room door. But HE claims that he did lock it, and makes triple sure he does every night.”

>You shake your head.

“I don’t understand. Why can't you ask the principal? Or the cops?”

>Another girl comes up.

>Sunset, that's her.

>”Well the Principal tried putting up video cameras, but they keep getting knocked down.”

>You turn to the redhead, and shrug.

“And the authorities can't deal with this guy because…”

>”We think he might be a...what do you call it? A Stand user?”

 

>You narrow your eyes.

“That's a bold claim. I assume you have the evidence to back it up?”

>”Right here.”

>You look over at Twilight, who holds up a disc in a CD case.

>”We have a copy of the surveillance footage from the camera to the locker room. Pinkie, can you bring the DVD player over?”

>Pinkie Pie brings out a DVD player from her backpack, and quickly hooks it up to the Apple's television.

>When she's done, Twilight inserts the disc into the DVD player.

>The screen is static for a second.

>Then, a black and white feed of a door comes into view, with a timestamp at 8:30 AM.

>You point at the screen.

“This is the door to the locker room?”

>Twilight nods.

>”Yes, Principal Celestia set up the camera after the girls started complaining.”

>Pinkie Pie suddenly brandishes the remote.

>”Hold on, let me skip the boring stuff!”

>She hits a button, and the timestamp rapidly speeds up.

>When it gets to 11:30 however, Pinkie suddenly perks up.

>”Oh! Oh! Wait! This is the best part!”

>You watch as the playback resumes normal speed.

>You see two young ladies walking over to the locker room, before stopping right next to it.

>One girl pins the other to the wall, and they proceed to…

>Was ist…

>They're…

>They're really going at it.

>Groping each other, and swapping spit.

>You curse your own hormones as a healthy late teenage male.

>Oh, Mein Gott.

>Nein, don't lift up her skirt…

>Is she really burying her face there?!

>You can't watch anymore.

>You put your hat on, tilting the brim over your eyes and looking down.

>You're disgusted with yourself for being so turned on.

>You hear Pinkie's voice.

>“Ooooh! Spicy!”

 

>Twilight shouts at Pinkie.

>”Pinkie! Focus!”

>The pink one's voice sounds out.

>”Oh, right! Sorry, Ricky!”

>You hear AJ start talking as you feel a hand on your shoulder.

>”Rick, I'm sorry. I didn't know that footage was on that recording.”

>You shake you head.

“Kein Problem, AJ. I can cool off.”

>”Well the part you need to see is comin’ up.”

>You lift your hat, and watch, trying to distract yourself from your arousal.

>The timestamp is 4:00 PM.

>You see an older man walking out of the locker room.

>He locks the door behind him.

>”There's the Janitor leaving.”

>You watch as the Janitor departs, and then, nothing happens for two minutes.

>Suddenly, the camera tilts, and slides down, before dropping down to the floor.

>The footage ends.

 

>You shake your head.

“This doesn't really prove anything, only that someone unscrewed the camera from below. I know it's alarming, but it isn't something unique to Stand users.”

>Sunset speaks up, approaching you with her hand in her pocket.

>”I understand your skepticism, Rick. I'd be suspicious, too. But look at this.”

>Sunset pulls out her cellphone, and shows it to you.

>”This is where the camera was.”

>You check the picture, and see the corner of a hallway.

>Two figures are inspecting a fallen security camera.

>The one on the left is the janitor, scratching his head in confusion.

>The one on the right is an older woman, her hand on her chin as if she's trying to figure something out.

>”As you can see, given how the camera is set up, there is no way to get to it and unscrew it without being caught on film. And yet our perpetrator was able to do it without so much as a blur. He was never on camera, which means he must have some sort of supernatural power.”

>You put your hand up to your mouth, pondering.

>You're not convinced its a Stand user. There's wizards and other things that can use telekinesis.

>But there's definitely some paranormal activity going on.

 

“Has he been doing this every day?”

>Sunset nods.

>”Every day a different girl reports having their clothes missing. If they can get in our lockers and unlock the locker room door, we figure no place is safe.”

>Twilight interjects.

>”There's one other piece of evidence for you to consider. One girl thought she would outsmart the thief by keeping her belongings in a gym bag that she brought with her. But strangely, it... didn't work.”

>Rainbow adds to the story.

>”Yeah! I was in class with her, and she sat in front of me! The bag suddenly started sliding across the floor on its own! It went out the door, and the girl chased after it!”

>Twilight nods.

>”When she finally caught up with her bag, she found that she had been robbed. If that doesn't prove it to you, then nothing will.”

>You fold your arms, tapping your fingers.

“There no way for certain to say its a Stand user, but there's definitely something strange going on. It could be any number of things, but that doesn't mean he's above the law. So for your sake, I'll help you out.”

>You all listen as they breathe a collective sigh of relief.

“You girls are lucky. I have off work today, so I'll stick with you the whole day, AJ.”

 

>Applejack looks at you quizzically.

>”Beg yer pardon?”

>You clarify.

“I need to get into the girl's locker room during school hours. I'll be hiding in your shadow.”

>Rainbow immediately becomes confrontational.

>”Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. YOU in the girl's locker room?! You trying to sneak a peek at us?!”

>Twilight tries to calm her.

>”Rainbow, Erich just offered to help us!”

“It’s alright Twilight, her objection is understandable. Rainbow, I can't see anything when I'm hiding in the shadows. And I'm not going to leave until I'm certain that the thief is in there.”

>Twilight looks at you in confusion.

>”Wait a minute. You're going to find the panty thief without even looking at him? How are you going to be able to know that he's there?”

>Oh boy.

>That question opens up an entirely new can of worms.

“I can…”

>You cough.

>Just stick to the facts.

“My ｢BENZIN｣ connects my sense of touch to my shadow, and every shadow it touches. I can feel every shadow I'm connected to. Every dark place, everything that the light doesn't touch, I can feel it all.”

>The girls stare at you for a moment in confusion, before everyone blushes.

>Realization dawns at the implications of your powers.

>Immediately, they all scoot back from the table, making sure their bodies are in the light, and covering themselves.

>You groan.

“Oh relax. Once you feel one, you’ve felt them all.”

>Rainbow now looks over at you angrily.

>”Now I'm even more uncomfortable with the idea! You'll be feeling up every girl in Canterlot High!”

>You give her a deadpan expression.

“And what, pray tell, would be the difference between now and my freshman year, Rainbow? I grew up with this ability, so I never understood the stigma of 'keep your hands to yourself.’ I literally can't NOT touch everything, because every shadow is like one big hand to me.”

 

>Sunset suddenly realized something.

>”But wait, that would mean you've...uh…’touched…’ every woman you've ever met!”

>You rest your face in your hand, grumbling.

“And every man. Regardless of age and race. But that just makes it sound worse.”

>You grumble, as you try to think of a way to explain yourself with.

“Alright, you know when you're on a bus, and you're standing because every other seat is full, but then the bus takes a curve, and your hand flies forward, and you accidentally grope the person in front of you without knowing who they are? Imagine feeling that every second of every hour of every day of your life. That's literally me. And…”

>You shrug.

“...That's also why I hate meeting new people, and another reason I always want to be left alone.”

>You can see the girls go quiet, unsure of how to feel about this.

>An awkward silence befalls the room.

>You force another cough.

“In any case, that's how my life is. So this makes me more than capable of finding the thief. But no one is going to believe I'm a student there, especially since I had two more growth spurts since I graduated. Which is why I need to hide in AJ's shadow, until she gets to the girl's locker room. At which point, I'll go into the shadow of one of the lockers, and feel for anyone coming in. Once I'm sure the thief has arrived, I'll trap him.”

 

>”Just a minute!”

>Rarity stands up, placing a hand on her hip, and pointing at you.

>”I'm not comfortable with the idea of allowing you to touch random people in the locker room on the off chance that you will find the thief.”

>You look over at her.

“You're the one who asked me for help. Besides, feeling girls up in shadows doesn't really do anything for me. Actually grabbing girls with my hand is a different story, but it's not like I'm doing that.”

>She looks at you skeptically.

>”So why should I trust that you aren't getting anything out of it? Does my body really not excite you?”

>You scoff.

“Someone obviously thinks highly of herself. Have you ever gotten sick of hearing a song you like because you played it nonstop? The same concept applies here. If I've felt it all the time to the point of ad nauseum, then why would I get anything out of it?”

>You hear Rarity give a small groan in frustration.

>”Well, I say we all put it to a vote! Who here still believes Erich should help? Say Aye.”

>”Aye!”

>The response was unanimous. It sounds like every other girl was alright with you.

>Shaken, Rarity tried to continue, in an attempt to save face.

>”Uh...o-okay, and any oppose?”

>Slowly, Rainbow raises her hand.

>”Nay?”

>Rarity breathes a sigh of relief.

>Perhaps to see that she wasn't alone.

>”...well at least that makes two of us, Rainbow.”

 

>Applejack speaks up, coming to your defense.

>”Sorry, Rarity. But I trust Rick. He's been my buddy fer a long time, an’ he ain't never took advantage of me. Shoot, I have a hard time believin’ he'd take advantage of anyone.”

>The yellow, quiet one, is surprisingly the next to speak.

>Fluttershy, right?

>”U-um, I don't know about you girls, but I would rather be felt up once than continually robbed of my clothes.”

>Sunset gets her two cents in next.

>”Erich seems rather reliable, and he knows what he is doing, unlike the rest of us. We'd be idiots to turn down his assistance.”

>Twilight nods in agreement.

>”And he's rather intellectual in his approach to this situation. Even if he does ‘feel’ us, we won't notice, and I'm confident he's going to remain professional about it.”

>Pinkie rocks back and forth in her chair.

>And you notice she is still scooted close to the table.

>”Aside from all that, I actually don't mind the idea at all of a big, bulky guy like Ricky feeling me up!”

>Everyone looks over at Pinkie, who blinks.

>”What? It's not like the thought hadn't crossed the rest of your minds.”

>...well that puts THAT to bed.

>Rainbow rolls her eyes.

>”Well, looks like I'm skipping school today.”

>Applejack suddenly looks angry, distraught about Rainbow’s choice.

>”Rainbow!”

>You hold up a hand.

“Let her be, AJ. I'm not about to force anyone into a situation where they're uncomfortable.”

 

>Rainbow begins packing up her stuff, as you hear Rarity voice her concerns.

>”I'm actually with Rainbow Dash on this one. Forgive me Erich, darling, it is not that I don't trust you, but I simply cannot fathom the idea of letting someone I hardly know ‘feel’ me, even if it is through the use of some strange power that I probably wouldn't notice.”

>You give a nod.

“No need for apologies, Rarity. I understand the perspective, even if I don't get why it's such a big deal.”

>As Rarity and Rainbow go to leave, Twilight intercepts them.

>”I can understand not going to the locker room during Gym given the circumstances, but skipping school entirely?! Are you guys nuts?! This is your futures you girls are taking for granted, and you just don't give a hoot!”

>Rainbow narrows her eyes at Twilight.

>”Hey, smart girl! What I do with my life is my business! And I don't want to be in the same building as someone who can cop a feel on me at a moment's notice! Uh, no offense, Rick.”

>You're a bit miffed.

>You understand not wanting to be felt up, but do you really come off as someone who would take advantage of such abilities?

“Some taken. You do realize I grew up with this ability, and choose not to use it on a regular basis, right Rainbow?”

>Rainbow is quick to defend herself.

>”It's the principal of the thing! How would you like having a gun trained on you the whole day, despite the promise of the shooter swearing he won't use it on you?”

>You shake your head, not getting it.

“I don't understand the question. I can disable guns.”

>Rainbow folds her arms with a harrumph.

>”Well, that's convenient for you.”

>”Rainbow, look-”

>As Twilight goes to reason with her, you interrupt.

“Save your breath, she's made her choice. Just let her go.”

>You watch Rainbow and Rarity leave.

 

“I guess this is the part where I get ready for school.”

>You stand, and start towards Applejack.

>She blushes as you step into her shadow.

>Twilight pipes up, addressing AJ with concern.

>”Are you sure you're okay with this, AJ?”

>Applejack tries to keep her head high, despite her embarrassment.

>”I known Rick fer a long time. I ain't got nothin’ he ain't felt before.”

>The admission makes her face grow redder.

>You sigh, and put a hand on her shoulder.

“If it's any consolation, Applejack, I always felt bad about having my Stand when I was around you. I never told you because I didn't want to ruin our friendship.”

>Though still embarrassed, she offers you a look of sympathy.

>”Shoot, Rick. It ain't like you got an off switch fer it. You don't gotta feel bad fer nothin’.”

>You return her smile, thanking her for the confidence boost.

“If it helps, just do what I do, and try not to think about it.”

>You stand fully in her shadow, allowing yourself to ‘melt.’

“I'll report to you girls later. Hopefully with good news.”

>You disappear, as your physical form is deconstructed, and formed into Applejack's shadow.

>You open your eyes.

>It was always weird, becoming a shadow.

>You don't really have a physical body anymore, yet you're still alive.

>And now, here you are again, in an endless void.

>You can still kind of see yourself.

>At least, you can see the outline of your physical form.

>Saved to memory, waiting to be reconstructed.

>Like little white specks on a black canvas.

>Everything you store in shadow is here, saved to memory.

>Your favorite jacket, your pistol, your wallet, your-

>...

>So that's where the remote went.

 

>New items you construct become physical objects here, first.

>Then, you bring them into the real world, made from solidified, hardened shadow.

>You construct a clock by willing a group of white specks into existence.

>The difference between a “real” object and one you create is that your constructs will disappear at this stage if you break concentration.

>You know the intricacies of an alarm clock, much like the one you have right now.

>You figured it out when you were ten, after feeling the inside of an actual alarm clock.

>You mentally set the time, based on Applejack's movements.

>She appears as a background outline, though that's simply a visual aid.

>You can feel everything, after all.

>She's currently walking to school.

>Her shadow moves over a clock, and you set the time on the clock you made.

>Now it ticks away.

>7:52.

>School starts in about half an hour.

>This is the first time you used your powers to sneak into school.

>And the first time you came here since graduating.

>Now AJ is walking the halls.

>If the shadows of others is any indication.

>She's gone through a door, and another one.

>You feel around. It seems like she's alone.

>There's a bunch of square boxes, all with tumblers and dials affixed to the front.

>She must be at the locker room.

>You start to build yourself back up, shielding your eyes.

>You appear in all your glory, hand over your face.

>You peek through your fingers, allowing your eyes to adjust.

>”You okay, Rick?”

>You nod.

“I'm fine, AJ. Coming out of shadows into any source of light after an extended period is like turning on a computer screen in a dark room at the middle of night. Just give me a moment and I'll be fine.”

 

>”Well, here we are.”

>You look around. The wall is lined with lockers, all with various items inside.

>There's also a center ‘island’ with more lockers.

>You fold your arms.

>There's not much in the way of shadows.

>Sure, one corner of the room is covered sufficiently to give you ample coverage over the area.

>But one side of the room is too lit up.

>And the lights automatically turn on when someone enters the room.

>You reach into your pocket, and produce a ball of yarn.

>You then look at Applejack.

“Don’t worry, AJ. I'll stop this creep. You get to class.”

>Reassured, she gives you a smile.

>”Thanks, Rick. Even if the others don't agree, I know we made the right choice.”

>You expect her to immediately exit the locker room.

>You don't expect her to hug you before she leaves.

>You stiffen, feeling her arms wrapping around your chest.

>Before you can completely process this, she breaks the hug, and quickly exits the room.

>You get the feeling it meant something.

>It's at times like this you regret not being skilled in social interaction.

>You decide you'd deal with that thought when you aren't tired.

>You quickly unfurl some of the yarn, and string it up between the lockers on the island and the lockers in the light.

>Now no matter what shadow you enter, you will be able to feel all the lockers.

>You quickly deconstruct yourself.

>Your clock is still ticking in your void world.

>The alarm will shake you awake.

>Setting it for 2:00, you lean back in the void, and close your eyes.

 

>You are stirred awake by the vibrations from your alarm clock.

>You awaken, and you look over.

>It's 2:00 PM, on schedule.

>You silence the alarm clock, and feel the shadows.

>No one is in the locker room right now.

>Guess all you can do is wait.

>...

> After about an hour and a half, a large group starts moving in.

>You ignore them. They all feel female.

>You're guessing whoever it is stealing from the girls isn't a girl herself.

>The group leaves after about 10-15 minutes.

>...

>After another 30 minutes or so, you feel someone enter.

>He's male, but he also holds a mop and pushes a bucket.

>The janitor.

>There's nothing unusual about him.

>You pay attention to everything he does, but ultimately, he leaves without incident.

>The thief didn't come while you were sleeping, did he?

>Just to be safe, you decide to wait a little longer.

>...

>Someone else just came in.

>...male.

>This must be the guy.

>You wait.

>He seems to be fiddling with one of the locks on the locker.

>Yep. Definitely your guy.

>You move over to the island, and construct your head so you can get a look at him.

>Not much to go on. Looks like a teen wearing blue jeans and a hoodie.

>Definitely shouldn't be in here, though.

>He got the locker open.

>You move over to the darker part of the locker room, and come out of the shadows.

 

>You walk up to the guy, silently.

>As you see him take a garment from the locker, you notice that he has light tan skin.

>You clear your throat.

>The guy stops, and slowly turns to you.

>Brown eyes, but his face is hidden behind a bandana.

“So are you just checking for contraband, or are you going to come up with another excuse for your actions?”

>The guy jumps back.

>”Who the hell are you?!”

>You step closer, balling your fists, bringing yourself to full height, and burning whatever information you can about this young man into your brain.

“I'm the one a very dear friend asked for help. Seems she didn't like someone stealing her things.”

>Instead of being cowed by your form. He suddenly concentrates.

>A small snowman appears, floating over his shoulder.

>...So he is a Stand user.

>He places his hand on one of the lockers beside him, and tosses something at you.

>You casually catch it in the air, and look at it.

>...

>Did he really just throw the lock he pulled off at yo-

“Agh! Mutterficker!”

>The arschelocke just nailed you in the forehead with a second lock while you weren't paying attention!

>”｢ICE ICE BABY｣!”

>Scheiße, you're seeing stars, but they're clearing up.

>Hey, he just bumped you!

>He's making a run for it!

 

>As your vision clears, you turn.

>Just in time, you see the door to the gym closing.

>You quickly go to follow.

>You step out the door, and-

>Scheiße!

>You just fell flat on your face.

>It's not your fault! The floor here is very slippery!

>You try to get up, but find that your hands can get no traction.

>For a moment, you think the janitor did too good a job of mopping.

>But the floor is not even wet.

>Does this have something to do with the Enemy’s stand?

>Thinking quickly, you use your ｢BENZIN｣ to push yourself to more solid ground.

>From there you're free to stand up.

>You see the door to the gym swing closed.

>That must be where the bastard went.

>You hurry after him.

>As you burst out of the gym, you look around for the guy.

>You hope you can catch him before he leaves the building.

>”Hey!”

>You look over at the source of the voice, and see three other individuals.

>All dumb looking, two big, and one small.

>They all dress like punk rockers and are wearing...dog collars?

>”You're the one stealing from the girl's locker room, huh?!”

>You Calmly shake your head

“You've got the wrong guy. The one you're looking for is in a grey hoodie.”

>The little one speaks up.

>”Not true! That guy is a student! He said he followed you and saw you break into the girl's lockers!”

>Another one joins his accusation.

>”He said you threatened to beat him if he told anyone, and he refused, before running off!”

>...That mutterficker. He's trying to pin his actions on you.

“I don't know what to tell you. I'm innocent.”

>”Innocent people don't have girl's underwear hanging out their pocket!”

>Warte, was?

>You look down, and see…

>A pair of purple underwear with black lace trim sticking out of your pocket.

>Fick! Arschgeige must've slipped them there when he bumped into you!

>”Those look like the kind Miss Rarity would wear, too!”

>”Seems like we should teach you a lesson before turning you in!”

 

>You sigh.

>Every second wasted here is a second the Keine Hundin has to get away.

“I don't have time for this. ｢BENZIN｣!”

>A shadowy fist pops out of your jacket, thrusting toward the one standing in the center.

>For a split second, the trio is surprised, but the collared guy raises both his hands to catch the fist.

>Does he really expect to-

>”｢DIAMOND DOGS｣!”

>!?!

>Another Stand user?!

>Your shadowy fist collides with the one in the center, but it only succeeds in pushing him back a short distance.

>The other two turn towards you.

>The larger one reaches into his pocket, while the smaller one…

>...brings out his Stand.

>”｢PUPPY LOVE｣!”

>You go to intercept an assault from his Stand.

>It resembles a mechanical suit of armor with a Corgi head.

>You conjure a small group of tentacles to counter his Stand rush.

>Good power, good speed…

>Obviously a close range power type.

>”｢DOGS OF WAR｣!”

>You wince as a sharp pain tears into your right shoulder, and travels a short distance down your bicep!

>Scheiße! That makes three!

>You're alone against three Stand users, and they seem pretty intent on taking you down!

 

>Verdammt!

>These Bananenbeiger are keeping you from catching the thief!

>And what's worse, they actually pose a threat to you!

>"Got you!"

>The little guy's ｢PUPPY LOVE｣ is taking advantage of the opening the one created hitting your arm!

>As his Stand goes to smash your chest, you armor up.

>｢PUPPY LOVE｣ smashes his fist alright.

>And its user howls in pain, his own hand bleeding from striking your Stand.

>You stand up straight, rising to your full height.

>You dwarf the biggest one there, but not by much.

"This is your last chance. Turn around and walk away. If you don't…"

>You place your fist in your hand, and crack your knuckles.

>You don't have to defeat them.

>If you can get them cowed, they won't be a bother anymore.

>...but they don't look cowed at all.

>"No more talk! Fight!"

>The big guy charges you.

>As you throw a punch with your Stand, he ducks down.

>"｢DIAMOND DOGS｣!”

>He suddenly swipes his arm towards your chest in a backhand.

>You're not worried. Your stand armor is strong eno-

>You fly through the door of the gym, skidding to a halt on the floor.

>｢BENZIN｣ shielded you from the brunt of the force, but Verdammt, that guy hit you like a truck.

>You thought you saw his arm bend oddly for a moment. As if it was made from rubber.

>But his fist felt harder than steel. Your shadows felt it. His skin didn't give at all.

>The trio enter the gym as you try to get up.

>"Nice one, Rover! He definitely felt that!"

>Rover.

>His Stand must allow him to change the density of his body.

>But what about the other two?

>As you get to your feet, you put a hand over the wound on your arm.

>You feel what feels like a small stick, and pull it out.

>But before you can examine it, Rover charges you again.

>Fick drauf.

>You never tried it before, but it might be a good idea.

>You plant your feet, creating spikes in the shadows beneath them.

>You bring your jacket close to you, armoring up underneath and gathering shadow.

>You're an immobile fortress, now.

>... hopefully.

 

>Rover reaches back with both fists.

>They stretch to an inhuman length behind him.

>You're still armored up, with your arms close to your body, and your jacket covering most of your face.

>The shadows you gathered aren't enough for a counterattack yet, but you hope you won't go flying this time.

>Rover's fists come flying at you.

>You brace yourself.

>And…

>With a pair of clunks, the fists deflect harmlessly away from you.

>The trio look on in confusion, not understanding why it didn't work.

>But now that you're anchored to the ground with the spikes under your feet, there isn't anything they can do to move you.

>You smirk. It's your turn now.

>"｢BENZIN｣!"

>Before he can react, you open your jacket.

>A huge train comes barreling out towards Rover, completely composed of shadow.

>It panics the trio who dive out of the way.

>Except for Rover, who tries to catch it.

>To no avail. You send him flying into the opposite wall

>He had the mind to make his body rubbery, and you observe him flatten himself into the wall.

>He's not out, but you're back in.

>You relax, looking over the trio.

>Rover lands, catching his breath as his body returns to a normal density.

>The other two look over at you in shock.

>You stand up straight, and dust yourself off.

>That was just a flex. You really don't want to fight these guys.

"I knew someone with that kind of Stand would survive my attack. I hope you understand now, fighting me is a bad idea. Now that you've witnessed my power, I'll give you another chance to back down."

>They HAVE to be cowed now.

>They can't be that stupid.

>"You're just like one of those comic book supervillains! Monologuing about how powerful you are!"

>...Was?

>"If we work together, we can definitely bring you down!"

>All three of them get back together, and get ready to attack you.

"How annoying."

>You were wrong.

>They can be that stupid.

 

>You see the trio come for you.

>Rover and the little guy are closing, as the guy in the grey jacket reaches into his pocket again.

>You have no idea what you're dealing with.

>It would be a mistake to clash with them head on.

>You need some time to step back, and analyze the situation.

>You decide to move over to the bleachers, sticking your hand in the crevice between two levels.

>Your aggressors have no idea what you're doing, but they're not going to let you do it.

>Too late.

>They're picking up the pace, but you start fading into the shadows of the bleachers.

>You're back in your black void before they know what happened.

>You reform yourself somewhere on the other side, in between the bleachers and the wall.

>It's a tight fit, but you can still move a bit.

>You bring up the small object that was stuck in your arm.

>It's a wire?

>No, its metal alright, but it's more like a straightened paperclip.

>This was clearly launched at you.

>｢DOGS OF WAR｣ clearly uses physical items in some way.

>But how?

>Is it because it's metal?

>Is that his Stand's power? Some sort of magnetism, maybe?

>Or is it something else?

>...

>You conclude that you don't have enough information.

>But if they can't find you, you might be in the clear.

>They may think you're gone if you just stay pu-

"Scheiße!"

>As soon as you think that, a pair of fists grab you by the shoulders!

>Rover and ｢PUPPY LOVE｣ punched through the bleachers and grabbed you!

>You feel yourself being pulled through the large hole they made, before being tossed through the air!

>You land on the ground with a thud, sliding across the floor.

>Bringing up your head, you see your three assailants, getting ready to descend upon you again.

 

>Rover grins confidently.

>"Nice one, Fido! You were right again, as always!"

>The little guy turns to the third one.

>"Spot! Make sure he doesn't get away again!"

>So Fido found you.

>And Spot opens up his palm to reveal a handful of...

>...springs?

>"｢DOGS OF WAR｣!"

>The springs in Spot's hand suddenly straighten into wires, shotgunning themselves towards your leg!

"｢BENZIN｣!"

>You conjure a massive fly swatter that pops out from your pant leg, and smacks the springs to the ground in one smooth motion before disappearing.

>Rolling to your feet, you face your opponents.

>But only just in time to see Rover's fist flying at you.

>｢BENZIN｣ conjures a brick wall from under your coat, and throws it out.

>But you couldn't toughen it up enough.

>Rover's fist breaks through, causing your shadow wall to evaporate.

>You stumble back from the force of the blow, but manage to stay on your feet.

>You're at least thankful that you managed to lessen the impact.

>You see, as you stumble back, Fido coming up with his Stand bared.

>You go to meet his oncoming Stand rush with a rush of your own.

>｢BENZIN｣'s black fists fly out of your jacket to meet Fido's ｢PUPPY LOVE｣.

>Your Stand seems to have the upper hand. Though the punches are equally powerful, ｢BENZIN｣ seems to have greater speed and durabili-

"Fick!"

>You just got nailed in the gut by ｢PUPPY LOVE｣!

>You shouted a curse in exclamation as you were launched to the ground behind you!

>You thought for a second that you can overpower his defenses, but his Stand's precise movements danced around your punch and exploited an opening you didn't even know you had!

>You manage to raise your guard just in time to block another long range strike from ｢DIAMOND DOGS｣.

>It was more reaction than anything. You didn't even know it was coming.

>Chalk it up to luck.

>You still need to get up.

 

>Though that's not exactly an option with Rover's fists pounding you over and over.

>You can't see what's going on, but you know that Rover's assault won't let up.

>At least, not until his allies close in on you.

>The trio are doing a great job of working together. They don't exactly play on each other's strengths, but they do make sure each of their companions can tag in when one tags out.

>How annoying.

>With a thought, you use the shadows in your pant legs to launch yourself away from your current prone position.

>OW! Verdammt!

>You said that for two reasons.

>One, a fist hit your leg on your way out.

>Two, your head hit the wall, stopping you.

>And Heilige Scheiße, does your leg hurt.

>Lucky you ran into a mat on the wall.

>You need to get away from these guys.

>You look up at them to see them closing in.

>You’re not entirely sure if they realize what your Stand is capable of, yet.

>Experimentally, you slip a hand under the mat against the wall.

>This causes Rover and Fido to become alarmed, and pick up their pace towards you.

>For a moment, you think if you play your cards right, you might be able to fool them into believing something untrue about your Stand.

>You fade into the shadows of the mat against the wall quicker than they can catch up to you.

>Now back in your void again, you take a moment to feel your leg in the shadows.

>There’s no color, and you don’t feel pain while in your shadow world, but based on the swelling, you think your leg might be broken.

>With a bit of concentration, you feel the inside of your body.

>Yep, definitely broken.

>If you don’t end this soon, you may be in danger.

>With some more concentration, you construct a splint on the inside of your leg.

>It’s thin enough to not bother you while in there, but you made it durable enough so it won’t break easily.

>Now, to figure ou-

>Wait, your world is fading to white.

>Why is it fading to-

>You’re suddenly launched back into the gym!

 

>You fly out onto the gym floor!

>Looking up, you see the trio have pulled down the mats from the walls!

>They’re affixed with velcro, so it must’ve been easy!

>When you lost the shadows that you entered, you were forced to exit!

>”You can’t hide from us! We’ll make sure you get everything that’s coming to you!”

>Gott, they are persistent, aren’t they?

>Well fine, if that’s the way it’s going to be, time to play hardball.

>With the shadows in your sleeve, you lash out with a tentacle, trying to sweep all of them aside.

>Rover manages to catch it, his body bending unnaturally to absorb the blow.

>The tentacle disappears, the light turning it to mist.

>Fido grins.

>”Looks like you need shadows to use your Stand. You can’t summon it properly in the light!”

>You smirk, pointing your opposite sleeve up.

“You’re not as stupid as you look.”

>They don’t know you’re building a V2 under your wrist.

“I wanted to avoid causing too much collateral damage, but you guys forced me to do this. Whatever happens next is on you.”

>With that, you launch the rocket.

>It collides with the light, blowing it to shards.

>But it doesn’t stop there. You made it a cluster missile.

>The first explosion launches several smaller missiles out in all directions.

>A few hit other lights. A lot just hit the beams in the ceiling.

>But the result is still favorable to you.

>Not only do you have a lot of shadow to work with now, you also have some rubble to use in case of emergency.

>You begin by summoning shadowy Hessian soldiers armed with clubs.

>The trio gets on guard, as you point at them.

“Nimm sie runter!”

>The Hessians run toward the trio, who start fighting them off.

 

>Just for good measure, you start to spawn in a few wolves, too.

>You’re not really trying to defeat them, you’re just trying to get away. This is only a distraction.

>As you fade into the shadows, you see that their teamwork is carrying them pretty well.

>From the shape of the shadows, you make your way outside.

>Once you’re in the courtyard, you check around for a fool’s hope that the thief decided to stay.

>But no, he’s long gone.

>With a deep breath, you shout at the top of your lungs.

“FICKFEHLER!”

>Those damned fools delayed you too long.

>That Arschlocke framed you for his crimes.

>Your leg is still hurting badly.

>This is utterly humiliating.

>You limp over to the street, praying for the rain to come block out the sun.

>It doesn’t. You end up using shadows that are a convenience to make your way back to Sweet Apple Acres.

>...

>”Christ, Rick! I didn’t know a tussle between Stand users could get that bad!”

>You relayed the events of the day back to the girls as AJ and Twilight treated your wounds.

>Rarity, both embarrassed and ashamed, shows a lot of sympathy for you.

>She had thankfully and hastily taken back her stolen garments once presented with them.

>And now she regarded you with guilty eyes.

>”Darling, I am ever so sorry that my admirers have done this to you over such a misunderstanding! If I can make it up to you-”

>You raise a hand to stop her.

“You’ve got nothing to apologize for, Rarity. If anything, our mystery thief is to blame for my condition.”

>Twilight finishes wrapping the splint, and moves away from your leg.

>”Well now we’ve got to figure out what we’re going to tell the hospital where we take you in.”

“I fell down the stairs. Clumsy me.”

>Twilight pauses for a beat.

>”That...works, I guess.”

 

>Rainbow pipes up next.

>”We know who to look for, right? You saw someone with tan skin and brown eyes? That’s gotta narrow it down.”

>Sunset shakes her head.

>”There’s still not enough information. There’s about two dozen people like that in the school, even after factoring in height and gender. And we can’t just interrogate all of them.”

“Especially now that the thief knows he’s being hunted. He’s likely going to lie low, and wait for the school to be lulled into a false sense of security. My guess is it’s going to take at least until the gym is rebuilt before he becomes active again.”

>Applejack sighs contentedly.

>”Well that’s a relief. He’s outta our hair fer a while, then.”

>She regards you with a worried expression.

>”Rick, what’re ya gonna do about work? Ya can’t really do much on that leg o’ yers.”

>Oh yeah. Work. You groan.

“I can probably request medical leave for a while. They have to grant it, but because I wasn’t on the clock, I’m not eligible for workman’s comp. And they won’t pay me for my leave, which means I need a short term source of income for the next three months, if it takes that long to heal. If it takes longer than that, I’m probably going to be fired, but that’s a lawsuit.”

>Looking at you sadly, AJ comes in for a hug.

>You’re still not sure how to react to this.

>...Maybe by putting your arms around her?

 

>”I’m sorry I got ya caught up in this, Rick. I didn’t know ya’d get hurt this bad.”

>You shake your head, trying to think of the right words to say.

“Ah...well, it’s not your fault, I don’t think. I did choose to help you, and these things happen, AJ. Such is the life of a Stand user. Our days are never dull.”

>You hear her let out a small chuckle.

>”No, I suppose they ain’t, sugarcube.”

>She lets out a sigh before breaking the hug.

>Twilight looks down thoughtfully, her chin in her hand.

>”Well, now what do we do? Go to the Speedwagon foundation? I mean, Erich isn’t going to be able to help us, so-”

>You speak over her in an indignant tone.

“Since when did I say I was giving up, Twilight?”

>The girls look over at you. Mild disbelief crossed their features.

>”Erich, come on, now. You’ve got a broken leg, and this guy is clearly more dangerous than we thought. We can handle our problem from here, you don’t-”

“It’s not just your problem anymore, Twilight.”

>You glower as you think of the thief.

“I’m still going to go after him, whether you cut me out of this or not. This goes beyond my favor to you girls. After he framed me for his degeneracy, and put me in this state, he’s not getting off easy. I’m going to find him, and when I do, mark my words. I’m going to make him regret ever stepping foot in Canterlot High. My pride as a man demands it.”

>Twilight goes to rebut, when AJ looks back at her, and waves for her to calm down. She then turns to you.

>”Sugarcube, I ain’t about to dissuade ya. I’ve known ya long enough ta know once you set yer mind to somethin’, it gets done, and there ain’t a thing anyone can do to stop ya. But will ya at least work with us, so ya won’t run off an’ get yerself in more trouble than before?”

>You look up at AJ, trying to read her face.

>She seems genuinely concerned for you.

>After a moment, you relent, and nod.

>...AJ is awfully huggy, today.

 

<=TO=BE=CONTINUED==