Omake 13: Maria the Ripper (4)

Original Idea from: KingAllen (FFN)

[Like how Speedwagon had finally managed to get in contact with the Forty Elephants Gang.]

Truly an elusive group of people, but one that I now had an exchange with and I wasn’t planning to turn up late.

Which is why, despite some surprise from the rest of the group at my decision to bring only Hannah and Jackie with me, I ended up turning to a particularly uneven disposition of sides.

While I had been rather ‘frugal’ with my decision, the leader of the all-female Crime Syndicate had well imagined that it wouldn’t have been nice from her part from excluding members from coming.

So when we turned up for the event, I ended up facing a large number of curious, annoyed, or even angry women.

The fact I had decided to bring a ‘little child’ as part of my escort was enough to get some of them ready to jump at me.

I had expected this, but I hadn’t been prepared enough to tank the entire predicament.

Not a good way to start this morning, I thought absently as I waited patiently for the leader to arrive at the lone table of this humongous warehouse.

The lady was particularly ‘progressive’ considering the way her hair had been cut short for the sake of practicality from the way she hid those under a hat. She was wearing what looked to be an expensive dress, nothing too cumbersome for her to move with but also nothing that someone of her social status should’ve been able to get hold onto in a legal exchange.

She was smiling, mirthfully so as she glanced at me like a panther does to a baby antelope. A panther that was slightly angry at my recent choices from the way her stare would turn to Jackie from time to time.

“You’re Dio Brando,” The woman mused quietly before taking a seat. “I was expecting someone more… mature considering the imposing nature of your name.”

I shrugged. “I’m working on it, Madam.”

She snorted. “I doubt you will ever reach that point with how brazen you’re being by presenting yourself with such a small escort,” The lady then gave a malicious grin at Hannah. “Especially when said escort is just a fragile wench you found around and a little child that you possibly stole from her parents.”

The women behind her roared in agreement at that last bit, and I had to employ my entire patience to go through with these unneeded shenanigans.

I closed my eyes, hoping that Hannah wasn’t in the mood to jump at people just yet and that Jackie wasn’t going to take offense at the fact her ‘beloved brother’ had been called a child-robber. I was irritated myself by that dual jab, but I knew better from behaving childishly.

So I blinked, glancing at the leader of the Forty Elephants and… smiled.

“That’s rather presumptuous from your part, Madam,” I commented with a calm voice. “Not only I’m being willing to concede kindness to the fact you’re being rude by not offering a name, but you’re also going as far as insult a close friend of mine and my young sister. I thought this was a diplomatic meeting, not an exchange of petty insults.”

The counter not only worked properly in its primary function, but it also managed to draw some surprise out of the rest of the gang.

Still, I could see most of them giving me the stink eyes for bringing a child to the dreadful encounter that could easily escalate for a reason or another.

She shook her head. “Despite the disadvantage you’ve been put into, you still find the gall to try and get equal treatment? Don’t you fear a quick death, boy?”

My smile grew at that question. “Always. But so do everyone in London nowadays. At least those that don’t have some shiny guards to defend their hides.”

Finally, a small smile appeared on her face.

“Yet you’re dressing like someone in need of guards right now,” The woman rebuked mirthfully. “Isn’t that ironic? Or perhaps you’re jesting by wearing these fancy clothes?”

“You are ugly,” Jack decided to retort with the most innocent and quietest tone she could muster.

The remark was received as a proper punch on the guts from the way the leader of the gang recoiled, her face displaying surprise and annoyance.

“And you’re too young to be here.”

Green eyes locked onto the woman’s face and the former Ripper shrugged. “Why?”

The question got some gawking and contempt, but the leader merely stared and studied the complexity of that simple question.

“Because it’s dangerous.”

Jackie almost smiled at the reply, and I knew that it was just her quirky interest to fight in the worst of odds. She was born through violence, and she still enjoyed being yeeted in the most brutal of circumstances much to my ever-present worry.

Before the giddy girl had the chance to deploy her daggers and rush at the possible bloodbath, I reached out to pat her head. The action had her tense for a moment as she seemed to recover from that daydream of hers, and she eased down as she realized that she had been close to break the promise I had asked to her.

No unnecessary killing while we were out. If they attack, you can retaliate as much as you wish.

“Circumstances led me away of the streets just a few months ago,” I replied with a truthful tone, drawing attention back on myself. “I would dare to say it was a fortuitous development, but still one that set me in the capacity to actually make a difference instead of going through the bureaucratic mess that exist in this nation.”

“Charity will hardly make the difference, boy,” She mused dryly, still shaken by the previous digression. “You either become a thief, or you just don’t. There is no means to be kind and expect the world to be kind in return.”

Allowing a confused look to appear on my visage, I blinked perplexed.

“I think your opinion is bleaker than how reality is.”

Curiosity exploded at my words and the woman sighed. “Maybe, or maybe you’re just too far from seeing the truth of things, boy.”

“I’ve lived in the slums for fourteen years. It was a miracle that I lived beyond the ten years of age,” I started with a serious voice. “I didn’t just ‘see’, but I also experienced the squalor. I saw what the newspapers prefer to hide behind bigger news of the world.”

“And you still wish to make the difference by being kind to others?”

“Why is that so bad?” Jackie pointed out again, her child-like curiosity hinting at a degree of irritation. This back and forth was quietly eroding her patience and that perfectly clear from the way her eyes were narrowing once more on the woman I was speaking to.

“Because it’s foolish.”

“My brother is offering you a better life. A ceiling above your head, a warm home, and much more,” She listed with a confused look. “And yet you spit at his offer because… you don’t believe it.”

“The world is unfair-”

“I know,” The girl rebuked calmly. “But that doesn’t mean you have to suffer by its rules. It’s silly… you’re all silly.”

Before I had the chance to end this conversation before it could escalate, Jackie decided to back away and turn to me for a quick hug. I was surprised, quickly ruffling some of her hair as she sighed tensely.

“I recognize some of their faces.”

That sentence froze my blood as I quickly realized what she was talking about.

I was tempted to look up and at the rest of the gang, but I knew that it would’ve just been a strange behavior from me.

The Forty Elephants had some former prostitutes within their gang. And it wouldn’t be absurd for… a small part of those to be responsible for Jack’s birth.

My lips twitched, an unpleasant line replacing the calm one that had lived moments before.

“I’m sorry,” I muttered calmly. “I should have expected this to be a circumstance.”

The apology was received silently and I waited quietly for a moment before picking her in my arms and standing up from my seat.

This action got a shock out of the group and the woman almost stood up herself.

“W-Where are you going?”

“Out of here,” I remarked dryly, nodding at Hannah as she offered me a sympathetic look as we started to walk out of the building. “The diplomatic effort is inconclusive, and I think I’ve overstayed my presence here.”

I expected to be granted an uneventful leave out of this failure of a deal, but just as we were close to the entrance, one of the women decided to let out the most stupid sentence she could’ve mustered.

“Don’t forget your filthy wench here.”

The comment prompted a loud session of giggles and laughs from the rest of the group, but I was far from amused… but worse was Jack.

Time had passed, and despite the still-present tensions between the young girl and Hannah, the two had taken steps to fix the various issues they had with each other. I made sure to foster any effort in that direction, and I was glad to see that it all worked properly.

Jackie had plenty of chances of spending time with the young woman while I was busy with paperwork, and that allowed for a strong bond to happen.

And with that insult, someone just warranted some retaliation.

I felt Jack’s weight shifting as she leaned up over my shoulder and… I felt a loud pain-filled yell explode from behind me.

Turning around, I was greeted by quite the macabre spectacle. The target of the former Ripper’s throwing knife was crunching down in visible agony. Some were trying to help in removing the knife, but the blood exploding from her shoulder was a good deterrent from anything quick and serious.

“H-How dare-” The leader of the group tried to pull a revolver from her skirt, the gun aimed at us and ready to shoot.

Sadly for her, I was far quicker.

“｢ACT 1｣!”

My Stand materialized and swiftly used his ability against the gun.

The mechanism was blocked, and when the trigger was pressed the weapon exploded.

The leading figure shrieked as she recoiled the result of having her right hand so close to the blast. A gruesome sight for sure, but not one that stopped me from pressing the advantage.

“Up until now, I’ve shown you my mercy and my kindness. I offered you all the chances you needed to behave like civil individuals considering the circumstances that bring us here,” I started with a weary tone. “I tried to ignore your playful manners, I tried to stand by your own rules, only to be rebuked with quite the violent reaction.”

I took a step forward, and they all tensed up at the action, seemingly afraid of what I might have done next.

“The reason why I came here is to offer you all the chance to be legally paid and well-supported by turning you all in the first professional private mail system,” I explained calmly, ignoring the chilling silence I had willingly created. “I wished to extend friendship and an alliance that would turn you all away from the dangers of dealing with the law, to allow your families to be safe from the dangers your current line of work create. I still wish a response about this very offer as I know that I shocked you well enough to think twice before stepping on me. I will not condone any other cases of ‘joking’ while in my presence, and I demand an apology in return once you’re available to speak as civil people you are.”

I turned to Hannah, giving her a nod as we started to walk away from the table, with the girl walking beside me while Jackie retreated back in the embrace as she felt slightly guilty of this situation

“W-Wait! What about that answer you said you wanted?”

I stopped, glancing at the leader as she was finally standing up in the tensest and most worried of postures. She was afraid, and the injury was still bleeding as I could see.

I had to have frightened her well enough to make her forget the pain she was currently dealing with.

“Your name. What is your name?” I inquired blankly, causing her to gulp nervously.

“I-I’m- My name is Elyse, milord.”

I sighed as she curtsied to me.

“Dio will suffice. I’m no nobleman,” I stated with a nod. “And Elyse, you may offer your answer to Speedwagon when you’re sure your group is convinced of your decision. I will offer you four days to rely a proper answer and an apology.”

I didn’t spare further time there, deciding against lingering with that bunch of idiots. I patted Jack’s head, quietly praising her restrained action. Still, my mind was elsewhere as Jojo had decided to invite Erina for a ‘special occasion’. I wonder what the young Joestar is planning for me…