As our trio was travelling along on the A1 highway they could not help but wonder about the things Benjo told them. Who is Finisher really? Where is he now? Is L.J. really the proper person to deliver this package to? What is this organisation even? Benjo only raised more questions within their minds than answered previous ones.
“Oh, guys look! We’re out of the desert!” – Balin exclaimed. – “They’re raising cattle and sheep, this is so cool!”
“What, have you never seen sheep?” – Asked the bored ToTo.
“Wait a second…” – Staz started thinking. – “If my geography knowledge is correct, we’re not supposed to cross grasslands with sheep and cattle… The whole road should be desert until we reach Perth… Hmm, weird.”
“Don’t tell me we went the wrong way…” – ToTo said in disappointment.
“No, you can trust me, we are on the right road!” – Laughed Staz in embarrassment.
After some more time travelling our group was halted in the middle of the road next to a herd of sheep fenced away to the side. What stopped them though was more than absurd; it was like a meteor left a crater on the road, a massive chunk was missing from the ground.
“What the hell?” – Asked Staz as he got out of the car.
“Well, I guess we could just check the map now.” – Said Balin as he lifted ToTo and a map out of the car.
“I’m more interested in this…” – Staz said as he started approaching the crater. In fact, the whole group cautiously approached it on foot.
“Just what on Earth left this crater here…? Should we be expecting another Stand attack?” – Asked ToTo frightened.
“Hah! I got it!” – Balin said out loud while flipping the map. – “You really did miss the road! We turned left at the junction point in Norseman instead of right! We’re on a detour route now but we can still get to Perth just on a different road!”
“Bali!” – ToTo screamed as he slapped Balin with his Stand. – “Focus on the crater, not on the stupid road, how are we gonna get around this thing?”
“I mean the car is four-wheel drive so we could just… Cross it?” – Asked Balin.
Ironically enough, just as Balin said those words a massive crash was heard from behind the group. As they turned around they were met with a terrible sight. Their car’s location was now empty with just dirt and rubble around, the car’s warped metal body now on the other side of the road smoking.
“What the fuck? What just happened?” – Staz clutched his head in surprise and anger.
“It seems like we’re not going anywhere with this car…” – Balin said in a frightened tone.
The group was now on high alert due to the possibility of an enemy Stand user being somewhere near them. However, there was nobody around, only a young man who watched the entire thing go down.
“You there!” – Staz pointed at the man as he shouted. – “Identify yourself! You did this didn’t you?”
“Me? I’m just the shepherd of this herd. How would I be able to do that? I have no idea what you’re talking about.” – The man answered. He was a man in his thirties with brown hair, above average height, wearing a blue cap and a shirt with a Coca-Cola logo on it.
“Who are you? – Asked Staz.
“My name is Doug Capler the 45th! I come from a proud lineage of shepherds, all conveniently named Doug Capler. As the name suggests, I’m the 45th to wear the title of family shepherd! I’m lucky to have been born before my brother, who would’ve become the Doug Capler instead of me. It’s always the first born son that becomes the Doug Capler of the next generation. This time it was me. I already have a son called Doug Capler the 46th whom I’m training to become my successor.”
“Okay that’s cool and all, but did you destroy our car just now? Perhaps with a Stand?” – Staz asked.
“How would I do that, when I’m right here on the other side of this crater? What is this Stand you’re talking about?” – Doug Capler was confused.
“I mean… He’s got a point. How could he destroy our car when he is on the other side of the crater with… A bus…?” – Balin said.
“Why do you have a bus out here in the middle of nowhere?” – Asked Staz.
“I use this bus to transfer my sheep!” – Doug said proudly.
“You use a bus to transfer sheep?” – Balin asked.
“Indeed. It’s effective! The Caplers never believed in shepherd dogs or anything like that. We did everything by ourselves! Back in the day when there were no busses or transportation like that we would just employ up to 4 Doug Caplers to herd the sheep together! The oldest Doug Capler would look over the herd while the 3 young ones would run around the sheep, herding them together into a big bunch and escorting them out of the field.”
“You people are nuts.” – Staz started laughing. – “And here I thought Bali was the weirdest guy out of all of us!”
“Hey!” – Shouted Balin before stopping… – “… Uncool…”
“Anyways, do you know some way of getting around this crater?” – Staz asked Doug.
“Well, I suppose you could slide down into it and then climb back up or just turn around and go some other way…” – Doug answered.
“Well then, let’s turn around.” – Balin suggested.
As Staz and Balin turned around, ToTo still firmly being held in Balin’s hands, they heard an object approaching them at high velocity.
“Buckethead!” – Screamed Balin.
“Hellraiser!” – Screamed Staz.
“Africa!” – Screamed ToTo and they all were lucky as their Stands just materialized in time to block the object from crushing them, though the three were pushed back a couple of metres. As Staz was trying to regain his bearings and analyse the situation he noticed the bus which was previously parked next to Doug Capler now lying sideways with dents and scratches all over its front right down the road.
[https://i.imgur.com/PN1agKA.jpg]
“That thing hit us head-on? But nobody was driving it!” – Staz wondered aloud, trying to wipe the dirt off of his face.
“Staz! Look at Doug!” – Balin shouted while pointing at Doug; a white and yellow figure with an angry look and a blocky head was standing behind him.
“A Stand! So he is a Stand user after all!” – Said Balin in surprise.
“I’m not surprised at all anymore.” – Staz answered bitterly.
“Don’t think I’ll just let y’all leave that easily! I heard y’all have something on you. Hand it over now and you can leave!” – Doug shouted at the trio.
“What is that Stand?” – ToTo asked. – “Was it the same that destroyed the car as well?”
“Probably… Nobody else is around, unless the sheep are also Stand users…” – replied Staz.
Balin started approaching Doug, summoning Buckethead in advance to be prepared for the worst.
“Bali are you serious?” – Staz shouted after him. – “Come back here!”
“It’s time to test this guy’s wit...” – Balin said. – “Buckethead!” – Balin announced while his Stand forced a Bucket on top of Doug’s head. As he was struggling to remove it Balin leapt through the crater and stumbled for a moment. Using that moment Doug made his own move and the bucket which was previously on top of his head was now flying towards Balin.
“I knew it!” – He cried out as his Stand deflected the bucket to the side. – “This guy can launch things!”
“Sure but an entire bus?” – Staz asked in awe.
“It seems like he can launch stuff out using his Stand, that’s probably how he was able to create that crater too!” – Balin answered as he was looking for a way to counter Doug’s Stand.
“So you caught on…” – Doug answered. – “MAKE TOTAL DESTROY is the name of this so called Stand. A tiny fellow gave some pretzel to me saying it’s some sort of sponsorship and now I’m able to do this!” – Doug’s Stand touched a tree with its left hand, making it disappear, then holding his right hand forward, launching a tree at Balin, forcing him to roll out of the way.
[https://i.imgur.com/Xe0hpCI.png]
“So the crater was created using your Stand too! You removed a chunk from the ground and then proceeded to launch it at our car!” – Staz shouted, still struggling to stand up from the impact of the bus.
“That chunk of land was what destroyed our car!” – ToTo shouted.
“Listen, I’m sorry…” – Doug started. – “But you know, I have my sheep to take care of and the little guy said that some Finisher person would be able to provide financial compensation! I need money! I need to purchase more sheep to become the most successful Doug Capler the world has ever seen!”
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“Are you fucking serious?” – Staz screamed in anger. – “It’s The Finisher again! Just what the hell is this guy’s problem?”
“Hand over the package!” – Doug said as his stand took a chunk out of the wooden fence nearby.
“Wait a second!” – Balin started. – “Aren’t you the most successful Doug Capler already? Considering you’re the first and only one to ever have a Stand!”
“Stands mean nothing when sheep are the real deal!” – Doug launched the fence at Balin and as it impaled his shoulder he gave out a cry of pain.
“MY SHOULDER!” – Balin screamed in agony, holding the fence in place so more blood doesn’t escape from his wound.
“BALI!” – Staz screamed. – “You’re done for, fool!”
Staz got up, fire in his eyes. He moved slowly but with deadly intent, and even as another object just barely missed him he didn’t even flinch.
“If you come any closer it will be just easier for me to hit you!” – Doug started laughing, sucking up yet another fence pole. – “This will finally hit…”
As MAKE TOTAL DESTROY launched the pole towards Staz, he jumped out of the way to grab a rock.
“Take this!” – He screeched as his Stand hurled a rock towards Doug.
“That won’t work…” – Doug said as his Stand sucked up the rock mid-air then launched it at Staz, hitting him in the jugular. Staz started coughing, blood spouting out from his mouth and nose. His vision went blurry as he was trying to make out the figure in front of him.
“Staz, please you need to do something.” – Balin said, still on his knees from the pain.
“MAKE TOTAL DESTROY possesses no vulnerabilities!” – Doug laughed.
“Staz please…” – Balin was staring at the suffering body of Staz, who just gave him a look full of agony in return.
“Is this where it all ends?” – Balin asked with pain in his voice.
“Heh…” – Staz started giggling. – “This dumbass… That Stand of his…”
“Staz?” – Balin got surprised.
“This fucking dumbass pisses me off so much… That Stand is so much more than just a projectile-launching machine…” – Staz started standing up. – “This idiot never realised how he could even fly or dig tunnels using this Stand. He has unlocked only about 5% of this Stand’s potential…”
“Here we go again with the unreal maths… What are you talking about?”
“It could suck anything up with its left hand and launch it with its right, right? He could easily suck up the air in front of him and launch it from his right hand, making him propel forwards! He could easily fly with that Stand yet he never realised this because he’s a dumb good for nothing shepherd! Ahahahaha!” – Staz started laughing hysterically.
“HOW DARE YOU INSULT THE SON OF A SHEPHERD WHO ALSO HAPPENS TO BE A SHEPHERD!” – Doug started screaming. – “I’ll show you very well how I can fly!”
Doug’s Stand pointed his left arm forwards and his right arm backward and started slowly lifting up from the ground.
“Look, I am flying!” – Doug started laughing. – “So much for the quote-unquote dumb shepherd, right?”
“Right...” – Staz giggled. – “Let’s see if my second presumption is correct then... Hellraiser!”
Staz’s Stand hurled another rock towards Doug Capler the 45th, however he was able to suck it up using his Stand.
“Hah! You couldn’t hit me again!” – Doug screamed, shooting away the rock and continuing to fly towards Staz.
“AFRICA!” – ToTo’s voice screamed, hitting Doug in the back of the neck, making him fall at an immense speed and hit the ground with a heavy thump, fracturing his arm and three ribs.
[https://i.imgur.com/6rGbrai.png]
“While you weren’t looking I hid ToTo in the shadow of the rock I just threw at you! You were able to suck up the rock but not ToTo, you can only suck up one thing at a time! I was once again correct!” – Staz said proudly.
“Way to risk my life on a wild bet…” – ToTo said as his Stand broke his fall.
“Now then…” – Staz grabbed Doug Capler by the neck. – “It is time to say goodbye to your sheep!”
Staz’s Stand appeared behind him, glowing in an infuriated red glimmer. The Stand threw Doug Capler the 45th up in the air and started furiously punching him.
“BRATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATA” – Blow after blow was dealt to the man until he was full of bruises and scars.
“And now for the dessert!” – Screamed Staz as his Stand uppercut Doug with a final “Brataa” scream. Doug went flying into the horizon until finally landing on a fence and getting impaled by it, cruel irony for the shepherd. The blood was gushing out from his stomach and with his final breath he could only cough up blood. Finally, the 45th Doug Capler was no more…
Name: Doug Capler the 45th
Stand: MAKE TOTAL DESTROY
Status: Deceased
Staz rushed to help Balin up, who was still struggling to stand up after having stopped the bleeding from the fence pole impaling him, having used his strings to sew up the wound.
“Thanks… Where’s ToTo?” – Balin asked as Staz was helping him up.
“Right there, next to the bus wreckage.” – Staz pointed out.
“Thanks I’m still alive… Somehow.” – ToTo exclaimed.
“Right, how do we continue now?” – asked Balin, holding a cloth onto his wound. – “I can barely walk, ToTo is incapable of walking, we are in the middle of some field with just the long road ahead of us, you’re the only person still intact but I bet you’re about to fall over from exhaustion Staz.”
“You’re right.” – Staz said angrily, being pissed at the world for throwing him into this mess. – “We can’t hitch a ride since nobody uses this road, we don’t have a vehicle, there’s nothing here.”
“If only somebody would have a Stand that could repair things…” – ToTo said dreamingly.
As the team was talking about how to go about with their further travels, a ute was driving towards them from a distance dragging something behind it.
“Is that a horse trailer?” – Balin asked.
“You have got to be kidding me…” – Staz started giggling. – “Good grief if it isn’t Horace Loveer.”
And Horace Loveer it was… Driving his old ute, dragging a horse trailer.
“Friends! I received mail saying you were in desperate need of transportation! I can’t accompany you all but please do take these beauties… I’m terribly sorry for your loss, I heard what happened but at least your package is still safe. I heard about it all from this funny looking guy in a mask wearing a paper bucket just like Balin’s there! His name was…”
“BENJO!” – The group exclaimed at the same time.
“Yes, yes. Well, I hope these horses help somewhat, you see I can’t really accompany you right now seeing how I have some important business to attend! But have fun and good luck friends! I’ll be seeing you soon!” – Horace drove off into the distance, leaving two horses for the group to travel on.
“This is just odd… What the hell is happening? So they ARE monitoring us after all.” – said ToTo while being picked up by Staz.
“And the organization reached out to Horace as well now… But if this organization is so powerful and huge, why didn’t it just entrust its own members to deliver the package?” – Staz started wondering.
“Let’s just go, we can talk on the way there.” – Balin said with an assertive tone in his voice.
“You just want to ride the horse finally, don’t you?” – ToTo asked.
“You bet!” – Balin laughed.
After having defeated Doug Capler the 45th, probably their most fearsome opponent so far, our group continued heading towards Perth to deliver the package to L.J. finally. However, they had their fair share of doubt. Why did L.J. choose ToTo and Brian for this task specifically? Why was all of this happening?
“So you’re saying that the Stand User you created… FAILED AS WELL?” – The Finisher howled, smashing his fist down on the table in front of him, splitting it clearly in half.
“Sir, I think we should just contact IKEA to send us a stable supply of tables…” – Era responded.
“Master, if you may… I’d like to try myself on the battlefield as well…” – an unrecognizable voice from the shadows giggled.
“You out of all people? Can you actually defeat them?” – The Finisher asked.
“I can always try… Besides, nobody remains of your army here in Australia anymore… Besides me of course.” – he continued giggling.
“You’re not the only one you know, there’s someone else headed towards Perth right now… But if you are so certain you can stop them, so be it… Intercept them at Jerramungup and kill them by any means…” – The Finisher responded.
“As you wish, my Master…”
“I have a bad feeling about this.” – commented Era.
“What do you know?” – The Finisher barked.
“This group… They are quite battle hardened at this point… You might have to resort to your final plan.”
“Let’s just hope I won’t have to.” – said The Finisher. – “And even if I do have to, I know you are not that useless Era…”
Who might be this person heading towards ToTo’s group? What is the final plan? And when in the hell is Era’s Stand going to be revealed? Our trio has a lot to look out for in the upcoming future…