EPISODE THREE: THE CURSE OF DIO
It's too late.
We can't save him.
He has only a few days left.
Jotaro, this isn't your fault.
Behold.
The real reason this man swore loyalty to Dio,
and came here to kill you
lies before our eyes,
here!
What the... That wriggling piece of flesh looks like a spider.
So that's why he became Dio's minion?
It is a "flesh bud," made of Dio's own cells.
And it extends all the way to the young man's brain.
This modest-sized flesh bud
exerts power over his entire psyche.
In other words, the flesh bud functions to elicit emotion,
like an antenna that channels...
Dio's charisma!
The kind of charisma that drives a man to follow a dictator,
to put his faith into a nefarious cult leader.
This boy idolized Dio and swore his loyalty to him in the process!
Dio uses his charisma,
his intoxicating charm, to overwhelm and control.
It's how he ordered Kakyoin to kill us.
So slice him open and pull it out.
The brain is too delicate.
If he so much as flinches, we'll cause irreparable damage.
Jojo.
You must listen to me now. About four months ago, in Cairo,
I too met Dio!
I am a fortune teller by trade,
and I had just returned to my shop in Khan Khalili when,
under a full moon,
I saw him...
standing quietly atop the stairs to my shop's second floor,
with eyes so cold it felt as if he was piercing my heart.
His hair looked like spun gold,
his skin, alabaster, almost transparent.
Most of all, he emanated a strange, almost inhuman sensuality.
I had heard about him from Mr. Joestar, so I knew at once.
It was was Dio, back from the depths of the Atlantic!
I've heard you have a unique ability,
something ordinary humans do not.
It would please me greatly
if you could grant me a small demonstration.
That's when the terror sunk in.
His words had managed to calm my soul.
They were imbued with a dangerous sweetness.
It was horrifying!
Come, Avdol...
I ran for my life.
I didn't dare fight him.
I was lucky.
Had Mr. Joestar not warned me,
had I not been able to jump out that window
and fall into a maze of familiar streets,
escaping with my life,
I would have ended up like this young man,
a pawn of Dio, dominated by another flesh bud.
And, like the boy, you'd have died in a few years,
your brain devoured.
Died?
Not so fast.
Kakyoin's...
still alive!
I'll pull that thing out with my Stand!
Wait, Jotaro!
Back off, old man!
I'll pull it out fast, with no damage to his brain.
My Stand has the speed and accuracy to grab a bullet mid-flight.
Don't! That flesh bud is alive!
There's a reason why part of it is outside the skin.
The same reason why even a skilled surgeon can't remove it!
-Shit! -The flesh shot out a tentacle!
Curses! Let go of it, Jojo!
It'll infiltrate the brain of anyone who tries to remove it!
You...
Stay still, Kakyoin. One mistake, and you're a dead man.
Let go now, Jojo! It's reached your face!
Wait, Avdol!
This is my grandson we're talking about here.
His body may be under siege,
but he'll remain cool as a cucumber.
He and his stand are solid as a rock!
He's more powerful and precise than a machine!
He did it!
Overdrive!
Why?
Why did you risk your own life to save me?
Well...
Can't say I really know why myself.
Your mother sees right through you, Jotaro.
FIRST AID KIT
There ya go.
Thank you...very much.
Kakyoin, wasn't it?
I think you're overdue for some rest.
Why don't you stay with us tonight?
Papa, go get his futon ready.
Huh? Why me?
I've never even liked the idea of sleeping on the floor!
Holly, get that futon out of my room and give me a real bed!
Papa, you're in Japan,
you should get accustomed to the Japanese way of life.
Oh, and call me "Seiko."
What?
My friends here think my name is "Holy,"
so they call me "Seiko" for "holy child."
What in the hell?
"Holly" is the beautiful name I gave my beautiful da...
From now on, I won't answer unless you call me "Seiko."
Holly!
Does it hurt, Kakyoin?
I'm fine.
Holly!
-Good grief... -All right...
Kakyoin, take off your uniform.
-Huh? -Come on, now.
Holly!
Hmph.
Holly! Hey, Holly.
Hey, where are you?
Look at these! These are Jotaro's pants!
Where are mine?
They fit fine, but look at them! I can't wear these!
Hey, Holly!
Oh, I'm supposed to call her "Seiko"
or she won't respond?
No, my daughter is Holly. Holly! Answer me!
This time I'm really gonna do it. I'm going to school.
Weird...
Here, a goodbye kiss.
Smooch.
That's usually how it plays out...
Ms...
Ms. Holly!
She's burning up with a fever...
An illness?
No... It can't be!
Forgive me...
How can this be?
It's transparent...
It's a Stand!
Ms. Holly has gained a Stand as well!
HERMIT PURPLE JOSEPH JOESTAR
Ms. Holly has a Stand, too.
But this high fever... The Stand is hurting her.
We were so relieved Dio's body
had only affected Jojo and Mr. Joestar!
We thought Ms. Holly had escaped unscathed,
but we were just deluding ourselves.
This was inevitable.
With Joestar blood in her veins,
Dio's influence is unescapable.
But...
a Stand is guided by its user's fighting spirit.
A Stand is called to action by one's battle instinct.
The kind and gentle Ms. Holly is helpless against Dio's curse.
She doesn't have the strength to control her Stand.
Instead, her Stand is acting against her, crippling her!
This is an emergency. At this rate...
She'll die!
She'll be overcome!
A Stand...
Holly...
My worst fear has come true!
My girl, she has a Stand...
I knew she didn't have the power to resist.
I knew she didn't have the strength to deny Dio's soul.
Tell me! What can we do?
There's one thing.
We must find Dio!
We must kill Dio and break the curse!
That's our only option!
But...
no matter how many times I try, he's always hiding in the darkness.
The background is always dark!
My pictures never reveal his whereabouts!
We've used every means to no avail.
The darkness is impenetrable.
Well, why didn't you say so?
I have a feeling it might just be able to...
find the bastard!
Seems it found something behind Dio.
Don't forget, my Stand can
move accurately enough to remove a flesh bud from the brain,
and catch bullets in mid-air.
Let's have it sketch what it sees.
A fly! A fly was in the photo!
But a fly can't help us!
Wait a moment!
-I know this species! -What?
Jojo, do you have an encyclopedia?
-The library's out back. -Give me the sketch.
I'll be back.
Holly!
Papa, I...
Just rest. Jotaro, water, get me some water.
You seem to have recovered.
My apologies, but I'm in the middle of an investigation.
Is it really possible for a Stand to kill its own user?
It is.
I've witnessed the phenomenon several times.
At present, the Stand is confined to her back.
But in time,
that thorny-plant Stand will likely overtake Ms. Holly's entire body.
She will develop a high fever and various illnesses,
before slipping into a coma, never to awaken again.
Then death.
No ordinary doctor can see what we can,
much less cure her...
No one, not you nor I, can heal her.
But there is still hope.
It will take fifty days for the Stand to take its toll.
We must locate and destroy Dio before time runs out!
If we can sever the link between her Stand and Dio,
we can save her!
Thank you, Jotaro.
I don't know what happened.
I don't know how I suddenly developed a fever and passed out.
But...
-I feel better now. -It's on her back,
so she has no idea.
You had us all worried, Holly.
Here. You've got to brush your teeth when you get up.
-Say, "ahh." -Ahh...
Now wipe your face...
Your hair is a mess.
Now for your nails...
-Ahh... -Ahhh...
Come help me change my undies, Papa.
Just kidding! I was joking!
Now, then, what would you like
-for dinner, Jotaro? -Hey...
Freeze! Stay in bed!
I mean, you should take it easy
until that fever of yours dies down.
Just keep quiet and rest until you're better.
Holly, come on...
You're right.
You're all so nice when I'm sick.
I guess a little cold once in a while isn't so bad.
Holly!
She's passed out cold again.
She was acting fine, but she's burning up.
That confirms it.
She didn't say a word, but she noticed the Stand on her back.
Just like her to try and hide it from us.
Holly never wants us to worry!
That's who she is.
Mr. Joestar, I've found it!
That fly is...
this.
The Nile Tsetse Fly.
Found only near the banks of the Nile,
the striped leg variety is known as the Aswan Tsetse fly.
Egypt!
He must be in the Aswan region.
That's where we'll find Dio!
So he's in Egypt after all...
Kakyoin.
What do you mean?
It was three months ago
that he embedded the flesh bud into my brain.
I met Dio while traveling with my family on the Nile in Egypt.
You were in Egypt, too?
It would seem Dio wishes to remain in Egypt.
When do we leave?
I'll go with you.
With us? Why?
Who can say...
I can't say I know the answer to that myself.
Let's just say you've opened my eyes.
That's all.
Holly... We'll save you.
Just rest.
There's nothing for you to worry about...
We will make you better again.
Just you rest.
Jojo's mother, Ms. Holly... she's a calming soul.
She can put you at ease just by being near her.
This may sound strange, but if I ever fall in love,
I hope it will be with a woman like her.
I feel like I want to protect her.
I want to see her feeling better, to see her smile again.
Indeed.
Time's running out! It's time to go!
They're doctors from the Speedwagon Foundation.
We can trust them.
They will take care of Holly around the clock.
Jojo, before we leave...
I am a fortune teller.
Allow me to give your Stand its name.
Name?
With the Tarot, the cards of fate.
Draw a card, but do not look at it.
It will reveal your destiny, along with the power of your Stand.
Your card! It's the Star!
Your Stand shall be named...
Star Platinum!
Jotaro Kujo.
Stand name: Star Platinum!
Ability: Precision and extraordinary strength!
Joseph Joestar.
Stand name: Hermit Purple!
Ability: Spirit photography!
Mohammed Avdol.
Stand name: Magician's Red!
Ability: Flames and heat!
Noriaki Kakyoin.
Stand name: Hierophant Green!
Ability: Remote Stand manipulation and Emerald Splash!
All right, we're off.
Let's hit the road!
NARITA BANGKOK
ABOU DHABI KUWAIT
CAIRO
As I thought...
They have detected my location.
Will you make it?
To Egypt?
Joseph and Jotaro...
He saw us.
I just felt Dio looking at us.
-Yeah. -Stay on your guard.
A new Stand user may already be on this plane.
NEXT EPISODE PREVIEW
We've already found the next Stand user!
Impossible! It's faster than Star Platinum!
What?
It writhes in pain when torn apart.
Wow... He's so handsome!
Pardon me.
Do you have a moment?