JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part 0: Rock Hard Spirit - Ch.III

Chapter II: Circles, Pt I

	Heavy, raspy breaths escaped his lungs as he ran through the trees, searching desperately for an exit to go back to his village. Yet he couldn't find one. He decided that he was far enough away, and so slowed down, both to catch his breath and to look around more carefully. A look to his right, however, made him pick up the pace again.
	The clearing he had run from was right next to him! And inside was the shadowy figure, locking eyes with him, smirking as he began to step forward. Jojo knew he had to outrun him, to get away, but every pause once again had that same clearing to his right! Why?! He screamed in his head. Trying desperately to figure out what was going on, he looked back into the clearing, and gasping when he saw that the shadow had gone.
	Red tree on left. Notched trunk. Bramble. Red tree on left. Notched trunk. Bramble. Jojo made a left at the red tree. Notched trunk. Bramble. A right at the bramble. Red tree on left. Notched trunk. Bramble. A stumble and trip, and Jojo fell, exasperated.
	He just couldn't understand. No matter how he turned, he always ended up at the start. He heaved, his ears picking up a faint whisper from some direction or another.
	“It's like watching a fly try to escape from a spider, you know. Around and around in the web, thinking there's a way out. It's funny, really.” A weight on his back made Jog Jog crumble, and the strange man chuckled a bit.
	“You would be shocked, you really would, by how easy it is to trap you people. I mean, one or two people would be understandable, but every single moron from your village is exactly the same. You suppose that's just how primitives work? How it's hardwired in their mind? Oh, well. You been a good sport about this, so, here. Get up.” Weakly, Jog Jog got to his feet, the stranger pacing his way behind him.
	“Soul Coughing. That is what I am called by my brothers.” The ghastly voice rang out from behind him. “They say it is due to the fatigue I cause my prey. They sound as though they are hacking up their very soul...” A crude chuckle. “I'll give you one shot. Hit me, savage.”
	Jog Jog, confused, turned and swung his arm in an attempt to knock down the man, but something extremely strange happened once his arm flew out. As his fist drew closer to the man's head, the more it seemed to swerve away, until Jojo was once again facing away from him. A  sharp blow put him on his stomach, and he was able to roll over, getting a better look at the enigma.
	He stood tall and lean, his hair corded and reaching his knees. Black tattoos adorned his face and chest, spirals descending into jagged bolts, leading to his loincloth. A few flint daggers were looped on its waist. He was laughing hysterically at this point, stomping on Jog Jog's chest, knocking the wind out of him.
	“Well, that settles that question! You understood my request! You can understand what I'm saying! I guess your tribe has been 'blessed', hmm? That makes this even more fun! Come on, come on!” He nudged Jojo's head with his heel. “Let's see your Stand!”
	Stand? Came the immediate thought to Jojo's mind. He sucked in air hungrily, inching away.
	“I, I don't know what you're talking about. You saw me stand, I was running, and you knocked me over!” Another stomp.
	“Don't play dumb, you filthy ingrate! S-T-A-N-D! Or, have you not discovered yours, yet? You monkeys probably haven't even figured out how you can speak yet! Come now, must I teach my prey? Get up! Now!” Jojo did so weakly.
	“Now, watch this, closely. It would be a shame for you to die without knowing what potential you could have had!” He brought a finger to his cheek, before smiling wildly, speaking in a clear, dulcet tone, a single word. “'Circles'.”
	Immediately, a strange smoke began to emit from Soul Coughing's nose, mouth and ears, ballooning together into a strange, bubbly shape on his left shoulder. Transfixed and horrified, Jog Jog watched as the mass of smoke condensed, leaving behind what could only be described as a strange, small wooden man holding onto his shoulder. It had no eyes, but it did have a face and jagged, crooked mouth, however its most distinct feature was with it's arms. They had no elbows, and were simply curves, digging, no, seeping into Soul Coughing's skin.
	“This... is a Stand. It's called this because it stands by you. All those that are 'blessed' carry one. However, being blessed...” He picked up a rock, winding up and throwing it in the opposite direction of Jojo, before turning and finishing.
	“... Does not guarantee that you live.” As Jojo blinked, the rock smashed into the back of his head, knocking him forward, dizzying him greatly. Soul Coughing began slowly stepping towards him, laughing at his pain, as the great heat returned to Jojo's hand. He weakly and dizzily reached forward, and noticed something odd. His hand, up to his wrist, had turned blood red! “What happened? I wasn't cut... Why is my hand...?” He thought to himself, lightheaded as Soul Coughing's foot pinned  it.
	“Now, it's time to bag you! Play nice, and you may get there with your teeth intact. Okay?!” Jojo closed his eyes, waiting for the blow that would knock him unconscious, but a strange ringing buzzed in his ear.
	“Grip the leaf.” The ringing seemed to be telling him. “With your left hand, touch the leaf...” Jojo obeyed blindly, spotting the fig leaf next to his body and clutching it.
	“Oh, what're you doing, you savage? You're thinking you can beat me with that? Come on, now, I know you aren't that stupi-WOAH!” He cried out as his body sunk into the ground, up to his hips. Astonished , he tried gripping the ledge of the hole he fell into , only for it to crumble like a dried, fragile sheet. Jog Jog took the opportunity to get up and back away, the odd material the ground had become under Soul Coughing returning to dirt, trapping him further. He did not freak out, as Jojo anticipated, merely looked up at him with a sly grin, and a dark, violent glint in his eye.
	“So, I see you do have a stand. Looks like I'll have more fun today than I thought!”