"Aventurine, he… he's really so amazing… I also want to become someone like him!"
"Want to become Aventurine? Then the road ahead won't be simple, Fufu." Yi Xuan covered her mouth and smiled. "Having ambition is wonderful, but the universe is so vast. If one day Fufu falls into the demonic path... there won't be Junior Sister Belle to bring you before me to plead for mercy."
——
["Life is like a long investment—choose the right people, do the right things, reach the right results, and show the world your value."]
["A person cannot make only correct decisions their whole life, but good luck has always stood on my side. I have never lost."]
["Is it because the Mother Goddess is protecting me? If so, then at this moment she must also be watching me, right? I will certainly succeed."]
["…But then what?"]
["If I successfully pass this crisis, what comes next? After one grand gamble, waiting for me… is another even grander gamble? Is it returning fully loaded with countless chips after success after success, or after one failure..."]
["…disappearing without return?"]
[In the depths of his mind, another voice seemed to ring out.]
["Don't you have any idea… you lowly gambler?"]
[Aventurine's eyes snapped open. Cold sweat slid down from his temples.]
[The scene before him twisted and distorted. The shackles of [Harmony] stuck to his mind like thick syrup. He shook his head hard, trying to cast off this nauseating dizziness.]
["What's going on?"]
[A familiar low laugh came from behind him. Aventurine's whole body stiffened. He quickly turned his head—only to see another "Aventurine" not far away staring fixedly at him.]
["Am I dreaming, or have I gone completely mad?" Aventurine rubbed his head.]
["Maybe both." The other Aventurine said with a smile. "Forgotten me already? When you were tied to the electric chair by the warlord of Iimanika, who was it that gave you the idea?"]
——
Ave Mujica.
In the evening park, Sakiko looked up in surprise at the scene on the Celestial Screen. Inside, there were actually two Aventurines confronting each other—same face, same voice, almost like...
His second personality.
Sakiko unconsciously clenched the corner of her clothes. She looked at the blond girl beside her, her voice a little shaky. "Uika… do you think Mutsumi and Mortis used to coexist in this form? In corners no one could see... existing in this almost hallucinatory way?"
At first she had found it hard to imagine how Mutsumi and Mortis coexisted; she had only ever seen symptoms of dissociative identity disorder in movies and dramas. But seeing Aventurine on the Celestial Screen at this moment... she gained a deeper understanding of this condition.
Uika tilted her head and thought for a moment: "These two aren't quite the same. It's hard to judge whether this 'Aventurine' is a hallucination caused by the influence of [Harmony]."
It was said that some people, under extreme mental tension, would unconsciously experience hallucinations. Considering Aventurine's current mental state... Uika felt that no matter what he saw, it wouldn't be strange.
"Then could he end up like Mortis… devouring Aventurine's original personality?"
Uika smiled lightly and quietly moved a little closer to Sakiko. She asked softly: "Sakiko, are you really that concerned about Mr. Aventurine?"
"Th-that's not it…" Sakiko turned her face aside and stammered, "I-it's just that Yutenji… ahem, that guy said he wanted to cover and perform some doujin songs about Aventurine, so I wanted to try understanding him a bit more..."
"…I see." Uika let out a soft "oh." She looked up at Aventurine on the Celestial Screen and calmly shook her head. "Aventurine and Mutsumi are not the same. He doesn't need a personality like Mortis to protect himself. Rather than a personality... it would be more accurate to call it a companion who has weathered hardships with him, wouldn't it?"
——
["Enough… I might be crazy, but I'm not stupid. Get out of my head, newborn of [Harmony]."]
["Aventurine" raised an eyebrow: "Heh, Harmony? Don't be stupid. It's not our first meeting; no need to be so distant, is it? I am you—I even understand [myself] better than you do, and know better what you truly want. You're about to die, and at the brink of death you still want to drag a few unlucky ones down with you… that's why you came here, isn't it?"]
[As he spoke, he gave a mocking soft laugh: "…The grand curtain-raising performance—do you really think you can pull it off?"]
[Aventurine asked coldly: "Why not?"]
["You might be able to deceive everyone else, but you can never deceive yourself. I can prove it to you—before you completely disappear, I'll walk the final stretch of the road with you... We'll talk it through properly along the way."]
[Aventurine finally couldn't hold back and cursed: "…Damn it, what the hell are you?"]
[That "Aventurine" stopped in his departing steps and glanced back at him: "Most people in this world spend their entire lives just to reach one result… and I am that result."]
["Kakavasha… I am your future."]
——
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable.
"Is this hallucination his psychological reaction? Feels pretty cool. Wait… this couldn't be this guy's Stand, could it? What do you think, Josuke?"
Before the words had finished, he heard the pompadour-haired youth sitting across the dining table let out a helpless sigh.
"How many times have I told you—outside of Earth, other planets in the universe don't have Stands. Okuyasu, how many more times do you plan on making me repeat myself?" Josuke said irritably. "And seeing hallucinations isn't cool at all, okay… it means Mr. Aventurine is about to die."
There was a trace of sadness and regret in Josuke's voice... lower than usual. Okuyasu could tell his mood was terrible right now and timely shut his mouth.
Josuke greatly admired Aventurine—that was something he had known for a long time. According to Josuke, with spiritual power of Aventurine's level, awakening a Stand on Earth would be more than enough; he would probably awaken one no weaker than Mr. Jotaro's Star Platinum.
But no matter how strong the spiritual power, it was probably useless at this moment. Okuyasu could tell at a glance that this Aventurine had already reached the point of forcing himself to the brink of death.
"His hallucination seems to have already seen through him, Josuke."
"Mm."
"Then those words he said to Sparkle earlier—was he really just deceiving himself? The curtain-raising performance, and being only one step away from victory and all that..."
"Only heaven knows." Josuke raised his head and let out a deep sigh. "He's already gambled away his foundation… beyond that, I really can't imagine what other methods he has left... I just hope the medical advice Professor Ratio gave him can save his life at the critical moment."
——
[After he finished speaking, the hallucination disappeared.]
[Aventurine couldn't help but mock himself: "First auditory hallucinations, now visual ones—wonderful. Next, should I be promoted to an Emanator of [Harmony]?"]