Jojo's Bizarre Adventure Part 9: One Year of Love

Chapter Twenty: The Odds Will Always be Against Us

User: Gretta Van Fleet (Zeppeli)

Age: 48

Stand: The Black Parade Requiem (Similar to Silver Chariot Requiem with the same powers as the actual Black Parade.)

Potential: C

Precision: A

Durability: A

Range: B

Speed: C

Power: B

Appearing in a hospital parking lot, Josui and the others appeared out of nowhere, shocking few and barely even noticed at all. Zeppeli was almost unconscious but could barely move while Celine's body was horrendously bruised and David's throat was black and purple, causing him to wheeze whenever he breathed. Josui fell over in pain as the shock from the bones in his arms and legs were shifting, putting his nervous into a hellish overdrive. A nurse ran up to them then called other doctors and nurses to get Zeppeli and everyone else into the hospital. Carrying everyone in, the nurse who found them asked Josui what his name was, but he was too far into shock to stay awake. A long while later, he slowly opened his eyes and looked around then saw his position was now in a hospital room with Celine sitting next to him with bandages on her arms and her face, David on the other side of Josui and had a neck brace on him while Zeppeli was sitting in a chair in a hospital gown with some bandages wrapped around his back. He was also quietly laying on Josui's bed. Josui looked at his own body as he saw arm casts on his forearms and a pair of casts on his shins. Shaking his leg to wake up Zeppeli, Josui attempted to talk, but found a tube up his nose that caused him to gag in fright. Waking up, Zeppeli saw Josui in panic then shouted for a nurse. The nurse who found them managed to calm him down by simply pushing a pressure point on the back of his neck and his breathing began to slow down. Josui began to sleep again and he woke up a couple hours later then felt his nose while his arm was casted. The nurse walked into the room while Zeppeli was sighing with relief, knowing that Josui was now okay. "Josui, thank God you're alright! How are you feeling?" Looking at his hands, Josui asked, "Mr. Zeppeli, am I going to be alright?" To which he replied, "Your arms are going to be alright. I called the Speedwagon Foundation to get your father over here as soon as possible. He can restore your arms along with your legs, so you have nothing to worry about." David woke up and pointed his eyes at an unsuspecting Zeppeli and Josui, who were sitting very quietly. Zeppeli turned around and looked at David, which caused him to summon The Magic Dance to pummel the man in front of him. All Zeppeli could do was summon Black Parade to show it was no longer a Requiem Stand and shouted, "Wait! David! Calm down! I'm not under that woman's control! Don't hurt anyone, you're not well enough!"

David calmed down and sighed. "Where are we?" Zeppeli quietly sighed with relief and replied, "I took us to the Jackson Memorial hospital in Miami. It's a hospital I'm more familiar with and one of the only ones I know about that works with the Speedwagon Foundation." David rubbed his eyes. "What does the Speedwagon Foundation have to us, Mr. Zeppeli?" Josui lifted a casted arm and said, "David, my great-great-grandfather Jonathan was aided by the founder, Robert Speedwagon in his fight against DIO." This was when Celine woke up and groaned, slowly lifting her arm and pressing her hand against her head. "What... what happened? Jo... Josui!" She attempted to bolt straight up, but due to her injuries, she stopped at about halfway when a bolt of pain rushed through her entire body. Slowly laying back down, Celine looked at her arm and saw the bandages on herself. "Why am I covered in bandages? Where are we?" After explaining where they were, Celine rubbed her eyes and asked, "Wait, why is this the only hospital that works with the Speedwagon Foundation?" Zeppeli stood up and limped over to Celine, giving David and Josui an unnecessary view of his lower backside. When he managed to get over to Celine's bed, he said, "Well, not many hospitals work with the Speedwagon Foundation because as large as the Foundation is, many of the people who know about Stands is almost stretched thin across the hospitals across the world. If I remember correctly, the Foundation started teaching people about the events concerning the Joestar family and their opponents. Sadly, this does very little for us because..." He picked up a folder in his chair. "I did some research and my results have been futile for our attackers. There is nothing I could find about them while I called them." David then asked, "Wait, when did you call the Speedwagon Foundation? You've been here the whole time!" Zeppeli said, "I called them after the doctor patched up my ribs about one week ago." Josui's eyes widened. "Wait, we've been unconscious for a whole week?!" The nurse from before walked into the room and smiled. "Well, it's good to see you're all awake. How are any of you feeling?" Celine chimed in, "Confused as shit. Who are you and how long were we unconscious for?" To which the nurse, who's name was Alicia Simon, said that they were unconscious for about a month. Josui lifted his hands and stared at them in shock as he began to start breathing hard while David gasped and Celine began crying. Zeppeli rested his hand on Celine's shoulder, easing the pain that haunted her mind, body and soul. "But there is good news for you, David. You're neck cast is coming off today." Attempting to nod, but failing to do so, David chuckled slightly as the nurse came over and removed it for him, revealing that the bruses on his neck were gone, but the pain in his neck was still there.

The next day, Celine's bandages were removed to show that her skin was no longer bruised, but she had a scar that started over her eyebrow that ended at the bottom of her eye. Zeppeli stayed for the next two weeks until Josui's legs and arms were finished healing and the bones became strong enough for him to stand. Celine and David visited him while they were waiting in a motel room meanwhile. One night, Zeppeli was asleep and Josui couldn't sleep, so all he could do is look out the window and think about random moments in his life. "Can't sleep?" A familiar voice said as Celine walked in, wearing a red crop top, denim shorts and Josuke's jacket, surprising Josui. He nodded his head towards a sleeping Zeppeli to show Celine that he was present and was overdue for a few hours of sleep. She understood and quietly walked towards Josui's bed then sat down, just beside Josui's right thigh a few inches away from his casted leg. "So... I guess we should address what you were... In a nightclub, dressed in women's clothing." Josui bit his lip as he put both of his casted arms over his face to hide his bright red 1958 Plymoth Fury colored face that obviously showed in every possible way that he was embarrassed. "Josui, don't worry about it... Just tell me what you were doing over there?" Lifting his cast arms off his face, Josui took a deep breath and said, "Okay, I've been doing this kind of thing in private, for years. I enjoy wearing women's clothing not as if it's some kind of demented fetish or anything. You see Celine, I started this when I was younger and I... kind of enjoyed it, almost like I've always wanted to do this. Does... that sound weird?" Celine rested her hand on Josui's thigh and replied, "That's not bad. Trust me, I've met a few people like that. Usually they're online, but what they do, it's not a bad thing. If you want to dress like that, that's fine. But... why were you in a nightclub?" Chuckling, Josui rubbed an itch on his chest then told Celine about seeing David doing the exact same thing and somehow he got pulled into the mix. "Wait, David also crossdresses? I guess given our... circumstances, that's not exactly the most bizarre thing in the world." Josui nodded. "Then we started dancing on the stage and... I felt really confident. It was scary and very freeing at the same time. Does any of this make some sense?" Celine nodded and took Josui's cased hand. He smiled at her then said, "I wish I could hug you right now." She chuckled quietly as they both looked out the window and watched the night sky with all the stars glittering. Meanwhile, Zeppeli smiled as he listened to their conversation, but didn't interrupt them because they needed some time together, to form a bond that will help the two of them through the thick and thin.

The next day, Josui laid in bed when the nurse from earlier walked in and asked Josui how he was. He told her, "I'm fine Ma'am. Am I getting these things off me now?" To which she replied that in fact, today was the day he was getting his casts removed and discharged from the hospital. Sighing a breath of relief, Josui felt a weight come off his chest as the bandages came off of his arms. An hour later, Josui and Zeppeli walked right out of the hospital. David and Celine watched as Zeppeli helped the young Josui, who was limping from not using his legs for many days. Putting his hand on Zeppeli shoulder, the only thing he could say was, "It's okay. I'll do it myself." Limping over to his friends, he looked up and sighed, "Guys... I'm sorry for what happened in Australia. It was my fault that those two found us and managed to nearly killed us. There is no excuse as to why this happened. I claim full responsibility for my actions." Celine almost opened her mouth when David interrupted her and said, "No, it was my fault. If Josui hadn't found me sneaking out-- No. If I hadn't told him to go into the Nightclub through the back, those monsters wouldn't have found us. If anyone among us is to blame... It should... It should be me!" David's eyes began pouring tears that looked more like rivers from the top of a mountain cliff. Zeppeli put his hands on both young men's shoulders and looking into the faces of both David and Josui. "David. Jojo. I would tell you that it was neither one of your faults that we were found. But neither of you are blameless. I understand what you're were both trying to do." Josui then asked, "You... do?" David said, "It's okay, Jojo. I told him everything. You've nothing to worry about." Taking in a deep breath, Josui smiled knowing he could keep no dark secrets between them all. "You were trying to make money so we would have somewhere to go, yes? I understand your motivations and that's all I thank you for. But if you wanted to help me with my financial troubles, you should have asked me and I could have helped both of you." Josui nodded and shook Zeppeli's hand. "The odds will always be against us. There is no going back at this point of the journey. The three of you will work together to improve the other one's skills or abilities. If you planned on giving up, I am sorry, buy you cannot. Even when we're at our worst and hope seems to be lost, we will rise up and fight back against these dark forces. I know you are afraid. But remember, from here on out: Things will get more insane and we must adapt to that insanity."

They walked down the street to the nearest bus stop and waited while a man across the street watched them while he leaned against his motorcycle with his gold helmet tucked under his arm.

TO BE CONTINUED...=   ==>