Standstill Bonds

Chapter 16 ~ Putting up a fight

Josephine's phone call with Jotaro was abruptly cut off as the hooded figure's Stand, a towering green humanoid with arms bristling with thick, thorny vines, suddenly seized her. Its grip was ironclad, immobilizing her in an instant, no chance to run away. The man's features emerged as the hood of his jacket lowered, revealing long green hair and piercing eyes that matched the shade. His face was pale, akin to the conplexin of one who might be ill, but his skin was smooth and flawless of any marks or scars.

"Why were you following me?" he demanded menacingly. 

Fear constricted around Josephine's throat, like a python strangling its prey. In that moment her Stand materialized in front of her, and using its long claws, it sliced through the vines that bound her, allowing her to drop to the ground. The man chuckled, utterly unfazed.

"So, you're a Stand user too, huh?" he mused, "Figures. But believe me, you don't stand a chance kiddo."

With no escape in sight, Josephine steeled herself for a fight. She commanded Shadow to retreat into the trees, slipping into the darkness, ready to employ the strategies Jotaro had drilled into her; be quick, be strong, be wise. Her Stand darted out, delivering sharp slashes to the vine-like arms of the enemy Stand. To her amazement, the vines regenerated, fueled by the shafts of sunlight filtering through the trees. They continued like that, a relentless back and forth battle of light and shadow. No matter how much her stand slashed and pulled apart at the vines, but the sunlight gave the man's Stand an advantage, healing its wounds as fast as she inflicted them. It was futile, but just maybe she could keep it at a stalemate till Jotaro arrived.

Unfortunately, a brief misstep left her Stand exposed in a small patch of light, and in that instant, the enemy struck decisively. A none-stop barrage of blows rained down upon it, leaving Josephine reeling from the damage reflected on her own body. She collapsed, wounded, sprawled helplessly on the forest floor. Her assailant loomed over her, a cruel smile playing on his lips.

"You really are pathetically weak," he taunted.

He raised his arm, ready to command his stand to land a final, devastating blow but then, a distant voice called out, cutting off his action before he could command it.

"Josephine!"

The man's face twisted in alarm as Jotaro's voice echoed through the trees. His confidence wavered. He knew that facing Jotaro would be a different battle altogether, one he wasn't prepared for.

"You got lucky this time, brat," he spat, his eyes narrowing at Josephine's crumpled form. With one last disdainful glance, he turned and bolted into the shadows.

The world seemed to tilt as Josephine lay on the ground, her body screaming in pain. Through her hazy vision, she saw a familiar silhouette; Jotaro's unmistakable form approaching fast. He rushed to her side, kneeling beside her, shaking her shoulder in an attempt to rouse her, his voice rough with worry.

"Kid, can you hear me?" He examined her injuries, carefully turning her over as he assessed the damage.

She groaned in discomfort, every little movement he made, despite how careful he was, felt like her muscles were being pulled apart. She tried to speak, to apologize to him for what she did, but the words couldn't come out, locked behind a . All she could manage was a weak sound, the pain pulling her back under.

"Josephine, come on, stay with me."

Josephine let out a weak cry from her throat, trying desperately to push herself up, but the sharp pain in her body overwhelmed her senses as she collapsed back to the ground, falling unconcious.  Jotaro cursed under his breath, frustration and fear battling for dominance. 

"Damn it, kid!" His hands clenched into fists, but he quickly regained his composure, knowing that anger wasn't going to help her right now. With one swift motion, he scooped her up into his arms and began the hurried trek back to his home. Right now he just had to make sure she'd be okay.

-

She couldn't know how much time had passed, but it had been only a couple hours, still in the am, before Josephine's eyes finally fluttered open. Pain shot through her body as she shifted, her limbs stiff and bruised. As her vision cleared, she realized she was back on the futon in Jotaro's spare room. Band aids and bandages covered her arms, and an elastic bandage was wrapped snugly around her middle to reduce the swelling there. A grunt escaped her lips as she turned, her eyes finding Jotaro standing in the doorway, arms crossed.

"You're awake," Jotaro said, his voice tense and restrained. "Good."

Josephine opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out, and she couldn't look him in the eyes. The weight of her guilt kept her silent. She knew what she did, the reprimand she deserved. She had made a terrible mistake, and now Jotaro may never trust her again.

He stepped closer, his voice, usually calm and measured, now carried a harsh, unmistakable edge. "Kid, do you have any idea how stupid that was? What the hell were you thinking?"

Josephine flinched, feeling his dissappointment puncture her like a dagger. She fumbled for a response, her voice small. "I'm sorry... I know I messed up."

Jotaro let out a frustrated sigh and began pacing the room. "Sorry? You could've been killed! You're under my guidance, and the one thing I told you not to do, you went and did anyway!"

She bit her lip, "I know... I-I wasn't thinking..."

He stopped pacing and faced her, his frustration spilling over into crystal clear anger. "Not thinking? You went against a clear instruction and put your life in danger! Do you think you're invincible? How could you be so damn stupid! What if I hadn't gotten there in time, huh?!"

Josephine squeezed her eyes shut, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill out. "I just wanted to help. I thought I could—"

"You thought wrong, you have no idea what you're dealing with!"

The dagger of dissappointment cut deeper and deeper. She pulled her knees to her chest, hiding her face as tears finally fell down her cheeks.  "I know... I-I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" she repeated, her voice small, and muffled furthur by her knees and the soft sobs within.

Jotaro's eyes softened at the sight of her distress, and he sighed, running a hand through his hair. The harshness in his voice was replaced by a quieter, gentler frustration as he knelt down beside her, "Josephine, look at me."

Reluctantly, she turned her head, her tear-streaked face a picture of guilt, but she coudln't meet his eyes.

"Look at me," he repeated, his hand settling on her shoulder. When her gaze finally lifted to meet his, he continued, "You can't just act on impulse like that. I'm not trying to be a hardass, but you need to understand how dangerous this was."

She nodded, the harsh reality of his words sinking in. She had been way too careless, and it nearly cost her everything.

He sighed heavily, rubbing the back of his neck. "We'll talk more about this when you're feeling better," Jotaro said after a moment, rising to his feet. "For now, just rest."

He left the room quietly, leaving Josephine alone with her thoughts. His words echoed in her mind, an uncomfortable but necessary reminder of the lesson she had learned that day, a lesson etched in the tear-streaked lines on her face.