[JoJo's Bizarre Adventure] Standstill Bonds

Chapter 23 ~ A Heavy Revelation

Josephine's reaction to the revelation wasn't lost on Jotaro, not one bit. Her face was a crystal clear picture of confusion and worry. She had known of course that Pucci was after him, but just how serious his predicament was had been kept hidden. He knew that telling her more, that revealing the truth of Pucci and himself would only add to her concern exponentially. Though he didn't want to pull her deeper into this mess, he knew then that he couldn't avoid it forever.

"He's... got a personal grudge against the Joestars," Jotaro started, his upper body slouched forward as he felt his whole being weighed down by the burden of his family's history, their curse. "My last name might be Kujo, but I'm a Joestar descendant, as is my mom."

Josephine bit her lip and pulled at her sleeves, "But... why? What did your family do to him?"

Jotaro sighed, looking away for a moment, the words heavy on his tongue. There was a lot to unpack and he hesitated.

Polnareff noticed this and wheeled slightly closer. "She deserves to know the full picture Jotaro," he said quietly but firmly. "Tell her everything."

Jotaro glanced at him and he exhaled deeply, nodding once.

He looked back at Josephine, "It's a long story involving a Stand user named Dio Brando. He was an evil man, a vampire actually. He killed my great-great-grandfather, Jonathan Joestar and stole his body to place his own severed head on it to survive. Disgusting, I know."

Josephine internally gagged and she shuddered at the grim thought of it. But she stayed silent, listening intently as Jotaro continued.

"Pucci was fanatically devoted to Dio who was like a mentor to him when he was a young man. When Dio returned and threatened my family, threatened the world, I killed him. But Pucci... he's trying to finish what Dio started."

Josephine's breath caught in her throat. "You mean... he's after revenge?"

Jotaro's voice lowered as he clarified, "It's more than just revenge. Pucci wants to carry on Dio's so-called 'heavenly' plan, to reset our universe into his own twisted vision of what it should be. That plan includes eliminating anyone who would stand in his way so they don't exist in that new universe. That's us. The Joestars."

The room seemed to close in around her as she took in the new information, Pucci wasn't just after Jotaro for a fight. He had told her he was dangerous but... not this, now she knew the man wanted Jotaro and his family dead, to restart everything and she didn't want to believe what she was hearing.

Polnareff, his face grave, chimed in. "He's going to be tough to deal with Jotaro, he's not going to make it easy for you to find him at his weakest."

"I know," Jotaro clipped, "That's why I have to be prepared for if he reaches his strongest, and why I can't let Josephine get dragged into this mess anymore than she already has been."

Josephine, despite the growing tightness in her chest, spoke her protest, "But I'm already involved, aren't I? If his friend went back to him after what happened in the park then he definitely knows about me already."

"This is a fight you stay out of Josephine," he ordered firmly. "No arguments."

Josephine blinked, her expression wide and disbelieving, was Jotaro for real? "Hold on, how can you expect me to stay out of it now? You just told me that Pucci wants you dead! How am I supposed to just sit here and do nothing?"

"That's enough! I've had enough of you trying to push this!"

Josephine froze, her heart dropping into her stomach as his sudden outburst took her by brutal surprise. Jotaro's patience had snapped and his eyes were filled with a shaking ire as he continued, his voice rising furthur. "I've told you no over and over again, but you keep pushing it! You don't understand how dangerous this is, you've proven time and time again how irresponsible you are and I will not let you in on this, do you understand me?!"