Standstill Bonds

Chapter 29 ~ A Snake in the Trees

Holly's car tore through the park, bouncing over uneven ground, leaving deep skidmarks in her wake as she grinded the car to a halt once she got where they needed to be. Jotaro and Holly quickly got out and helped Polnareff into his mechanical wheelchair.

"Jotaro," Polnareff spoke quickly, his voice taut with worry, "where exactly is she right now?"

Jotaro glanced down at the GPS tracker, "She's been in the same spot for too long," he replied, a cold knot forming in his chest. "We need to get there fast."

With Polnareff secured, they raced through the park, leaving Holly to stand by the car. Jotaro's thoughts churned with anger, fear, and a deep desire for vengeance.

"I'm gonna kill him, I swear I'm gonna kill him if he's done anything to her!" Jotaro growled, his eyes blazing.

Polnareff remained silent, his thoughts a silent prayer for Josephine's safety. The urgency in their movements heightened as they neared the clearing, the place where Josephine was last located. Jotaro sprinted ahead of his friend and when he broke through the treeline to the clearing, his heart sank at the sight before him. On the other side, Josephine staggered toward him, pale and trembling, as if every ounce of energy had been drained from her.

"Josephine!" Jotaro shouted, rushing to her side.

He reached her just in time, catching her as she collapsed into his arms. Her body was weak, her breathing shallow and ragged. As he lowered himself to the ground, cradling her, a deep sense of dread crept through him.

"Mr. J-Jotaro," she stammered, her voice thin and frightened. She clutched his jacket, her hands trembling. "I... I don't feel so good. S-something's wrong..."

Jotaro's heart ached at the sight of her. The fear in her eyes, the way her body seemed to grow weaker with every passing second; she was utterly terrified. "What happened?" he asked urgently. "Did Pucci hurt you?"

Josephine's breath grew increasingly uneven as she seemingly struggled to stay conscious. "I-I don't know... I feel... so strange." Her words were punctuated by stutters, as though the effort to speak was becoming too much. "Mr. Jotaro... I'm scared."

Her admission of fear shattered whatever resolve Jotaro had left. Josephine was always tough, always defiant, but now she looked fragile, like a lost child. He held her tighter, his voice softening despite the panic that clawed at him. "You're alright. Just hang on."

Josephine's eyes fluttered as she tried to speak again, her voice barely above a whisper. "Please, Mr. Jotaro... I-I just want to go home... p-please, take me home."

The words were like a dagger to his chest. Her plea was so innocent, so full of fear and confusion. Whatever she had endured had broken her in a way Jotaro had never seen. He swallowed hard, his throat tight as he spoke, yet his voice was low and notably tender. "Don't worry, kid. I'll take you home. Everything's going to be okay."

She managed the faintest smile, as if his words brought her a slither of comfort. But before Jotaro could say anything else, her eyes clouded over, and her body went limp in his arms.

"Josephine?" Jotaro's voice cracked as he gently shook her, trying to rouse her from whatever trance had befallen her. "Josephine, wake up!"

His hands, usually so steady, now trembled as they cupped her face. "Come on, kid. Snap out of it!"

Polnareff wheeled up, his face pale as he saw the scene unfolding before him. "Oh no," he muttered under his breath, but then, something caught his eye, something moving above them.

"Jotaro!" Polnareff yelled, pointing upwards, his voice urgent. "Look up!"

Jotaro's head snapped upward, just in time to see White Snake retreating into the trees, its arm dragging two glimmering discs; Josephine's Stand and her memories along with it. For a moment, Jotaro was frozen, the reality of what had just happened sinking in like a physical blow. His stomach churned as he watched White Snake disappear, taking with it everything that made Josephine who she was. Pucci had stolen Josephine's soul, her Stand, her very essence, and now she was little more than an empty shell, just as he had once been.

It all crushed him, and for the first time in what felt like an eternity, Jotaro Kujo; the man who faced countless adversaries without flinching, let out a scream that tore through the entire woods. It wasn't just a scream of anger; it was raw, unfiltered anguish, the kind that comes from the deepest, most wounded part of a person. Jotaro's world had crumbled around him, the echoes of the past resurfacing in a cruel twist of fate. The once strong and unyielding man was left vulnerable, a father haunted by the spectre of loss.

He clutched Josephine's lifeless body tighter to his chest, his voice breaking as he vented his grief, "Dammit, Josephine... why did you have to meet me? Why did you get involved in this mess? You stupid kid, why?!"

His words turned into a self-lashing lament, each one a dagger of guilt. "Why did I let you get so close? How did I allow someone so pure to get dragged into this?"

Polnareff, his own heart breaking for Jotaro, rolled his chair closer and put a firm hand on his shoulder. He squeezed hard, knowing Jotaro needed something, anything to pull him back from the edge.

"What happened to her, Jotaro?" Polnareff asked, his voice gentle. "What was that... thing that just disappeared?"

Jotaro closed his eyes, taking a deep, shuddering breath as he forced himself to think clearly. When he spoke, his voice was low, level. "Pucci," he muttered, the name laced with venom. "He got his Stand, White Snake, back. It used its ability to steal Josephine's Stand and memories. She's... incapacitated."

Jotaro looked down at Josephine's unconscious form in his arms, cupping her face with a feeling of both tenderness and despair. "She's not dead... but she will be if we don't get her Stand back in time."

-

Holly's eyes widened in shock as she saw Jotaro emerge from the woods, Josephine's limp body cradled in his arms. She rushed forward, her hands covering her mouth in horror.

"Oh my god..." she gasped, her voice shaking.

Before she could say more, Jotaro cut her off sharply. "She's not dead, but we need to get her back to the house. Now."

Holly didn't hesitate. She quickly ushered everyone into the car, her hands trembling as she opened the door. Polnareff settled into the back seat with Holly's help, and Jotaro climbed in next to him, still holding Josephine as if letting her go might make her slip away entirely. The drive back was shrouded in silence, the only sound being the hum of the car's engine.

Jotaro glanced down at the girl, her face remarkably peaceful in her unconscious state despite what had happened. Every weakening breath she took was a reminder of the ticking clock hanging over them all. Guilt and determination warred within him as the car sped through the streets. Jotaro silently vowed that no matter the cost, he would save her. He would not fail again