Standstill Bonds

Chapter 42 ~ Preparations

The next morning, Josephine awoke with renewed strength; her Stand was back and Holly's matcha tea had given her a boost of energy. She stretched, testing her limbs, feeling tired, but stronger than she expected. The relief of simply being alive and free from the haze of near-death was immense. There was still much to do however and Pucci loomed like a shadow over them all. As Josephine made her way to the lounge, Polnareff was the first to spot her. His eyes lit up, and a broad grin spread across his face as he wheeled himself toward her.

"Oh, mon cher!" he exclaimed affectionately, "I'm so relieved to see you up and about. We were all worried sick!"

Before she could respond, Polnareff pulled her into a warm hug, his cheek brushing hers as he kissed both sides of her face in his usual French fashion. "It's good to have you back."

Josephine returned the hug with equal warmth, her heart swelling with appreciation. "Thank you, Polnareff, it's good to be back."

After their embrace, Giorno stepped forward, his posture elegant and composed. His golden hair caught the light, and his eyes, usually so piercing, softened with a quiet empathy. "Buongiorno," he greeted in his smooth Italian, inclining into a polite bow. "It's good to finally meet you properly, Josephine. I am Giorno Giovanna. Signore Jotaro and Polnareff have spoken highly of you. I'm here to help fight Pucci, and I'm truly glad to see you well. We were all very concerned."

Josephine smiled, slightly bowing her head in response. "Thank you, Giorno. It's good to meet you too, it means a lot that you came."

Next came Hiroshi, who stood off to the side, shuffling awkwardly. He glanced down at his feet before clearing his throat, stepping up hesitantly. "Uh, JoJo..." he started, his tone unusually awkward. "I just wanted to say... I'm really sorry for how I acted before. I know I was a jerk. I hope we can, you know, move past that. Maybe even be friends?" His words trailed off, uncertain, as he shifted nervously.

Josephine sighed, her lips curling into a smile as she extended her hand. "Of course, Hiroshi. Friends it is," she said warmly, shaking his hand. "I knew you'd come around eventually."

Hiroshi let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, a relieved grin spreading across his face. "Thanks, JoJo."

Polnareff raised an eyebrow at the recognisable nickname he knew Jotaro to have during their Egypt travels. "Why do you call her that?" he asked curiously.

Hiroshi scratched the back of his head, looking sheepish. "Well... it was kind of a joke at first, you know? Putting her name and Mr. Jotaro's together. But I guess it kinda stuck." He paused, suddenly worried he might have offended her. "If you don't like it, I can-"

Josephine waved a hand dismissively, her smile widening. "It's fine, Hiroshi. Honestly, it has a nice ring to it."

Just then, Jotaro entered the room and without a word, he ruffled Josephine's hair in a rare, publicly affectionate gesture, "You're up."

With a click of his fingers, the team gathered, forming a huddle. It would be an understatement to say the group was feeling tense, they had survived a major confrontation and saved Josephine from Pucci's clutches, but he was still out there, and the threat he posed was only growing. 

Jotaro spoke first, his gaze sweeping over everyone around him, "We know Pucci's not going to sit idly by after losing those Stand discs. He'll be on high alert. We have to assume that his Stand may have evolved into C-Moon, or might soon. If he reaches Made in Heaven, we're in big trouble."

Polnareff nodded grimly. "I doubt he's still playing the role of the local priest, but he won't leave the city just yet. He's not done with us, and he's surely gaining power by the day."

Giorno's brow furrowed in thought. "Our best option is to narrow down possible locations where he might be hiding."

Hiroshi, though still new to the group, felt compelled to contribute "What about his followers? He's got at least two that we know of. If we can find them, maybe we can get a lead on him too?"

Josephine, who had been listening intently, leaned forward, a plan already forming in her mind. "We could divide our efforts," she suggested. "Search the city in smaller teams. If we spread out, we can cover more ground."

Jotaro nodded, acknowledging the merit of her idea. "We'll do what Josephine has suggested and commute the city to search, and as Hiroshi mentioned, if we find anyone connected to Pucci, we must do our best to drag information out of them. It won't be easy. Pucci's dangerous, and his Stand's powers makes him unpredictable. But we're a team, we'll get through this if we have each other's backs."