[JoJo's Bizarre Adventure] Standstill Bonds

Chapter 48 ~ The Rematch

As they reached the clearing, the figure before them pulled down his hood, his green hair flowing over his shoulders; their opponent was Aoi. Josephine stood close beside Polnareff as he set aside his laptop, ready to face their foe together.

"Well well, look who decided to come back for more. I never told you my name did I? It is Aoi, and it will be the last name you learn." he taunted, "I must admit, I didn't expect to see you again after our last little tussle, didn't learn your lesson did you?"

Josephine's jaw clenched and her fists tightened at her sides, "I learned plenty! I'm not the same person I was back then, I'm stronger now." she declared fiercely.

Aoi's smirk widened as he looked towards Polnareff, who had summoned Silver Chariot beside him. "Ah, so you brought your crippled friend along... tell me, Josephine, just how much did your precious Jotaro actually teach you if you still can't fight on your own..."

Josephine's brow narrowed at his words, her eyes closing as she took in a long breath. After a moment of contemplation, she turned towards her friend. "Stand down, Polnareff," she said firmly, "This is my fight."

"But Josephine, you can't take him on alone. What if-"

"I said stand down, I can handle this."

Polnareff's mouth fell open in pleading, "Mon ami please, it's good to be brave, but it's better to be wise."

"Thank you, Polnareff," she said softly, "But he's right, this is something I have to do on my own."

With a final nod of understanding, Polnareff reluctantly complied, wheeling back slightly to give Josephine the space she needed. Though his worry for her remained, he trusted in her strength, yet he was prepared to step in if things got desperate.

As Josephine took a firm step forward, her stand hovered behind her. The setting sun filtered through the dense canopy above, casting an eerie orange glow. Aoi summoned his own stand and Josephine narrowed her eyes at the sight, her mind already racing with strategies to counter his abilities. She knew she had to find a way to defeat his stand without allowing it to regenerate its arms.

The fading light offered her a potential advantage, as Josephine realized that eventually Aoi's stand would be unable to regenerate its arms in the darkness. However, she knew that Aoi was probably not one to overlook such a vulnerability, and she had to be cautious in her approach. She decided to rely on her stand's speed and agility to outmaneuver Aoi's stand and land sharp blows to her enemy.

With a deep breath, Josephine steadied herself as she prepared to face him, she was resolved to emerge triumphant, no matter what.

As their stands then suddenly clashed in a mix of shadows and green tendrils, the air exploaded with power. Their abilities collided and intertwined, each seeking to gain the upper hand over one another. Aoi's stand lashed out with its vine-like arms, seeking to ensnare, but she deftly evaded the strikes, her stand darting and weaving through the darkness. However, Aoi's stand proved resilient, its regenerative abilities allowing it to quickly recover from any damage inflicted by Josephine's attacks even in the little light still available.

"What has Pucci ever done for you?" Josephine demanded, breath heaving. "Do you honestly believe that murderer cares for you? You just a pawn on his chessboard to him!"

Aoi's wall remained solid, his faith in Pucci unshakeable. "Father Pucci's plan will bring about peace and clarity for humanity, even if I am but a means to an end, it is a sacrifice I am willing to make for the greater good."

Their fight reached a critical moment as both stands became locked against each other. Josephine's stand gripped Aoi's vine arms tightly with its claws the two pushing against each other with all their strength.

Polnareff watched on with his heart pounding in his chest. As the sunlight faded completely and the clouds opened up for the moon overhead, Josephine pressed her advantage, her stand leaping back and blows raining down upon Aoi's stand with immense force that knocked him and his stand back across the ground. When he looked up, Josephine stood illuminated by the moonlit spotlight.

Aoi's rage boiled over as he saw her seemingly vulnerable stance and he charged forward ready to strike her down. Polnareff's voice rang out in panic, urging Josephine to move or defend herself, but she remained still, seemingly open to attack. As Aoi's stand reached her, its movements abruptly halted as if hitting an invisible barrier. A look of confusion crossed his face as he felt a constriction around his own throat, mirroring the effect on his stand as he gasped for air. "What... What's happening?" he stammered, clawing at his neck.

"You underestimated me Aoi," she declared, her voice unwavering despite the chaos unfolding around them. "You thought I was defenseless, but you were wrong."

As Josephine spoke, her stand revealed itself, rippling and glittering in a mystical, even beautiful veil; as if the stars had embedded themselves into it's pitch black cloak.

"I'd learned a secret or two training on my own, my stand possesses the ability of invisibility, not just in shadows, but in the light of the moon as well, at my bidding. You never saw it coming."

Aoi's expression shifted from confusion to frustration, his earlier confidence crumbling.

"I don't understand..." he muttered, his voice trailing off.

"I'm not the scared kid you once knew, Aoi," she declared assertively, "I've grown stronger, and now, it's time for you to face the consequences of underestimating me, for coming after me!"

With that, Josephine's stand struck with repeated devastating blows that sent Aoi hurtling backward, crashing against a nearby tree. Josephine breathed heavily, the aftermath of the intense battle evident in her exhausted form. Sweat glistened on her forehead, mingling with the strands of dark hair stuck across her face. She stood slightly hunched, leaning forward with her hands braced on her knees as she caught her breath.

Polnareff wheeled over to her, grasping her hand in both of his, "You did amazing, mon ami. Are you alright?"

Josephine straightened up stiffly, offering a weary smile. "Yeah, I'm okay, let's find the others."

They began to move away, but were halted by Aoi's voice as he lay defeated against the tree, looking back at her with sunken, confused eyes. "Why... why didn't you just...finish me off?"

Josephine's turned and looked at him, but this time without fear nor fury, but something like sadness or pity, "Because I'm not like Pucci, I believe in giving people a chance to find the right path, you'd be wise not to waste that chance."

Aoi's eyes widened in astonishment at the mercy she so easily afforded him despite everything. He fell silent, pondering her words and questioning everything he thought to be true as he watched Josephine and Polnareff continue on their way, leaving him alone to contemplate his future choices.