[JoJo's Bizarre Adventure] Standstill Bonds

Chapter 49 ~ Fight for the Finish

As they emerged from the dense woods, Josephine and Polnareff called out to Giorno and Hiroshi, their voices echoing through the night air. Then, as if on cue, the two figures approached over a small hill, their faces wide and red with addrenaline, sweat dripping along the crevaces of their foreheads.

"Hey! Are you both alright?" Giorno called out.

"We're fine," Josephine replied, "But what about you two?"

Hiroshi nodded his head. "Our guy told us his name was Ankoku, he didn't stand a chance against Golden Experience Requiem, dude really learned nothing from last time." he said with a proud smirk, gesturing toward Giorno with a side jerk of his head.

"And Josephine handled Aoi with ease," Polnareff added, equally proud of Josephine.

Relief settled like a blanket over them all until Josephine's expression shifted, a sudden realization dawning in her eyes.

"Jotaro," she said, her voice barely a whisper. "If we've all faced Ankoku and Aoi, then Jotaro must be facing Pucci... and he hasn't returned yet."

A great sense of dread replaced the sheet of relief that had been over them. Before they were able to dwell on it further, Hiroshi pointed to the sky, his voice filled with confusion. "When did it suddenly become daytime?"

They all looked up, shielding their eyes from the sudden brightness as the sun appeared to rise in the blink of an eye. But just as quickly as it appeared, the sun set again, replaced by the familiar glow of the moon. The cycle repeated, each transition more disorienting than the last.

Giorno's eyes widened in realization, a chill running down his spine. "It's happening again," he murmured.

Josephine gasped, her heart sinking at the sight. "This must be Pucci's doing... Made in Heaven," she gasped, her voice trembling with horror. "We have to move now! We need to find Jotaro!"

As they raced northward, the world around them seemed to blur, the rapid transition between day and night matching the frantic rhythm of their pounding hearts. Josephine's fear propelled her forward, her legs moving faster than she ever thought possible. Finally, they reached their destination, and Josephine's heart sank as she saw Jotaro lying on the ground, battered, bleeding and unmoving. She rushed to his side, her voice trembling as she called out his name.

"Mr. Jotaro! Wake up, please!"

Dropping to her knees beside him, she struggled to lift his heavy form into her arms, desperation lending her strength as she shook him. "Mr. Jotaro! Please, we have to go!"

Jotaro's eyes flickered open, his body and voice weak as spoke to her. "Kid... Run. T-take the others, get out of here."

But Josephine shook her head defiantly, her grip tightening on him as she refused to leave his side, "No way Mr. Jotaro! I'm not leaving you!"

A menacing laugh cut through the air, freezing Josephine's blood as she looked up to see Pucci standing a few feet away, his dark silhouette outlined against the shifting sky with Made in Heaven hovered ominously behind him.

"It seems you've arrived just in time to witness your defeat. You poor fool Josephine, look around you, Heaven's Acceleration has begun, Jotaro has again proven himself too weak to defeat me."

His laughter echoed around them, mocking and cruel.

Jotaro gave Josephine a commanding gaze, "Kid, get out of here! That's an order, go find Giorno and the others!"

But Josephine refused to back down, her eyes blazing with defiance as she faced off against their formidable adversary. She may have been scared, but she knew she couldn't let fear paralyze her. Not when Jotaro's life hung in the balance, and not when the fate of the world was at stake.