The fear of the ocean

10 - The Ocean

And time resumes.

*

Jotaro felt like he was floating, drifting in the air, maybe in water. He knew he was closing his eyes for he was enveloped in darkness, but he couldn't move a single muscle. He couldn't remember what he was doing before that got him into this situation, whatever it was. Jotaro suddenly heard the gentle lapping of water at his ear, some of it entering it, causing a strange ringing to fill his ears, and in the distance, he could hear a wave crash. Something brushed past his fingers, smooth and slippery. Something nudged his hands, making a 'click' sound as it continued to gently prod Jotaro's immobile body. When the source of the poking left, Jotaro was able to slowly pry his eyelids open.

There was a blue sky above him, a magnificent gradient of navy and baby blue, cotton candy clouds sluggishly drifted past in the gentle breeze. A massive flock of white birds flew past in a triangle formation. It was the most beautiful sky Jotaro had ever seen. Slowly, the feeling of all his limbs returned to Jotaro, and he carefully sat up to find himself sitting a little bit below the surface of the water. Jotaro hastily tried getting up, but stumbled and fell back, splashing water onto himself, his limbs had not fully awakened. Now that he looked around, Jotaro realized that all around him, was just water, just like in the middle of an ocean. He looked down, and pressed a hand onto the invisible surface he was sitting on, just a few centimeters below the water's surface. Speaking of the water, it was perfectly clear, almost like glass. It was crystal clear, with that signature blue of the ocean's waters. He could see straight down to the bed, were corals of such festive colors resided. Fish of all sorts of species swam back and forth under Jotaro's shadow, some even looked fantastical. Jotaro plunged his head under, and some fish swam up closer to kiss his face before shyly cowering. Seaweed grew abundant too, the long leaves swayed elegantly with the gentle current, leaves reaching out and up for the sun that shone so gently above.

Jotaro took his head out of the water, and sighed.

Where was he? As pleasant as this beautiful land of water was, he needed to find Pucci and save Jolyne. Jotaro got up, coat soaked through, and looked around once more before heading off in a random direction in hopes of figuring out his bearings.

But then Jotaro dawned upon something. Maybe he was dead.

No.

He was dead.

He remembered Pucci slicing his face with Made in Heaven. Jotaro reached for his right eye, and when he drew his hand back, blood stained his wet fingers, the blood mixing with the crystal water.

Jotaro's arm went limp as he stared off into the distance. A dolphin arced through the air, clicking happily as it splashed back under the water.

Jotaro's knees buckled under him, and for the first time in years, he broke down to cry.

Only two things could make him cry. Family and Kakyoin. Jolyne ran through his mind. Would she be safe? Had he done enough for her to defeat Pucci? Jotaro's hat fell into the water, floating on the surface, drifting away.

"I'm so tired." He muttered, wiping tears from his face. He had done wrong to Kakyoin, who had gone missing, who  he knew cried over him because Kakyoin relied so heavily on him, who was always alone, who needed Jotaro for human warmth and love and friendship. His wife and daughter, who he had so stupidly shoved aside in place for his line of work in the stand department of Speedwagon. He wished he had spent more time with his dear girl Jolyne, who was only so young when he forced himself to travel all over to prevent enemy stands from targeting them. He should have explained to Marina what was going on, so that the divorce would have been less harsh on her.