The intense combination of healing magics, spells and energies thrown upon Giorno by the healers did have stellar results; the open wound on Giorno's chest slowly stitched itself back together with wounded flesh and tissue rapidly regenerating, and the blood loss quickly subsided as the wound closed in on itself and, eventually, vanished.
A few seconds passed... and yet, Giorno still remained motionless on the ground.
His skin was still pale and practically cadaverous, and the warmth of his body continued to dwindle. A series of heavy footsteps from behind the healers signaled Jotaro, who approached the body, kneeling down next to the soon-to-be-corpse of Giorno Giovanna.
"Damn, something's wrong... Star Platinum!" Jotaro called out his Stand, which emerged from his back and held up a hand to its 'ear', as if it was listening for something within Giorno's body. A second later, Jotaro's eyes narrowed, and he let out an irritated sigh.
"His heart isn't pumping. Tch, give me a second."
"ORA!"
Without any hesitation, Star Platinum rose upward from Jotaro and cocked back its fist like a taut bowstring. The Stand's fist shot forward towards the boy's chest, and... it completely phased through his chest, like the hand of a ghost. The muffled sound of Star Platinum clutching something soft and rubbery beneath Giorno's chest could be heard, as Jotaro himself went absolutely still with concentration, whispering a count under his breath.
Ba-bum.
Ba-bum.
Ba-bum.
Star Platinum's ears could hear it; blood beginning to circulate through Giorno's veins. The boss' pale skin slowly regained its color as Star Platinum carefully released the now-beating heart of Giorno Giovanna and retracted its hand from his chest. Jotaro glanced at whoever was watching the 'operation' and nodded, standing up at his full height once more as Star Platinum vanished back into his body.
A few seconds more, and Giorno Giovanna suddenly shot up like a zombie from the grave, loudly gasping for air and clutching his chest. His panicked eyes frantically scanned the surroundings for a few moments before, as expected to Giorno, quickly receding back into their familiar, calm mien.
"Welcome back," Jotaro spat, walking over and offering a hand to Giorno, who graciously took it and was pulled back up onto his feet.
"Ah, th-thank you, everyone... I think I was clinically dead for awhile," the younger contemplated, holding his aching chest and looking around quizzically. Slowly, his senses returned online one by one; the blinding light of the sun shining over a flooded Academy City subsided, and so did the ringing in his ears.
Jotaro dug his hands into his pockets, looking to Giorno.
"The Arrow is--"
"Gone."
"--Huh?"
Giorno's voice was abruptly cold and absolute.
"I recalled it leaving my hands before I was knocked unconscious. Enrico Pucci took it. Or, rather," he said, turning his head to Pucci's fished-up corpse,
"Someone else took it. What about the tip of Gungnir?"
"..."
Giorno blinked, and sighed.
"...I see. That is... what I expected, if Pucci was a diversion."
The Don Giovanna turned his back to Jotaro and the ones who revived him, gazing out at the calm, wavy sea that consumed Academy City. The sun peeking over the horizon of a drowned city seemed a rather fitting metaphor for where Giorno Giovanna currently stood on the path to his dream. He already predicted that this would've happen, yet the feeling of him allowing this reality to happen was... many things. He was not distraught, or angry, or depressed, or even falling into the depths of despair. It felt like he could just become a balloon and float away from this.
At least that feeling only lasted for a second.
"...Well, let's go."
"What?"
Giorno turned to Jotaro, Jolyne, Ermes, Diego-- whoever was listening.
"It will take much more than a flesh wound to break my resolve. I have a dream that I know is just... and as long as I am breathing, my resolve will carry me on that path that I have chosen! That is all that needs to be said."
"We don't have any time to waste. Jolyne, Jotaro, Ermes, father... let's go."
"...Hmph, I trust you all to handle Othinus... but, I didn't get my fair share of punches on Marian and Jiren," Jotaro sneered,
turning to look at the group that is going after the energy signatures and sauntering off to join them.
Giorno nodded and looked to Jolyne who he knew was going to choose the group without her father.
"Do you think you could make a bridge or long rope of string, Jolyne?"
With no breaking stride, the dream remains alive.
@Ver @Jeremi @Hood Rat @Whoever
