A Sorrow Gift From The Past

September 27th, 1988.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wppROt_c5r4

After the Stardust Crusaders went to their beds, Joseph waited until midnight to go to sleep. Birthdays started to any meaning for him after reaching his 60s, but given the group's current mood, they would likely improvise a surprise party in the morning, so he had to prepare himself for it by having a good night's rest.

Closing his eyes inside his bedroom, Joseph suddenly wakes up in a white void, surrounded by emptiness.

Walking around in this strange place, he suddenly sees the silhouette of a tall, blue haired man, floating not farther than 10 meters from him.

"Good evening." The blue haired man greets the real estate tycoon. "It's a shame to have to meet you like this, Joseph Joestar..."

"Wh-Who are you?" Joseph stutters after hearing the voice echoing through the empty room.

"I don't blame you for not recognizing me..." He lowers his head after hearing the old man's response. "I don't think Erina had any pictures of our marriage saved after you were born."

After hearing his grandmother being mentioned, Joseph recoils in shock after recognizing the man who he's been talking to.

"So you're... Jonathan Joestar?" Joseph can't believe he is finally meeting his beloved grandfather.

"Yes. I am truly sorry to inform you of this, but Dio has finally taken over my body." Jonathan painfully informs his grandson.

"So you're... Dead?"

"Technically speaking, I have been dead for 100 years now." The spirit smiles despite the grim statement."I've been weakening Dio's power over me ever since he arose from the coffin, but after absorbing so much blood he managed to override my strength with his vampiric essence. The past few years have pushed me to the brink of insanity, but I wasn't able to keep Dio from reaching his peak form."

"Peak form? So he's fully healed?" Joseph is dumbfounded after hearing that.

"I'm afraid so. As far as I remember the last thing I saw him doing was training his body to see if he could still try out his vampiric abilities." Jonathan explains. "If he is able to replicate the freezing abilities he had back in my day, killing him off with Hamon will be a lot more difficult now."

"Hey, no need to blame yourself over this, Jonathan." Joseph tries to comfort his grandfather's phantom. "You'll finally be able to meet our family again! Grandma Erina, uncle Speedwagon, and both of my parents, too! You did the best you could, but Jotaro and the others can take it from here."

"You're too kind, Joseph!" Jonathan's genuine happiness is replaced by his sadness. "I'll try to look for your friend Caesar when I reach heaven too. They all must be pretty proud of us."

"It means a lot to me for you to say that--" Joseph starts thanking his ancestor, only to see his spirit fadig away.

"My time has come..." Jonathan laments. "Save your children, Joseph Joestar! We're all rooting for you."

"Wait, Jonathan!" Joseph panics after seeing his grandfather's spirit die in front of him. "Where is Dio? What is his stand capable of doing?"

"We'll meet again someday, Jojo..." Jonathan mutters his final words before disappearing into the air.

"JONATHAAAAAN!"

Joseph rises up from his head, sweat dripping down from his forehead as a startled Kakyoin stares at him.

"Having night terrors too, Mr. Joestar?" The high schooler worries about his senior's well being.

"No, I just had a dream that brought me back to the past... It felt more like a vision than anything." Joseph covers his face with his hands.

"You're free to talk to me if you want to." Kakyoin sits down across the bed. "I almost destroyed the Cessna when I was sleeping, so I might as well help you out with your problems to make things up."

Smiling at the boy, Joseph wipes the sweat from his face and starts telling his dream to Kakyoin as the sun rises above them.