Vento Imperiale, Gold and Purple (Fate/JoJo Part 5 Xover) [COMPLETE]

[JBukharin]

Chapter 1: Promising Flower, Part 1


Warning: It's advised by yours truly to first read Fate:True Bizarre to avoid any confusions regarding what is going on with this story since this is the sequel to that story.


Sakura Kujo didn't like scammers.


After spending years growing under the honest lessons from her adoptive parents, the former Matou girl had long attained a moral code that was strict and undeniably unbreakable. And if there was one thing that pissed her the most were those few people that tried to trick naive individuals into trusting them before quickly abusing their hopes for their gains. Koichi's resolution in stopping the blond-haired dummy that had tried to steal their luggage was admirable as expected, but he failed to deal with the problem at once as the scammer was now running away, potentially going to hurt more people in the process. Sakura would have normally remained calm and admonished the short young man for not doing more instead of just delivering the Stand version of a slap in the wrist, but her interest to catch up with the running thief was also tied to the fact she knew he had something more than just the standard criminal's appearance. He had something that intrigued her and that urged her to give chase.


At first she thought he was aware of the pursuit, but she was surprised when the young man eventually stopped to find cover by a nearby open parking lot. The girl slowed down, her eyes narrowing fiercely as she found her own spot to see if this was a trick or not. Hiding behind a tree, the girl gazed and frowned over the blond's behavior, the young man looking left and right as if trying to find any witnesses or… something else. She could tell from the way he quickly gazed at his watch that he was waiting for someone or something to come at him, but what exactly was behind that wait, the girl had yet to know. It should have been a boring trip until she managed to get to Rome. Caren was definitely waiting for her as they both had interesting plans to make their times together as memorable as previous times. With their fathers having built quite the friendly relationship with one another, it was easy for them to grow close and friendly between each other. Plus, they both could relate to a temporary childhood filled with unpleasantness, with Sakura having to admit that despite the sheer horror of her own time within the Matou Family, Caren's own illness made for quite the unpleasant circumstance to live with.


Hence why the plum-haired girl wanted this matter to be solved at once as she had things to do after she was done with this mysterious thief and why he gave her a sense of 'pull' that sounded a kind of attraction, but not of the romantic kind. It was similar to something she had felt through Jolyne or her father. And even her mother. It was a pull only those that bore a connection with her family could feel and… her 'birthmark', the one that was conceived during the last fight of the Holy Grail War which saw a closure of the competition for good, burned to prove this was indeed the case. But why? And how? Despite having learned in recent years that her great-grandpa had cheated on someone as nice as Suzy Q and had a son with a Japanese woman, there was no way that Joseph did it again and in Italy. Not when he never went to Italy beyond a day-long trip together he made many decades ago with his wife so he could speak with the family of a former comrade and bring up the news of his demise to them. So, how did a Joestar end up in Italy of all possible places? Her curiosity demanded a direct answer to that circumstance. Much to her surprise, someone actually arrived at the destination, sneaking on the distracted blond. The malicious-looking man with short brown hair and blue eyes was wearing a coat with flower patterns covering it over a button-up shirt.


The very element that really caught her attention was the shovel he was holding tightly by the wooden body. The larger end looked sharper than it should have been for the normal tool, the letters 'SPQR' engraved right by the big arrow-like edge of the shovel. She was fairly distant, so she couldn't catch much of what they were saying, but Sakura could tell he was bad news from the way he moved. Sloshed, a bit hunched, he was restraining his frustration. From a clearer sight, it was easy for the girl to deduce it was connected to the blond. Another scammed client? This time a criminal? Sakura's posture was tense as she felt the urge to intervene in case things got too intense. Her gaze followed them then sitting by a nearby bench but the older man easily got angry at the calm outlook presented by the young criminal. And it was there that Sakura saw… a frog? The small green amphibian jumped smoothly and calmly near to the blond, clearly moving up to approach him. She had read plenty of books about frogs, at least those that tied up to the marine knowledge her father had as it was a subject they both liked, and this wasn't a normal behavior for a small creature of this kind. The brunet noticed and he raised his voice in anger at that interruption, eventually trying to hit the frog as it climbed on the blond's body up to the left side of his stomach. The shovel was already moving when Sakura started to take steps towards them but… Her intervention proved to be unnecessary as the strike didn't do anything to the young man.


Shock exploded as soon as she noticed the frog was fine and that the blond hadn't received any visible damage on himself. The young man spoke up, something she barely could hear about the frog being essential and… something was incredibly off about the speech. Especially to the one it was directed to from the looks of it. The older criminal didn't say anything. He didn't even move or react at Giorno's words as Sakura knew that the reason why he stood frozen in that very moment connected to the noticeable indentation left on the side of his head. As if he had been struck by his own shovel despite that having not happened. Did she miss something? Was this a case of time-stop? Doubtful, especially when she could tell when someone froze time nearby due to having spent so much time with her father as he used his Stand from time to time to keep the ability at least sharp without damaging or straining his body. And as that issue fell over, unconscious and definitely in critical conditions, the girl's stare was back at the original reason for her to be there and… her anger exploded once more when she saw the frog slowly morphing and revealing a familiar bag. That was Koichi's luggage.


"Hey!" Sakura exclaimed, her common sense ditched in a brief moment of irritation that sprung her from her cover. The loudness of her call drew the scammer's gaze and… he froze as he saw her approach so quickly and so furiously. In a moment that was as amusing as worrying for the young man himself, he barely managed to take a step back from retreating away from the girl that she still managed to get right in range to strike him on his cheek. A single punch and, despite their size differences, her hit proved to be strong enough to let him fall back on the ground, surprise painted in his face as he let go of the very luggage the girl picked up. "That isn't yours!"


"You are… the girl- the one with the Japanese tourist."


"Yes, and you are the thief that actually stole Koichi's luggage. How dare you?" She chided fiercely. "I don't see what you gain from this."


He blinked. "Money?"


The answer didn't seem good enough to amuse the plum-haired girl, not from the deadly glare she was giving him. There was a moment of pause, one that granted the blond a glance at something that felt quite unusual on the girl. Something that was barely visible, but he recognized quickly as his eyes widened in interest.


"You… you have that mark too."


"Yes. The Joestar Birthmark," Sakura answered curtly, and her fury weakened at that reminder. The reason why she gave chase. "You have it too."


"The… Joestar Birthmark?"


"It means that you are somewhat family. But… I don't know why."


A frown, a perplexed one at that, appeared on the blond's face as he slowly got up and dusted himself before sparing a calm look at the shorter individual. Soon, he brought his right hand up and placed it on his chest. "By the way, my name is Giorno Giovanna, signorina."


"Sakura Kujo."


Surprise returned on his face. "Kujo? And Sakura? Are you perhaps a Japanese too?"


"I was born and lived for a few years there. Any trouble with that?"


"Just surprised to actually find a Japanese signorina being so experienced in Italian," Giorno replied without hesitation. "Your accent is… quite Roman."


"I've studied with a friend of mine that lives there. Truly an interesting dialect, isn't it?"


She already knew it was a surprise for many as this was something she had put a lot of effort into getting down as fluently as possible. It really made her pass for a native from Rome and made anyone learning of her upbringing shocked for a while about her current disposition. But while the surprise remained for a while, the young man ultimately managed to get his mindset brought back on the important topics of this whole interaction.


"Look, we might have started on the wrong foot. How about we walk to a nice cafe I know about and we discuss the fact we are… family?"


"With money you stole from someone? Like from 'him'?" Sakura rebuked while glancing back at the unconscious man.


"You mean Leaky-Eye Luca? He is the one that controls all criminal affairs in Naples by Passione's will. He is the one that introduced drugs to kids and forces every thug in the city to pay tribute to him," Giorno explained, looking down at the still unconscious brunet. "Passione is the crime group that has taken over most of the nation. Some even say that they are the legitimate rulers of Italia through their influence."


Sakura's blue eyes widened. The Mafia had actually taken over the government? She knew they were clashing with the regular police frequently due to new governments trying to wrestle the control of some zones from Passione, the gang being a familiar topic that was brought up a lot by both Caren and her father Kirei since the Church had a rather negative view of the group. Too brutal, too unpredictable, too uncontrollable. Still, there was no way she was going to trust Giorno in buying her food with stolen money.


"And you are planning to use money you stole from others?"


"I… I have some Lires which I gained legitimately. And I would never allow a fine signorina to pay for me. I'm a proper good man."


Her distrusting look proved how little she thought of him, letting him grimace for a while as they ultimately went off to finally bring an end to the debacle for good or… start something much bigger out of it. Because, while Sakura thought little of Giorno due to the first impression she got of him, the words he had for her to listen, driven by genuine goodness, were going to make her think otherwise of him and…


Am I forgetting about something important?


Somewhere close to where the two were going, a certain silver-haired young man panicked as he rushed around the streets of Naples in the effort of finding out what happened to Jotaro's daughter and his luggage. This 'vacation' sure was taking a wild twist already and… he wasn't liking any of it at all!


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AN


And the sequel is now out!


Next chapters are going to be about double if not triple the current size of this one.

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 2: Promising Flower, Part 2

Giorno Giovanna was… surprised to learn that he had a family that wasn't tied to his father or his mother. The shock came mostly from the fact that his 'cousin' knew so much about the situation tied to Dio Brando, or 'DIO' as the megalomaniac tended to call himself as, and how the main genes that produced him, weren't of Dio. But of one Jonathan Joestar.

It was a most confusing circumstance due to the explanation tied to Hamon and how Dio had been a vampire. Truly odd, but not something he could consider a lie despite how much he tried to think of it as. Not because he didn't believe his doubts, but rather he felt a sense of trust and genuineness in Sakura's voice and words that had him nod in agreement while he listened to the tale she had for him. He couldn't help but grasp at the idea that this Jonathan Joestar, a long-deceased nobleman, was actually his father. A kind man with a caring nature towards people and nature- he could believe it, he knew it was true. And the fact that only a Joestar could bear that kind of birthmark further impressed on him the notion that Dio, the man he long thought was his direct parent, was none other than a disingenuous man. Sure, he could praise that much ambition within a man, but the fact he eagerly rushed to commit a heinous crime with it just made him sick and disturbed by the vampire's behavior. The reason why one Koichi Hirose had decided to visit was actually to make sure Giorno wasn't Dio's heir in terms of attitude.

Upsetting as a discovery as it was, Giorno knew that the worry was well-reasoned. And there was no reason for him to be somewhat compliant to answer a few questions when the short Japanese young man managed to find them. At first the silver-haired tourist was upset, guarded, but Sakura's sternness, something he could tell was a diluted if not copied version of a tougher individual's own charisma, was quick to curb any sense of reluctance to engage in a conversation. Giorno was, of course, 'urged' to return the luggage he stole. It was a bit of an upsetting defeat, but not really something he minded. If he wanted to not get hounded by some of his father's old foes, it was best to at least behave and show them that he was far from being the monster Dio Brando was. And Koichi was willing to listen to his answers despite the rocky first meeting.

"So, your mother decided to first move to Japan, where she had you, and then she returned to Italy when she married?"

Giorno nodded. "It was quite the hasty decision, but she thought it would have been for the best if we all went back 'home' in a sense."

The decision had been 'really' hasty. The woman hadn't even taken a moment to think about it when her 'beloved husband' mentioned that they could do that trip, she had jumped at the hope of getting back to reconnect to her family. A stupid move to many considering the main reason she was disowned was tied to her illegal job at the time. Prostitution was, after all, illegal in Italy, no matter how widespread of a job it was in most regions.

"And how did you… you know, turn into a criminal?" Koichi pressed, wanting to know more about the man that just ended up stealing his things so easily.

"The correct term is Gang-Star. I'm not the usual petty thief, so I would like to be considered as such."

Sakura hummed at that fierce response, tilting her head to the side to further enchant her confused display.

"What's the difference?"

Giorno's blue eyes turned to her with a determined look.

"Resolve."

The power many ignored or thought outright unreachable to many. And yet the issue wasn't the capacity to be brave and win through the situation, it was to keep true strength before danger and boldly endure a victory or a defeat with confidence and unbreakable willpower.

"So, you believe resolve alone matters the most? What about morality?"

"If it comes to protect myself or others, I would be willing to kill."

That was a solid answer, and yet he could actually see how it wasn't what she had asked for. It just felt natural for him to say that, and… yet it was wrong.

"It wasn't what I asked. I wanted to know what your take on your own morality is, the one that is already flexible."

"What about it?"

"If you were to decide whenever letting children die or preserve your ambition, which one would you pick?"

The question sounded so incredibly unpleasant, but not because of the topic. But because of the ramification. If Giorno picked either, he would betray parts of himself. On the one hand, his ambition is trying to make children's childhood here in Italy more bearable and to put an end to the criminal grasp that killed their first years of life, and on the other hand, he would lose that integrity that shaped his life up to that very moment. And both were… non-negotiable.

"Why do I have to choose?"

Sakura blinked at that rebuttal. "What?"

"Why should I decide when I could easily save these children while also reinforcing my valor through it? Why abandon one to satisfy the other when both are elements that need to coexist for me to be truthful to myself and the world?" He elaborated with an incredibly serious voice. "If I concede just once, then I will always fail. The dread will remain, the humiliation will remain… and my integrity shall remain broken after committing to either choice. That's my resolve."

She smiled a knowing and happy smile. There was a brief pause of a couple of seconds, and then the girl spoke up again, this time bearing a small proclamation by her lips.

"I think I will join him." The plum-haired girl said with a serious tone.

...

"W-Wait, what?"

"I will make most of the trip with Giorno," Sakura confirmed resolutely, smiling at the shock on Koichi's face. "First, I want to know more about my cousin. It would be wrong for me as his family to just decide to outright leave him right now that he is pretty much aimless."

"But your father-"

"Will be a bit surprised because I'm making the trek with someone, but you will tell him that I know what I'm doing. After all, I'm just with my family."

...Giorno was really unsure how to tackle this very response. Family, the concept sounded so foreign and alien- so detached from what he grew up to be. He had family, a family that mattered. A family he could care for. He realized that deep down Sakura's words weren't just about family. It was about understanding. This… this felt more than mere familiar kinship- it felt like she could relate to a point, that he could understand his points clearer than anyone.

It made him feel so intrigued, and yet so worried. Was that a weakness he had to be wary about? He decided that he would think more about it, maybe try to find a greater answer to that mess of questions within his head. The young man could just tell that being around her for a while was eventually going to lead him to the answers he sought. Koichi's hesitation persisted for a while, with him trying to have Sakura reconsider but… the girl was having none of that from the way her scowl just darkened and darkened the more he spoke.

"First, I don't recall father making you my bodyguard. Second, my Stand is more versatile than yours, Koichi. I don't think you have the capacity to actually 'defend me' from someone like Giorno."

"B-but-"

"Or do you want me to send a message to Yukako-neesan and tell her how you have already ogled two girls earlier today."

His jaw dropped. "P-please don't!"

"Then stop annoying me, Koichi. Don't you have to check on the hotel before they remove the booking?"

The young man tensed up as he realized that she was right. "R-Right! I forgot about that but..."

He paused, his attention once more at Sakura.

"Sakura-san, please… if there is some trouble, at least make a… call."

Differently from her recent bout of harshness, the plum-haired girl sighed tiredly. "I will."

Giorno smiled, this interaction proving how, despite her attempt to look tougher than she was, Sakura was the furthest thing from a mean person. After a while, the two were making their way out of the cafe and wandering through the streets, with the blond mentioning that there were a few 'trustworthy' ways to leave the city without issues. Those weren't completely safe, but they should allow them to leave Naples without any high chance of getting ambushed. It was a relief that Sakura didn't bring up to the silver-haired young man the fact that Giorno's satchel was actually one he stole from Leaky-Eye Luca. The bag had roughly two million Lires, which wasn't much but it was the 'tribute' that Luca managed to get from earlier that day. It would make for a good bribe to get through any problem in their trip. And it was during that talk that he decided to bring up a topic he hadn't asked about back when Koichi was around since he doubted the answer would have been that positive with him nearby.

"What is a Stand?"

The girl blinked, then frowned. "You don't know? You have been using yours for a while."

"You mean ｢Gold Experience｣? That's the name, a Stand?"

"Yes, that's the case. Stands are manifestations of their user's fighting spirit, with their abilities matching with the user's own personality most of the time," Sakura explained with a nod.

"And you have one?" Giorno asked out of curiosity, wondering what the girl two years younger than him had.

"Yes."

…

"What's its name?"

She smiled smugly. "Why should I tell you?"

His lips twitched, catching onto the fact that the girl wasn't planning to reveal it to him anytime soon. Quite unusual, but a curious mystery to learn with its due time and process. They finally arrived at their destination, the trams' starting point where they would find a free one to get on board of and get to the city's outskirts. Once they were inside the least-busy one, the tram started to move smoothly. It was one of the most recent additions to the city as the older version had broken down a few months ago due to a severe lack of maintenance. The two found a place where to sit, with Giorno taking the seat right beside the window and he decided to open it to get some fresh air inside rather than get disgusted by the sterile smell of cleaning alcohol and other cleaning products that had been used to clean seats and metal bits inside the vehicle.

Everything looked to be on the clear after just a few minutes of moving, but as he allowed his guard to drop and to ease back on the seat so he could catch some rest, the blond's body tensed up when he heard the distinct noise of a coin dropping on the central section of the tram. His gaze was instantly aimed at the origin of the noise and… he was surprised to find that someone was already kneeling down to retrieve the 500 Lires that had dropped. He pulled up, looking right at them with a calm but definitely interested look aimed at the duo.

"Is this yours, Signorina?"

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Sakura wasn't paying much attention to the situation when she heard someone ask her that question.

The man held towards her a 500 Lires coin, seemingly thinking it was hers and that it had fallen out of her pouch. Which was of course impossible since her coins were put in a mini-purse within her satchel and both were firmly sealed shut at the time. She spared a quick look at this suspicious individual, and she could tell he was bad news from just a glance. He had an above-average height with a fairly slim, but muscular build. His black chin-length hair was combed with straight-cut bangs, adorned with a braid going along the top of his head and hair clips placed right below the top of his head, clipping each side of his bangs. His attire was made by an all-white suit with an open chest similar to Giorno covered in small black symbols that resembled spoons, and zippers in unusual sections of the clothes.

"No," She replied flatly. "But thank you for asking."

His smile widened, almost gaining amusement at that response.

"I see," The unknown individual said before taking a seat right in front of them. "It's my lucky day then."

Soon, the man looked right at Giorno, stealing a brief glance at the bag he was carrying, which Sakura knew had the money he stole from that other criminal, before asking him a question.

"Tell me, if you were to find a bag on this tram. A bag that had a billion Lires inside, would you turn it in?"

Giorno chuckled, and she could tell she wasn't going to like the answer to that.

"Are you joking right? It's finders keepers."

Another chuckle.

"At least you're honest. Why, what if I was really an undercover cop and I saw the whole thing?"

The query felt oddly packed with pressure, something that was confirmed by the tension within Giorno's body at listening to that. Sakura decided it was about time to remind the two that she was still there.

"I would still not give any of that to the police," The plum-haired teen rebuked, gaining the attention of the 'cop'. He looked a bit surprised, but also fascinated by her comment.

"Oh? And why so?"

"It's clear you would want to be bribed. Something that would just foster corruption and expand the influence of criminality. And that's while ignoring how it would be even worse if you took all the money with yourself."

His smile grew more entertained, and it was already frustrating her.

"That's a fair point. But would you go as far as fight the police to beat back organized crime? You are young, and the Mafia doesn't care if the target is a child."

"So, you are part of the Mafia? Passione?" Giorno pressed, finding a good opening to return the favor for the pressure exerted on him.

"That would be correct, and I guess it's about time I cut the chase and get right into business," He muttered dryly, standing up and looking menacingly at Giorno. "Leaky-Eye Luca got his head bashed in by his own shovel and was conveniently found unconscious on the outskirts of the airport. It's critical and it looks like he is never making a full recovery."

He took a step forward, almost slamming his forehead on Giorno's.

"And I come here to find the culprit. So, let's talk," The man pressed fiercely. "No one has the slightest idea why Leaky-eye Luca was even at the airport. However-"

A pause, he sat back down on his seat. "I spoke with a security guard. And I was told that a young man by the name of Giorno Giovanna was there. If it's not too much trouble, I thought we could have a little chat about it."

"I believe we don't want that," Sakura answered tensely, already seeing where this was going. "And I believe it's time for us to get off. it's our stop."

It wasn't, but there was no way the girl was allowing anyone to get a free shot by being so close if a fight was to erupt in the tram. But as she moved, the man stood up.

"I'm afraid that's not a possibility. Leaky-Eye Luca was a member of the Famiglia. He was slain, and the boss' honor stained due to this mishap," He remarked grimly. "And the boss has elected to take action against the culprit, even if it means being a little bit less… cautious about the move."

A tense pause ensued, with the man's blue eyes staring fiercely at Sakura's as Giorno looked ready to jump and pummel him in case he tried anything worrying but…

The unknown man sighed. "I suppose you're not going to crack. And here I thought I had found the real culprit."

What?

"That's all I needed. You are in the clear, Giorno Giovanna."

The man bumped into Sakura, but the girl didn't care if it meant having him leave quickly from their proximity. Things really seemed to have suddenly gone quieter, but after a bit, the girl could tell they were far from done with this matter. She felt something within her hand, something small and spherical. It was smooth but also rough in some bits and, as she opened her palm to reveal what it was, she gasped in shock at a human eye staring back at her. She dropped it without hesitation, while Giorno leaned back, closer to the window, as a disgusted reaction to get away from the sight but-

"You are looking at Luca's right eye. It's not it's currently in use so I thought I would bring it along," A familiar voice said, and Sakura turned to see the ominous man leaning from the widow and taking a lick at Giorno's cheek, getting a few drops of his sweat which had formed at the horrifying sight. "What a surprise, this is the distinct taint of a liar. Right, Giorno Giovanna?"

The girl didn't even say anything that her Stand materialized and entered in action. This creepy bastard was dangerous, and she wasn't letting him get any other chance at attacking them. The man had hardly the time to muster his own Stand that ｢One Vision｣ grasped him by his collar and yanked him inside. The humanoid Stand formed a frontal guard with his arms which allowed the dangerous foe to slam onto the metal bar in the central spot of the vehicle without suffering any damage.

"Impressive reaction, but it barely matters," The man muttered, and Sakura heard something shift behind her. Giorno fell to his knees right behind her, spitting fingers out of his mouth. "You may call me Bruno Bucciarati, and I believe it's time to progress from questioning… to torture."

Sakura readied her guard, snarling at this man, Bruno, and prepared for what looked to be a battle in a limited space.

Really a nice way to start her holidays, she thought grimly.

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AN

Next time, Sakura & Giorno vs. Bruno! Of course, it's going to be a bit insane, but I plan to give an edge or two to Bruno to not make it too one-sided.

Fun Fact: I almost mistook the 500 Lires as a Two Euros coin as they both look similar in the simplistic way it was shown in the Anime. But then I remembered this is 2001 and it's one year before the monetary switch.

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 3: Promising Flower, Part 3

This was the first time in a long while since Sakura fought against a Stand User.

The last 'fight' she had was when she visited Morioh and decided to 'spar' with Josuke. Her 'grand-uncle' and his Stand, ｢Crazy Diamond｣, were incredibly compatible and difficult to beat in close range. Despite his kind interior, Josuke knew how to muster a legitimate serious stance which was easily growing to be as fierce and strong as her father. Jotaro had agreed to that assessment when she told him that. And, in a sense, the plum-haired girl could already tell this fight was similar to that previous battle in terms of disadvantage. Just as ｢One Vision｣ tried to overwhelm the opposing Stand with its Speed, managing to push the mafia man away only for a few seconds, Bucciarati's ｢Sticky Fingers｣ proved to be stronger than hers and easily swatted the approaching fists away with precise hits that slowed down the cascade of hits. Sakura's knuckles were quick to heat up and feel a bit sore at the clear contrast of might, but she felt true dread when she saw Bucciarati pressed his advantage to try and remove one of the opponents he was facing early on. Her eyes narrowed in unease as the Stand closed the distance by breaching through the meek defense put through ｢One Vision｣, preparing to start pushing Sakura's Stand even further to reach its user.

That very assault didn't came to happen as the first punch was stopped by another fist, this one owned by Giorno's Stand, ｢Gold Experience｣. In a curious whiplash-like effect, both Stands were pushed back when their strength clashed and resulted in a knockback in the opposite direction for each other. Surprise was painted on the older guy, but Giorno didn't hesitate to return the favor by rushing to press the advantage and actually break through ｢Sticky Fingers｣' guard. Bucciarati was pushed back, shock painted in his face at the strength behind the attack and… yet something odd happened. Something that Sakura actually tensed up about while her own Stand took a defensive approach about what they saw. As the short-haired man stood up from the ground, holding his cheek with his left hand as the punch delivered a noticeable bruise on the spot and trying to get up from the floor with a metal bar nearby, his eyes widened when his grip faltered and he suddenly fell to his knees. Surprising as a development, but nothing that saw Giorno hesitate to punch him once again. This time, ｢Gold Experience｣'s struck Bucciarati's other cheek, sending one of the teeth flying in the process. The attack further pushed the man away, this time 'waking him up' as he started to blink and look at his palms in shock.

"W-What just happened? I was out of my body and-"

"That's part of my Stand's power. ｢Gold Experience｣ has the ability to boost the target's senses… but also speed up their thought process. In a sense, your sense of touch was heightened while your consciousness fled the limitations of your body and… your pain reception is much higher in these circumstances."

Bruno suddenly felt dread at this circumstance. It was clear that the pain he felt wasn't something pleasant, and Sakura could tell that this was perhaps the first time she had the chance to see a second power to a Stand. Or perhaps, this was all packed in a single power. She had seen how Giorno managed to shift the damage meant for himself back to Leaky-eye Luca, so it was possible that something about his Stand made him able to… manipulate something that allowed both abilities to coexist harmoniously. Her curiosity skyrocketed at this, but it didn't mean her attention on the real threat faltered. In fact, she felt even more centered on reality when Bucciarati suddenly smiled. It was a confident smirk which showed that he had thought up a plan to counter this new issue. It wasn't like she would have expected otherwise, with Giorno having kept his lips shut when it came to his Stand's unique power like she did with hers, so it was clear that their common foe thought this was the sole ability in his arsenal. He was planning to flee, Sakura deduced at a first glance. It would be something she would consider had she been in his position. The tram offered little space for mobility, and it prevented any of the people here to dodge as much as it was needed. Giorno knew that from his unwillingness to let go of this pressing, but both were surprised when the man snorted in clear entertainment, as if he had thought of something funny.

"Is that so? So, you would need to get close to get this power to work? Interesting."

Amusement dripped from that last word as Bucciarati suddenly punched the floor of the tram and created numerous… zippers? Sakura jumped away as one formed directly beneath her. Giorno took a few steps away too, but his eyes narrowed in frustration when the floor suddenly vanished as the zippers opened and revealed a massive gap between them. The best way to prevent Giorno's approach was to make him unable to close the distance with his Stand. It also looked quite… destructive for a temporary solution. Despite this clever move, it also neutered any attempt from Bucciarati from making use of his Stand's preference in close quarters. The zippers were still there so there was a chance the damage was fixable, which made the idea that this was just a distraction even more feasible. Just as she pondered this, the tram shook and the vibrations became stronger than usual due to the current disposition it was in. The ground shook, and both Giorno and Sakura felt their footing grow unstable. Bucciarati struck in that moment, displaying something that actually allowed him to hit them through that distance. ｢Sticky Fingers｣'s right arm mostly detached from its body, a tiny zipper keeping it attached to its original position and allowed it to extend and rush at a great distance. Giorno's eyes were wide open in pain as the punch slammed onto his stomach and forced him to fall backward.

"I will make this clear just once, signorina. If you don't leave this battle at once, I can't guarantee I can spare you. The boss is… unwilling to take preferences on how to treat specific enemies, no matter how young they are."

…

Sakura snorted, ｢One Vision｣ manifesting beside her with a fierce pose. "As if I would ditch someone from my family, Bucciarati. That's not something I will ever do and I promised myself I would never allow this to happen!"

It made her blood boil, memories of the previous decade flaring in a sense of anger. She remembered when her family abandoned her to… him. The malicious grin on that horrible old man - 'her grandfather' - still terrifying her after so long. Sakura couldn't tolerate that slight, and her fury was shown through her current unwillingness to back away from the confrontation. Bucciarati was stunned by that response, but nonetheless unwilling to stay put any further.

"I see. I guess you truly stand by your morals."

He didn't say more, trying to get a repeat of what happened with Giorno but without a distraction this time around. She could tell that he expected his strength and speed to be enough to make up for the lack of that element of surprise he used against the blond, but Sakura already knew how to counter a move like this. She shifted on the side as soon as she saw the punch getting incredibly close and… she then sent ｢One Vision｣ across the gap and made use of the very advantage that Bucciarati had foolishly ignored. Sakura's Stand might not be strong enough to catch up with ｢Sticky Fingers｣ on a fair fight, but in these circumstances, Sakura had a clear opening to its user. And Bruno seemed to notice it as soon as he saw it was too late to intervene. The first two punches… were a test, the next ones were delivered at high speed.

"OraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraORAAAH!"

The last punch sent the stunned man out of the nearest window, with his Stand obviously following him outside of the vehicle. Her gaze was still at the window when she suddenly had to grab hold of one of the metal bars nearby as the shakes returned once again. The tram trembled to a halt soon after, possibly having arrived at destination or… because the driver had noticed something was wrong with the tram itself due to the vibrations. Either way, it was good since it allowed Sakura to check on Giorno. He stood up, holding something in his hand as he calmly used his Stand's power on… the zippers. Those disappeared, returning the missing floor back to the vehicle. Once again, the blond managed to surprise her about this mysterious power of his.

"We need to give chase," Giorno muttered with a serious tone. "If he manages to leave, he will just report to the rest of the gang and they will send someone stronger."

That notion Sakura could agree to. As much as she wasn't someone that liked to hunt others down, this situation was exceptionally unique and required her to be as serious and committed to it as possible to prevent any other harm from coming their way. So she bolted right behind Giorno through the streets, allowing him to lead her around since he had a better grasp of the city's paths. Eventually they managed to catch up, with Bruno suddenly turning around as they all took a small alley section before then jumping back into a crowd of people that was passing by. Somehow, the man managed to disappear out of thin air in the middle of the ensuing chaos, leaving Sakura with her jaw hanging low at the sight as she tried to make sense of what had just happened. Something she missed? Another Stand User? An ambush? Despite her chaotic effort to catch the man hiding somewhere nearby, she just couldn't. Instead, Giorno seemed to keep a strong stance while looking around and seemed interested in a particular detail of that dispersing scene. A fly, one that was annoying a teen that was around her age. The young man started to swat around, trying to deal with the upsetting insect but, as soon as he managed to hit it and kill it, his body contorted while blood erupted from his back. Shocked by the sudden pain, the teen collapsed on the ground. A zipper formed and allowed Bucciarati to leave his… insides? Did the zipper allow it to enter inside things or perhaps was there something the plum-haired girl was missing from that sight?

Meanwhile, the fly turned into… the tooth that Bucciarati lost when Giorno stunned him with his unusual ability. At this point, Sakura was having a bit of trouble trying to grasp what connection all these powers had to each other, but Giorno explained how the 'created Fly' would return to its original 'owner'. In this case, the tooth went back to where Bucciarati had been hiding. The girl remembered something similar about what happened with Koichi's luggage and how those were turned by Giorno into a frog. Could it be that the notion was similar somehow? But then, why did it go to Giorno and not back to Koichi?

"You're truly something, Giorno Giovanna. Still, I don't think you understand that all of this… it's futile. Once again, you failed to realize that even if you beat me, Passione will still investigate and deal with you. Our boss would never allow this slight to go unpunished and I would never let him down."

Despite sounding honest in most of that proclamation, there was a sense of dissatisfaction as soon as the 'boss' was brought up. Could it be that Bruno didn't see the 'Boss' in a positive light? Or maybe he wasn't happy with the situation of the gang?

"I don't plan to surrender, Bucciarati."

Giorno rushed, deciding to be quick about this interaction and put an end to it as soon as possible. ｢Gold Experience｣ easily broke through ｢Sticky Fingers｣' defense and got a clear shot on Bruno's upper body. The punch struck Bruno's left arm, and Giorno felt certain he had managed to do it - to get this win for good. The hit should have been able to stun his foe once again… and yet his eagerness died as soon as he felt something sturdy hit his chest. ｢Sticky Fingers｣' fist pushed him away, leaving a small zipper on his… being? It was stuck on his clothes but also his skin. Bruno scoffed, taking this opportunity to deliver a counter-barrage and leave Giorno's body riddled with zippers that suddenly opened and made his footing and posture unstable.

"You're quite predictable, Giorno Giovanna. I already knew that you were going to try something like this again,"

"Not if I have to say something about it!" Sakura rushed to put herself between Giorno and Bucciarati. "You will not hurt him anymore."

"Oh? And I guess you will stop me, correct? Despite the fact your Stand isn't strong enough for this, right?"

The girl gritted her teeth. Technically-speaking, she could win. ｢One Vision: EX｣ was more than enough to handle it. The real issue was that she barely trained with it, and the strain was nothing to scoff at. She couldn't allow to hurt her body this soon into the trip. If Bruno pushed her to be this extreme with her means to win, then there was no way to deny the next challenges were going to be tougher. But as she felt like there was no choice about it, her approach was stopped when Giorno stood up from the ground, holding his half-detached arm and walking up to her side.

"Sakura, may I ask you a favor?"

She glanced to the side. "What?"

"This fight. I wish to end it myself."

"You're in no shape of fighting," The girl rebuked and Bruno nodded in agreement.

"You should listen to her, you're barely standing and now you think you can win?"

"Yes. And it's not just for myself anymore. It's a matter of ideals and truth," Giorno remarked firmly, confusing Sakura.

"What are you talking about?"

"Just… let me try."

Her common sense was telling her to bash her cousin's head for asking for something that foolishly deadly out of her. Logically speaking, that was the maximum degree of stupidity possible in that situation but… something about his words and stare made her question that line of thought. He had a plan, and he looked ready to swear his life on it to succeed.

…

I am definitely going to regret this.

"Fine, but don't expect me to stay put if you fail."

The young man looked thankful for that response, yet Sakura didn't feel anywhere happy with this choice. She stood ready to jump in action the moment he failed to secure a victory out of this and… Bruno scoffed.

"I guess you wish to really die, Giorno Giovanna. Don't worry, I will make sure that you will not suffer this one."

The mafia man rushed towards the blond, ready to finish the fight in one last confrontation. What neither Sakura and Bucciarati would have expected to happen was for the young man to suddenly rip off the half-detached arm, tearing the sliver of flesh that kept it attached beyond the zipper and suddenly throw the mostly removed limb at the approaching Bucciarati. Stunned in pure horror at the sight, the man could hardly react when ｢Gold Experience｣ manifested its arm through that limb and suddenly struck the side of the enemy's face. Once again 'shocked still', Bruno was finally at the mercy of Giorno, the young man approaching slowly and preparing to perhaps storm him with a barrage of punches… and yet, as Bucciarati had his eyes closed in fear at being struck again and perceive that horrible amount of pain, the killing hit didn't come. Instead, Giorno walked to the side and 'fixed himself' through his Stand's power. Gone were the injuries and the zippers.

"I think it's over now. You lost."

…

"W-What are you even talking about? Why aren't you at least knocking him unconscious?" Sakura blurted out in pure confusion. What was Giorno doing? Why was he sparing their current foe? Despite the loud question, the blonde focused on Bucciarati as he spoke once more.

"You weren't planning to hurt that young man," Giorno calmly affirmed, surprising Bruno with that comment. "You hesitated to protect yourself when my attack was coming, and I think I know why."

Was there an actual reason? Sakura just couldn't think of anything that could have caused this much hesitation and… Giorno decided to point a finger to the arm that had been dropped. The teen's arm, the one that Bucciarati used to trick the blond into setting himself open for a counter-attack. Specifically, he was pointing at some rashes that had appeared on the joint, something that Sakura knew were meant to tell that the kid had made use of drugs.

"You were shocked by the rash. He is just thirteen from what the ID over there says, and yet he was allowed to buy drugs," The blond resumed. "Which means that while Passione is in charge of this business, you're unhappy about it. Disgusted too. You hesitated because of that shock and… I believe that you're no longer an enemy to us."

"I have a job to kill you-"

"But you will not go through with it," Giorno interrupted flatly, almost arrogantly. "Because you will join me and my… plans to save the children of this city, but also the rest of Italy."

…

"You want to infiltrate Passione."

Giorno nodded. "Yes. I will start from the bottom and rush to the top so I can dethrone your boss. He is a dangerous man, a villain, and the more he sits on that chair of power, children will die. And I know you hate this."

"You don't know me, Giorno Giovanna," Bruno replied vehemently, but the poisonous tone didn't dissuade the young man from a response. In fact, it seemed to enable him to speak more.

"I know you now. The way you fight, your strategies, your mind and your ideals. You're a diligent man, Bruno Bucciarati, but far from a bad person. You kill those that slighted your laws, but would never raise a finger to an innocent child. The only reason you did with Sakura was because she stood as a threat to you and one that could defend from your attacks."

Was that actually the case? Bucciarati had previously told her that age didn't matter to him when it came to killing dangerous people and… that's where the unusual line of thought started to make sense. Despite the illegal career behind this individual's line of work, it would make sense that some of them wouldn't be that pleased if their own cities were suddenly suffering from children that were subjected to drugs and other illegal substances. And before she could even question some more about it, Sakura was suddenly 'yanked' into the whole business due to Giorno deciding to take part in this entire ordeal. This was something she had to talk with Caren about. Hopefully she knew something to help her through this and… even more so hopefully she didn't try to tag along for 'fun'.

This holiday just keeps getting better and better...

---------d-d-d-d-----------d-d-d-d----------

It was… night.

Was it?

Shuffling left and right, a slumbering entity shivered at the sudden shift in reality that happened… nearby. Yes, it felt stronger than a while ago. Fiercer even. It felt more emotional – pleasant even – and her curiosity surged at that fantastic and interesting sensation. The lid of her 'coffin' was easy to open, and she took a moment to look at the dark room where she had been taken to. At first, Zelretch had told her it would have been best to remain in England and slumber in that curious island, but the girl refused. No, she wanted to be there and 'ready'. She knew something would have pulled her out of that sleep – a threat – and she needed to be there to deal with it. And yet that 'self-prophecy' didn't happen. Instead she got 'this'. Something happened. Something unusual and bizarre. Something that made her feel tingly as if something big just unfolded. But what could it be? A confused look was plastered on her face as she walked out of the coffin and made her way to the kitchens. There was no good food saved there, with everything available having rotten after so much time had passed. Upset hardly matched her current sense of self, but it was on the same emotional wavelength.

What woke her up? She had a strange vision a few minutes before waking up. An individual- no, a shadow. One with red-lines going through its veil-like form. It stood in front of her, its posture strong-looking and her body language suggesting a will to fight her despite the possible power difference. Behind the shadow, a girl. Just like her. She looked incredibly strong with her confidence. It almost made the slumbering child want to know more. To feel more.

This was something she couldn't just ignore. And it was about time she stretched and checked how the world had changed since the Moon fell over the Crimson one.

------------d-d-d-d------------d-d-d-d---------

AN

And thus, the stakes for the early plot and a future 'subplot' have been set!

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 4: Meet the Gang, Part 1

Bruno Bucciarati could tell that the girl sitting in front of him was incredibly frustrated by recent circumstances.

Sakura Kujo was… interesting. It was the best adjective he could come up with instead of mysterious and odd. Something about her just made him uneasy, and the fact that she was annoyed at him for preventing her from joining Giorno in his trial to join Passione made him even perplexed. How could a girl her age be able to put this much dread in him? Sure, she was a capable fighter thanks to her Stand, but something else just made her have a difficult talker… and bystander in general. She didn't stand out, which made her seemingly harmless to anyone that wasn't subjected to her attention, and she definitely didn't give off that kind of pressure until coaxed by a situation of this kind. But there wasn't much for her to say or do: only recruits of Passione could go and see Polpo. Giorno was joining the gang, and since Sakura wasn't, she wasn't allowed to be given any test, or even help Giorno. It was one of the harsh aspects of recruitment, but also the very element that allowed the group to keep away any lousy members from joining. They needed quality, not quantity. Not when Stands easily make up for the lack of numbers.

"Do you understand that brooding over the situation shall not change how things are, signorina?"

No response at first, or, at least, not beyond a quick glare from her. She truly was a fun individual already.

"I am not expecting that to happen," The plum-haired girl argued. "I am just… frustrated at the fact I am stuck with you."

How rude. He didn't say it, but he definitely felt an urge to make that point clear. To be fair, the small kiosk they had picked to idly wait was particularly quaint. He had picked the place out of random choice rather than an outright interest in it. After the battle he had experienced, he just wanted to rest a fair bit and drink something before going back to business. And he could only 'rejoice' as he was supposed to 'babysit' Sakura for the time being. There was no reason to doubt her maturity at times, but being a moody teen had her behave quite… unnervingly annoying. She didn't make an effort to pester him, but he could tell things were only going to spiral downward until Giorno was done with the test. Fifteen minutes early, he was done drinking his espresso, sighing in disappointment at the lacking taste of the machine-made brew. Standing up, he gave a quick nod at the girl and she silently nodded back before sitting up and following him away from the place.

"Where are we going?"

Bruno hummed. "I have to retrieve a couple of gang members. They are usually out doing their own businesses when there is no mission to deal with as a team. But right now, I believe they would want to be called up so we can prepare a proper welcome to our newest member."

"And I can join?"

"What are the other options?" He argued back, something that Sakura met with a frown.

"Maybe just tell me where Giorno-"

"No. I think we already talked about that," Bucciarati answered calmly, yet holding back some irritation at the resurface of this subject. "Which is why we're now going through this hassle so you can no longer whine about it."

Sakura scoffed. "I'm not whining."

Sure thing. Sure thing.

"By the way, how about you tell me more about yourself?" Bruno quickly changed topic, knowing that it was best to not enable the girl to get more active in her behavior. "Giorno told me his story, but you remained quiet about yourself. How did you end up here in Italy, Sakura Kujo?"

Much to his surprise, the girl remained quiet, actually shifting her attention away from him as they kept on walking around until they arrived to their destination. Bruno was a bit stunned by this lack of response, but agreed to the possibility that she just didn't trust him with the information. Giorno 'gave up' his backstory just to reinforce his good morals despite his aspirations to a criminal organization, and Sakura had no reasons to offer her story to motivate her actions. Not when she already commented that she followed Giorno since 'he is family'. He couldn't argue with that, but the silence just made the entire interest on the topic raise in priority over the many questions that the man had on the curious thing that was Sakura Kujo. Still, his priority was to retrieve two gang members that he knew were wandering around as of this hour.

The first one to catch was currently leaning on one of the corners of a nearby newsagent booth, calmly reading from today's papers and paying little to no attention to those passing by due to the headgear he had on. He was keeping long, silver-like hair divided into spikes that angle outwards or upwards at their ends. His outfit was made by a dark-colored, lapel-less overcoat with laces that crossed his bare chest, dark bell-bottomed pants, and black shoes. He had a slim build, but Bucciarati knew that the man had muscles that had been there since he went through Police Academy way back before ditching his first vocation and joining the Mafia. Leone Abbacchio was someone that Bruno trusted dearly and that he knew would be less fussy to face someone like Sakura rather than be outright subjected to Giorno. The age-gap just made the entire scenario the least worrisome, especially since Sakura wasn't going to join as a member, but as an 'Observer' for the time being.

The quiet posture that the former police officer took broke off as soon as he spotted his boss walk up to him. Headgear was pulled off, and the newspaper was folded and brought to the side to be read later on. A nod, he bowed his head out of respect and normal commitment to the leadership.

"Chief," He greeted somberly, something that Bruno returned with a pleased smile.

"Abbacchio, I see that you already had your afternoon coffee."

Lips twitching, the former law enforcer seemed to focus first on the girl behind his boss rather than the comment he just heard.

"Who is she?"

"An observer. Her cousin will soon join our ranks."

A blink. "I didn't recall Polpo confirming any new member."

"He will pass," Bucciarati reinforced without adding much to it, and he knew that just his words vouching for the matter would be enough to steer away any doubt on the matter. And it did, but only regarding the recruitment.

"Still, why are we picking up brats now?"

Sakura didn't react to this, regarding the man just with a cool look which was ignored by Leone as he inquired about the matter.

"Only if those catch my attention and share some interesting opinion about a potential future mission," The Capo remarked without hesitation. "Which is why I don't need to explain how she is a guest and should be treated as such."

A nod, there was no reason to lament about the disposition if Sakura did nothing to warrant his annoyance. So, Abbacchio decided to test the waters and see how 'screwed' his week was going to be. He reached out for a handshake.

"Leone Abbacchio."

The girl slowly nodded and completed the handshake. "Sakura Kujo."

As they shook hands, the former cop retrieved his palm with a surprised look.

"You sure got a strong hold."

"Dad told me to never give a weak grip in handshakes," The plum-haired teen answered. "Gives off silly first impressions."

A strange smile appeared on Leone's face. "Your father is not wrong."

What an odd interaction? But, then again, Leone was quick to capitulate to children and the fact that Sakura was behaving politely surely played a stronger good impression on him towards her. At least Bruno could say that this first interaction went well, but now he would have to retrieve the next one and that's where things were definitely going to get fairly… problematic.

"By the way, Mista-"

"He was fishing last time I saw him. Should be making his way back to the safehouse at this point," Abbacchio confirmed with a sigh. "Should we go back already or do we try to catch up to him before he gets there?"

A little competition? Was Leone trying to show off some skills to the little girl? Perhaps he had underestimated the man's interest to play on children's interest for sudden actions. Sakura was still clueless on what the two meant, but she still trusted Bruno about it as he decided to go for the second option. What followed next was a faster walk through the streets to try and 'catch' the last 'errand' member so they could get back to the headquarters. The real issue about the current disposition of their last 'missing' member was tied to what task he was given and how he had definitely skipped it if he was around dilly-dallying. After twenty minutes of searching, they managed to find him and he was holding a fishing rod on one side and a bucket with fishes on the other.

Guido Mista was the one that was known to spend money and time on frivolous things. In fact, it was a well-stated fact that he spent a lot of money in fashion, hence why he usually wore his uniquely shaped headgear with a diagonal grid pattern and the front shaped like an arrow pointing downward. His hat was particularly essential to his line of work since it was there where he would leave his ammunition as he 'did not like having his hands constantly busy holding something'. His attire consisted of a turtleneck crop top sweater with a design similar to his hat, zebra striped leather pants, a thick belt, and black-&-red boots.

"Oh, hello chief! I made some good gains today-"

"Weren't you supposed to be at the headquarters keeping watch on Fugo and Narancia?" Bruno interrupted the happy gangster with that stern question. "God knows what they did while you were out."

As if realization struck from nowhere, having forgotten why that job is as important as annoying, the young man panicked.

"Chief, I swear- I thought they were doing fine. Fugo didn't plan to give any lessons, and Narancia was sleeping when I left."

Then there was a chance things were going to be that dreadful. Their return to the base wasn't as quiet as before, with Mista actually doing what Bruno had expected him to. And that was pestering Sakura. At first it was just a jovial introduction which was met by the more tame response from the girl, but the young man was, of course, interested to dig more info to their current guest. Where did she come from? Why was she tied to them now? Who was her cousin? Why was her cousin named after 'Day'? And things of this very degree. Nothing unusual. But it still irked the young Stand User a lot from the way she reacted to this. After getting back 'home', Bruno gave a thorough look to check on the two 'volatile' members of the team. Much to Bucciarati's relief, Fugo was in the living room finishing his usual rage over the paperwork. Considering his excellent education, he was capable of handling some of the bureaucracy that Bruno himself wasn't prepared for. It was enough to deter him from seeking other activities, especially things tied to Narancia. Speaking of the boy, he was still napping from the looks of it and thus it gave him the chance to set their guest up for the time being.

Sakura was given a room among those that weren't used. Knowing Polpo, the test was going to find a closure just the next day. It was going to be interesting, but overall it was best to rest for now. The girl was given the keys to the room, told the general schedule of the bathroom's turns after dinner and given the choice to pick which delicacy she could get for dinner. One thing that made Bruno particularly unusual among other chiefs of the districts was his propensity to cooking. It was so unusual, and yet it fit well with the idea that his subordinates could hardly handle a stove even in the situation where their lives depended on it. There wasn't much to be troubled about as the members seemed to click well with the girl, especially with how polite and 'moderate' she was with her usual quirks. There was still a sense of distrust that was quickly picked by Fugo, something that got him in a conversation about 'who did Bruno bring home? And why did she look ready to snap at them at the wrong move?'. A strange discussion, but one he felt rightfully confused about. Hopefully Giorno will be able to give them some input on the matter.

Still, who is Sakura Kujo?

-------d-d-d-d-------

"I'll be fine, father."

Caren Hortensia never thought this day would have come. And yet, it happened. She was going somewhere to check on her friend, and her father was already worried due to some 'flimsy' matters. It wasn't like dealing with the Mafia was really something that terrifying… right? After all, they were several steps above some thugs.

"I don't doubt your skills, Caren," The priest assured while walking her to the train. "But I remind you that Sakura got involved in something that I might have troubled helping you with and-"

"You're worried I will stumble onto something I'm not prepared for. Which is alright as I don't plan to risk myself during this jovial trip with my friend," She agreed without skipping a beat, and yet her words hardly cracked Kirei Kotomine's concerns. "Plus, if push comes to shove, I will just move to pull Sakura out of the way."

"And any others?"

"If they didn't do anything to deserve my care? They wouldn't matter. Sakura does the most right now."

Fierce loyalty for someone that would do the same for her. There is no doubt in her heart that Sakura was the closest thing she had to a sister. It was someone she trusted, that she loved dearly and to the fullest. If she was in trouble, then Caren would rush up to help her up. It was her duty, her prerogative.

"That's rather passionate of you."

Caren paused, a frown landing on her face as she finished hearing those words. 'Passionate'? She was only being truthful about it.

"What specifically? Caring for a friend?"

"Going out of your way, putting your life in danger- This is quite odd for someone like you?"

"That's because it's Sakura," The girl argued back, as if bringing up an absolute fact. "She is my best friend, father. And if anything happened to her, I would be rather crossed with the poor soul that decided to cast itself unto the oblivion born from my machinations."

Kirei stared at his daughter for a while and… he smiled. He reached out and Caren almost leaned forward as she recognized what he was planning to do. His hand landed atop her head and caressed there.

"I will not doubt your intentions and skills, daughter of mine. But remember to be wary of trouble. Contact me if needed."

She nodded. "I won't forget this. And… dad?"

His posture tightened. "Yes, Caren?"

"I will call from time to time. Just to… not make you worry too much."

A nod. "Thank you, daughter."

The train was soon to start going and, after an awkward and brief hug, the girl boarded it through the nearest entry point and sought a seat for herself. No one tried to sit anywhere near her. Maybe it was because the train itself was empty and thus allowing the few people using it to take some 'private' seats for themselves… but it didn't matter.

She had her luggage set down, some magazines to read as she went through the hassle of the trip and made plans about what kind of possible 'group' Sakura was currently facing. Good people? Neutral individuals? She doubted those were bad individuals, not when Sakura could pick up that kind of trouble quite easily. Caren hummed as she noticed that she received a new message from the girl she was thinking about, with the plum-haired teen sending her… pictures of the gang members she was currently living with. She had already seen Giorno's appearance, so she wasn't really that surprised by it, but Caren stopped over one in particular that caught her attention. Eyes slowly widening, she couldn't help but actually frown at the specific picture.

'Leone Abbacchio'.

Have I seen this man before?

It was clear she had seen this face before. But where? And why did it seem so familiar so suddenly?

Instead of brainstorming this any further as she couldn't recollect any thoughts tied to this, the white-haired girl forwarded the picture and the name to her father in a single message.

'Is he someone tied to the Hortensia?'

Maybe it was a wrong assumption, but Caren had been told many times now that anyone that lived in Italy with silver-hair and golden eyes was possibly tied to the Hortensia family. It was such a rare feature that it was even more common than finding out they were from a foreign family. Maybe she found a part of the family she had seen before somehow? More questions, but her father had yet to visualize the message. He probably left his phone back home… and he was going to serve a function just after dinner, so he was going to turn up around midnight or even later if he was asked to deal with the midnight function. Well, she hoped that the next day was going to bring her some new clues on the matter. After yawning and shifting herself comfortably with the Shroud of Saint Magdalene, Caren started to rest but not outright sleep. Eyes open, but close to actually shut completely, the girl pondered on the next few days. Was this the adventure she had been waiting for?

She really hoped so, she really wanted to do something 'different' than the usual trip around the peninsula.

----------d-d-d-d------------d-d-d-d--------------d-d-d-d----------

AN

And so the 'changes' starts. Sakura was prohibited from taking part in the test because it would invalidate it for Giorno. So, he does what he knows best: being as 'mom' as EMIYA.

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 5: Meet the Gang, Part 2

To say that Abbacchio was intrigued by the current 'visitor/watcher' to their gang, it would be an understatement.

Sakura Kujo wasn't a normal girl, that's what he got from a quick glance and what Bruno's overall behavior told him. He was even more stunned when he realized that the reason why she was there was that his boss failed to kill the kid behind Luca's death and actually recruited him. From the confident way Bruno described the young man, Leone thought he was going to be a fine addition to balance the cast of morons that made up most of the gang.

Sadly, his prediction proved to be right… and wrong. Never in his whole life would have he imagined to find someone with potential which also strutted around with such a stupid dream. 'Doing the right thing'? This wasn't the place that demanded it. And he hated how Giorno Giovanna completely believed this to the point of making it an embodiment of himself. He was so full of himself about it, that it just pissed off Abbacchio. It didn't help how the rest of the gang was so accepting of the new guy.

Narancia was too busy behaving like a giddy pup in his efforts to befriend Sakura to really pay any attention, with the girl huffing and puffing at his eccentric mannerism. Meanwhile Mista was being his jovial self and Fugo had no reason to be pissed at the fellow blond… yet. In a way, he could see the rest of the group being endeared to the rookie due to his drive, which in a way reminded Leone of Bruno's own determined mindset when it came to leading them around and reigning in any sort of mistakes they were about to make.

Still, the former police officer was unwilling to give any mercy to the infuriating young man. So, in a move that he would later on regard as infantile and degrading to himself more than others, he decided to… offer some 'warm' tea to the young man. Mista had to hold himself from laughing, but the deed was almost done as he offered the steamy cup to the partly-aware new member. But before Giorno could pick or decide what to do, here he was reminded of one element his mind had failed to register and take under consideration. Sakura was Giorno's 'cousin', and she was rather involved in his well-being. A small hand reached for the cup and… proceeded to pour its content atop his head. It was a sudden move from the young lady that not only stunned him, but also affected the mood of the entire group.

Everyone was laughing minus Bruno, Giorno and Sakura herself. Narancia was laughing the hardest, but Mista and Fugo were not that far from competing. His anger flared at the humiliation, but the stare from Bucciarati told him all: Leone had set himself up for it. Regardless of any response he could come up with to demand some 'reparation', he knew that he had been tricked damn well. He could have stopped her himself, but failed to see the issue fast enough to intervene. It pissed him off even more, but he couldn't exactly blame the girl more than himself.

Abbacchio had let her do that, and that was what he got in exchange for being rather passive about it all. Instead of snapping and making a greater mockery of what he was appearing at the moment, Leone decided to merely return to the bathroom and go through some hair-cleaning before getting back as the stench of urine was becoming way too unpleasant to endure. A sigh left his lips before he set himself to go through this process as quickly as possible. Not exactly the ideal development, but he could now think without having to plan out murderous retaliations on the spot. But as he was distracted, his mind decided to play tricks on him as he remembered a memory that he had long forgotten.

One where he was teased for messing up like it happened in this situation, except it was more on the lines of the individual helping him by the end of that whole debacle. The former police officer could still recall the time he was eight at the time, and that he had been playing by the park with some of his friends and ended up all dirty with mud and dirt sticking by his clothes and exposed skin. Mostly because he played some fake fights with a couple of his friends, and the terrain was mostly wet due to the water, but that wasn't what really made him think of that time. A soft giggle, one that lacked any maliciousness as it was accompanied by some kind words that had reached deep into his soul. It was a melodious and suave voice.

"Oh my... aren't you a bit messy?" The beautiful lady inquired, a lone eye visible as the other one was covered by an eye patch. "Do you want me to help you with it? I have some bandages and water to offer."

Confusion. Why would a young woman be wandering around with bandages of all possible objects? It had really surprised him at the time, and even at the present stage of his life, he could tell that it had to have been a red flag of sorts. For a time, he suspected it was the young man escorting the lady that had been responsible for the need for bandages. But then, as he looked back at the scene, he could tell the man was too calm and protective of the young woman to be behind that kind of abuse. No, it had to be something else. He looked deeper into that scene, and he thought about her appearance.

Short silver hair and golden eyes… just like his own hair and eyes. Her frame was slim and skinny, not boney but definitely unhealthily thin. She was wearing a large coat, which was partly open to reveal she had a simple sleeveless white dress underneath and… some bloodied bandage wrapped around her leg. Still, he accepted back then. As a kid that normally didn't get the lecture from his parents to not talk with strangers, he didn't see any issue in allowing the kind-looking girl to act and make sure that his face was clean at best. She was trembling a bit, which further worried the child version of himself which proceeded to do more of the job considering her condition. Her breathing was unstable, and she was soon forced to sit by a bench as she couldn't do much more due to her sickness. Nothing contagious, but it was slowly killing her.

Her name was Claudia, and it was the first time Leone had the chance to meet someone that was this nice. A 'good woman', he thought with a bit of a blush. She wasn't the most gorgeous, but her fragility added a sense of inner delight that made him think of a little doe that wanted to be petted on her head. She wanted to feel and give affection wherever she went. At the same time, her 'husband' was more of the opposite. Tough, stern and quite uncaring of the fact his wife had stopped to pick up a child off the park and have a conversation with him. But Abbacchio at the time saw no issue-

In fact, he felt quite happy to have made a friend out of an adult. She was… chatty. That was the best way to describe how most of the talk was driven by the young woman. She was smiling so kindly and sweetly that he just couldn't help but be compelled to mostly listen rather than drop his own inputs on the random topics he was subjected to. How is the weather? How old are you? Do you visit the park frequently? Are you playing with other kids or on your own? As he looked back at it as an adult, he felt embarrassed at how silly he was as a child to be led around like that, but… then he remembered a few elements that he had never questioned much about due to how odd those felt.

Really odd.

"You know, I didn't tell Kirei just yet but… he is going to be a papa. I… I'm bearing a child."

His eyes widened in surprise at the shocking news. Why didn't she tell this to her husband? And why to him?

"Really?"

Her smile widening at the awe in his voice. "Yes. But I have yet to know if it will be a boy or a girl. I guess I wouldn't mind having a daughter the most."

"Oh? And do you have a name for… you know, the baby?"

Claudia giggled. "Not yet. Since it's too early to know if it's going to be male or female, we decided to hold back. But… Can you help me with this?"

The boy frowned. "What about?"

"Well, I'm not good at names and, since Kirei will definitely allow me to pick a name for a daughter. Can you give me some suggestions?"

Abbacchio opened his mouth in confusion. How was he supposed to be good at picking names for kids that had yet to be born? It had stumped him at first due to the pressure he suddenly felt drawn into… but then he remembered a conversation he heard from his mother a few months earlier. It had all come from a question presented by the religion teacher at school.

If you were born in the opposite sex, how would you have been called? Did your parents think of a name?

"Well, if you had been born a girl, we would have… I mean, I would have called you 'Caren'," Her mother hummed calmly, a hint of sadness passing her face as she thought of her husband, with Leone's father having passed away while serving the police force and fighting gangs. There wasn't much known about him, except for the fact that he left his family many years before he met with his future wife, and the possibility he had to change name since he had been part of those 'noble groups' in the capital. Leone didn't ever bother much about it, but here he was, giving advice to someone that needed a name for a possible daughter.

"How about 'Caren'?"

Claudia blinked slowly at the offer. "Caren? Any particular reason?"

"W-Well, mom once told me that had I been born a girl, I would have named that."

A blink, then her lone eye widened. "Is that so? I guess it would mean a lot to her."

"She also said that dad would have let her. I think I've read it means… the one who?"

"I think so myself," The woman agreed with a smile. "I know she will love those that need help the most."

A small smile appeared on Leone's face, but he took a moment to think about the discussion… only for his silence to be broken up by the woman herself.

"I'm… sorry, Leone. I have to go now before my parents… Well, behave as silly as usual."

He felt sad at the news, but he nodded at her. "It's fine."

"Ah, don't worry. I'm sure we will eventually meet. Or if it's not me, then it will be my little Caren," Claudia said to try and cheer him up. "Which is why I would like you to make a promise to me. Just… something for the future."

"What is it?"

"Well, since you told me that you're going to be a police officer in the future, my little Leone. Can you please… protect my child if they end up in your care?"

The promise came out of nowhere, but it played on something that Abbacchio had long craved to hear. Acceptance. Not even his mother had liked his

He blinked. "Of course, why wouldn't I?"

"Well, they might be afflicted by my own sickness and I know they will struggle a lot from time to time. I want someone like you, a good-hearted young man, to help them if they need it."

"I will. I will take care of them if necessary." He felt urged to accept. If he couldn't take on this duty, how could he expect for his dream to ever be taken seriously? Plus, Claudia was too kind and the chances of this child ending up with not many friends just annoyed the boy.

The memory ended with Claudia's relieved giggles and…

Knock knock!

The sounds of knocking shook Abbacchio awake. He blinked, realizing he had through the task of washing off the shampoo and drying up his air automatically, his mind distracted by the strangely vivid memory. It's been so long but… maybe the new guy triggered that? How long has it been since he had last thought about that promise, about when he was actually praised for his dream? Too long, he grimly answered, and now he was getting those moments of daydreaming for nothing. Shaking his head, he went to check and he realized it was Bruno. Not only that, but he saw Mista and Narancia walking with a couple of bags on themselves.

"We're moving?"

Bruno nodded. "Polpo died. From what the guards could find, it was suicide."

Being someone that had interacted with the now-deceased Capo, Leone knew the bastard wasn't planning his own death. Not in these conditions and definitely not when he was enjoying life to the fullest without any limitations. Why would he kill himself? There had to be something else happening, perhaps someone from La Squadra?

"Our goal for the time being is to retrieve his secret treasury. It should roughly amount to four billion Lire," The squad leader added, his words gaining a surprised look from Leone.

"The girl is coming too?"

"She will. And I trust you to not misbehave due to some silly grudge."

He had no grudge, Abbacchio had wanted to say, but he kept quiet and merely nodded. "And how do we know that the treasure-"

"I helped him hide it when he needed it. I wasn't his favorite for nothing, Abbacchio," Bucciarati interrupted, making it clear that they were in a hurry. "I suggest you rush to your run and retrieve all that you need. We might be intercepted by others."

A nod, and Leone rushed to get his things ready, still wondering how old would 'Caren' be at this stage. She definitely wasn't even aware of him, not when he had heard Claudia had killed herself and her father didn't seem to have cared long enough to remember his name. So, it was only a memory for himself, of why he decided to be this and why he still hoped to do good things for those that deserved it.

But there was no chance in hell he was going to actually be kind with the rookie. No matter the stakes at hand.

---------d-d-d-d---------d-d-d-d-------

Florence was much different than how she remembered it.

The city had grown in size and 'quality'. Times have changed since she last wandered to this settlement, to when she decided to turn one of the few forests nearby in her sleeping ground. She took a moment to actually wander around and see how things have changed since last time she was awake, to know how to 'behave' without causing a ruckus in her wake.

Humming around, the girl was pampered by a few women nearby. She was 'a beauty' as they were quick to address her as, and left her candy, chocolate bars and other sweet treats which she happily took and made her rations for her departure. Things had changed a lot… But with all good things, there were also new kinds of rotten apples that festered civilization.

The blonde was wandering through one of those less-favorable streets, knowing already from a quick sniff that this was where scum lived and tried to make a living from bad deeds. Just as she turned the corner, she was ambushed by three… idiots. That's the best way to call them as they attacked her in broad daylight, armed with a couple of switch-blades and with the expectation she had money on herself.

After all, the girl didn't exactly look the kind of individual to have that kind of important resource on herself. It was going to be a bit tough finding a way to leave the city without proper money, but she was going to manage. She really hoped they weren't after her candy… or she would really be frustrated and more vicious in delivering proper punishment. She didn't kill them, but kicking them between their legs seemed to do the trick.

They had a couple of money papers on themselves, giving her a budget to work with to get to her destination. But as she started considering if it was best to get on a bus or in a train aimed to the southern regions of the peninsula, her musing was abruptly interrupted by a familiar hum. Someone was now standing beside her and… she knew he just 'appeared' out of thin air. In a way, she was glad no one else was around to make things go loud at the development, but she was nonetheless frustrated by his arrival. He stood as a tall human, the only telling signs of his vampirism being the sharper fangs and the red eyes that calmly studied the tariffs. He was slightly nervous since he was relying on a small roof above their heads to protect himself from the sun lights raining from above.

"Things sure have gone more expensive than I remember," Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg pointed out aloud. "I don't think it will be convenient for you to leave the city just yet."

A blink. "Why not? I have something to check."

Was he trying to deny her some amusement after this lengthy slumber? She was bored and tired of waiting for others. She wanted to do things rather than let others do these for her.

"And you will be happy to know they will come to you," The Wizard Marshal argued softly. "Young lady, I don't mind if you wander the city, but if you leave and your presence is alerted by others aware of your situation, I might be unable to assist you against any attack from the Church."

The girl scoffed. "As if I will ever be worried about that."

"You should. And I hope you understand that angering the Church would mean having to deal with the chance of 'the girl and the shadow' having to relocate on multiple occasions to prevent being caught in the cross-fire."

That was actually a good point. The last thing she needed was to mess things up with her impatience. She might be bored, but she was a snot-nosed brat as many had called her. She was better, she was meant for a higher role…

And she wanted to play with that girl and her shadow so desperately.

"I guess I can wait. For a while."

"They will come to Florence," Zelretch confirmed with a confident tone. "And with that, I'll take my leave."

"...Did you miss me?" The girl inquired softly, the man stopping from jumping back to his office through the Kaleidoscope.

He sighed, looked to the side and down to see her eyes. "Why wouldn't I miss you, Princess?"

Her lips twitched in annoyance at that title, but she felt glad that she wasn't forgotten, especially by the one that slain her parent.

But for now, Arcueid Brunestud will have to enjoy Florence as much as she could since she had to wait for that meeting. She was going to get it, and then… It will be fun. The greatest fun she had in centuries.

---------d-d-d-d--------d-d-d-d-------------d-d-d-d---------

AN

I am of the notion that when a writer has to connect two similar universes, they have to look prior to the story's present and create those bonds and connections that would make sense to add within the context rather than keep things the same for everything minus the plot. So here Abbacchio does have a connection to the Hortensia family… but of which degree and extent? Caren's arrival shall shed light on the matter.

Sakura's POV next time. She is about to shine in something she is unique to have that will prevent some serious threat.

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 6: Meet the Gang, Part 3

It was morning, and Sakura sure didn't like the idea of stealing from the dead, no matter how much of a bastard this Polpo sounded to be from Giorno's own narration.

Sure, this money was necessary in a way to prevent issues with the rest of the gang now that Bucciarati was meant to retrieve the money and give it back to Passione, but it still felt like stealing since the money should have just been returned to innocent people.

Her morals, sadly, weren't meant to be heard or even accepted. Not in a situation where pragmatism truthfully didn't care about those. Thus, while she had many reasons to lament their current situation, the plum-haired girl knew better than to waste air in this situation and focus more on the strange conversation she was having with Narancia.

The slightly-older teen was of average height and gangly figure. His childish face, coupled with his messy dark hair with bangs over his eyes could easily bring up the wild and unruly nature within his personality. At first, Narancia had given off the impression of a girl.

A girl with a masculine and athletic body. The real elements that gave off that awkward wrong assumption was tied to his girly face and some outfit choices that, from an angle, could easily create that erroneous perspective. Sporting a dark, slim tank top and pants, he also wore lighter accessories which included an orange bandana, wrist bands, and a short skirt.

"I'm just saying that it's a cool dance. Mista and Fugo say so."

"But still, I don't want to say it's not because I've never seen it but… 'torture dance'."

He chuckled nervously at her honesty. "Well, it's named like that because it's generally used to torture bad people. When it's done by me together with the others. It's incredibly effective."

Was it? Sakura wasn't up to subjected to it regardless of the brief coaxing from Narancia himself to give it a shot. In fact, it was way too early to even consider that kind of psychological abuse onto herself. The plan to reach Polpo's treasure was simple.

Pick a boat, get to Capri and retrieve it from the location where Bruno knew his former boss had left it. The real issue was that any news about bosses' deaths spread fast and there was a chance that other members of Passione were going to try and get to it before them. Competition was favored within the gang, no matter how unhealthy it was to inner affairs, so it was clear they were going to face 'supposed allies' along the way.

Still, first step. Bruno mentioned that he had enough money to get a small boat meant for a calm and discreet trip from the port out into Capri's beaches. A small thing with little detail put into it compared to many others of the same kind but… as Sakura glanced at it, she couldn't help but find something about it was wrong. Especially when Bruno told them about a curious element when he gave the name of the boat.

"We will pick Lagoon 2 since Lagoon 1 is being repaired."

It sounded fairly simple- no, it was meant to be a simple and insignificant detail. The only reason it remained within her mind for as long as it did was mostly tied to her passion for sea-faring businesses. Fishes, boats, submarines and all that kind of stuff she inherited as an interest from her adoptive father. Sakura didn't have a 'problem' as Caren would normally say about her constant need to pull trustworthy people into learning about the sea and its natural beauty, she just had a healthy curiosity about it. And yet, the plum-haired girl found an issue about this very detail when they approached the right boat. An issue that was actually tied to the empty spot where Lagoon 1 was meant to stay anchored to be repaired on a later date.

"Mr. Bucciarati, the boat. Something is wrong about it."

Her voice came out clear, holding a degree of seriousness as it became evident that something was really wrong about it as Lagoon 1 wasn't there and… it should have been. Sure, there were instances where boats were removed from this section of the port if the damage was that extensive, but looking at other possible cases like this one, it just didn't feel like this was the truth.

All empty spots had some tags near those saying 'Attention! Ship 'Insert Name' has been relocated for long-term reparations'. In the empty spot where Lagoon 1 was meant to be, there was nothing of the sort.

Mista frowned, glancing at the boat with a confused look. "What about it? It seems like a normal boat."

"The boat is… technically fine, but where is Lagoon 1?" Sakura elaborated, gaining a couple of odd looks from the rest of the group.

Fugo walked to the side, checking the empty spot where the aforementioned ship was meant to have been stored. "It's not… here? And there is no sign to say it was taken away."

"Which means that it had been either stolen or… something else happened to it," Giorno guessed with a perplexed look.

"That's… not alright," Leone muttered quietly, his attention back on the boat they were meant to board.

"Narancia, bring out ｢Aerosmith｣ and check for anyone inside the boat," Bruno ultimately ordered, the young man nodding as his Stand, which took the form of a monoplane fighter aircraft, manifested and took flight from him so that Narancia could use its secondary ability. A small red device manifested in front of the User's eyes, giving him what looked to be a radar of what his Stand was picking up. It took very little for a strangely 'big' signal popped into the screen and Narancia nodded at his capo.

"There is someone in there, Bruno."

The gang was instantly alarmed by this situation. How did they find out which boat they were meant to use if they had just got it?

"Bribery," Bruno hummed dryly, knowing that, while the owner of these boats had been honest about Lagoon 2 being the closest available, he definitely got told to give them this one as this was where the ambush had been set up for them. It was also quite flagrant that the one ambushing them was confident in their skills of dealing with them despite the numerical advantage.

There were a few names that came up to him, but only a few he knew would definitely prove more frustrating than others. And that was for those he knew which Stands they had. There were a couple of 'unknown factors' which could easily be behind this current mess.

"Narancia, can you gun them down?" Bucciarati inquired of the teen.

"… I don't think so."

｢Aerosmith｣'s bullets weren't meant to pierce through sturdy surfaces like the one within the ship. Sakura knew of this since Narancia wasn't one to keep things like that a secret. Yet, it was still an effective method to… do something drastic as she would soon learn.

As the rest of the group remained watchful over the scene, Sakura's gaze followed Bruno as the man walked up to a small storage depot where a few gasoline tanks were. He picked one and dragged it up to where the ship was. With a single motion, he threw the tank into the middle of the lower section of the boat and walked back.

"At my signal, Narancia, you shall shoot the gasoline tank."

The sudden order caught everyone off-guard.

"But Bruno-"

"It's alright, we will buy a new boat if this means taking care of the fool that decided to try and put a trap in this one," Bruno interrupted Mista's protest, giving a quick look and a wink to Narancia. The young man's eyes widened at the gesture, but nodded as a smile formed on his face. It was all a ploy, at least that's what Sakura could tell from that silent interaction. "We can't afford to let anyone close to the treasure. So, a little money wasted will not matter. One..."

Sakura blinked, her eyes moving back to the boat.

"Two..."

Everyone tensed up at what will ensue from that trick. Maybe the gangster inside was going to see through that lie and make things more difficult on them. Much to her relief, that's not what happened. Quite the contrary actually.

"And three-"

"Gyah! I don't want to- DIE?!"

The exclamation was loudly expressed as two strange phenomena unfolded. First, the boat itself groaned as Lagoon 1 suddenly manifested from Lagoon 2, the hidden ship suddenly ejected to the side where it was meant to be; then, a panicking man emerged from Lagoon 2 and tried to jump back into the pier… only for ｢Sticky Fingers｣ by the neck.

The dangerous man was of average build and height. He kept his green hair attached in an odd-looking ponytail that pointed straight back before curling at the end. His outfit was made by a long sleeve collarless shirt with spikes on his shoulders, sleeves, and back. His long trousers reached down and covered his feet, acting as a pair of boots from the looks of it.

As Bucciariati's Stand pulled his fist away, it revealed a zip around the foe's neck which suddenly unraveled and detached the man's head from his body. Shivering in fear at the situation, the green-haired mobster glanced to the side as Bucciarati approached him with a calm and collected pace, grasping him from his hair and pulling him up.

Bruno delivered a sigh as he stood eye-to-eye before their supposed foe. "Mario Zucchero, I didn't know someone from Rome would join us here today."

"B-Bucciarati. L-Let me go."

"You know better than me that this isn't going to happen, Mario," The calm capo remarked. "The rules are clear. You came here, trying to kill us for Polpo's treasure. I think you will stay with us and tell me more about your plans."

Gritting his teeth, Zucchero was unable to do anything as his body was tied up and thrown into Lagoon 2, with Mista, Giorno and Fugo keeping watch over it while Abbacchio and Bucciarati tried to interrogate Zucchero. There was much to ask out from the now bodiless head, starting with how he had learned of their plans to take a boat to Capri and how he knew of Polpo's treasure being somewhere in Capri.

As much as the former boss was known to have loose-lips with some secrets, his treasure was known to be the only thing beyond their leader's identity to never be mentioned. He just never brought it up if not when it came to those members he could rely on. Bucciarati was the only one he trusted since he had been the one that helped hide away the treasure, and that trust wasn't misplaced with how things turned out.

Much to their growing displeasure, the hardened gangster wasn't one that cracked no matter how rough they were with the verbal and physical abuse. Before too long, the head was ditched back into their sights… but it fell right near to where Narancia and Sakura were sitting. A massive grin appeared on the teen's face as he had 'just the right thing' in mind to get the man to talk. Soon, Narancia was setting up his stereo with odd music and as the song started, the young man was dancing to it's insane tune.

Is this… what is this?

Sakura had expected many things about that torture dance, imagining it being either too atrocious with its step or the music too illegible and difficult to understand. But what she got instead was worse. A good kind of worse at that as the song started to get catchy after a while. Fugo and Mista were instantly captured by the tune and were flawlessly following Narancia's lead with his bizarre steps and moves.

In the matter of a few seconds, the plum-haired girl was now trying to follow their own steps, getting a few amused reactions from the trio of young men as she failed miserably to follow their pattern, It was just too difficult to keep up with due to how detached each step was and how flexible one had to be to make through the dance without any issues. Giorno tried too, but while he had a better grasp of it, he still failed to get all the steps right.

Despite the frustrating teasing, Sakura and Giorno accepted Narancia's offer to teach her how to do it properly as they were on their way to Capri. At least they had a good way to pass their time there as the rest of the gang minus Bruno was engaged in this very activity, while Zucchero was subjected to endless torture dances, some done right, other done horribly and goodish.

Sakura might have been a little less pleased with the occupation taken by the group, but she sure could tell that they weren't terrible people by the end of the day. That and the fact her body was a bit more flexible than she thought. Maybe she should have really accepted Great-Grandpa's offer to train in Hamon with Great-Great-Grandmother.

And as the journey to Capri started with quite an interesting development, someone else waited within the small island with a bored expression due to her current situation.

---------d-d-d-d--------

Trish Una was definitely despising her current restrictions, but she couldn't do much about it. Capri was such a lame location to check out.

Maybe it was her tiredness that made her this much stingy on the situation, but she knew better to whine at the moment. Pericolo might look like an old man, but he was sterner than Polpo and she knew that, in a way, it was a good thing.

While Polpo had been compliant to her requests, no matter how childish and expensive those were, but she knew the overly-obese man had done so out of physical attraction than loyalty to his own boss. It had been quite unpleasant, so the whole change of pace with someone like Pericolo felt particularly good and bad at the same time.

Good because the weary short man wasn't interested in her beyond as a person of interest to keep an eye on. Bad because he refused to comply with any minimal request if this wasn't tied to what was necessary to her like simple water, some snacks and public bathrooms to handle any needs to be alone.

It was still an improvement, Trish admitted to herself, as she was being treated as she had expected early on when she was taken in by Polpo. It wasn't the worst, yet she was now a proper prisoner as far as she could tell.

The only expectation she had right now was that the mop she had to use didn't break. Yes, to prevent anyone from catching her, Pericolo had her go through the hassle of being the janitor for a public bathroom near home. It had been quite the unusual imposition, but one that surprisingly paid her off well. Literally.

The old man was kind enough to let her get a wage due to the labor. She might be 15, but she knew that the situation dictated she had to work to protect her identity and get enough cash to keep herself afloat in case the new group meant to protect her failed to arrive or died after taking her in their care.

For now her main focus was to clean, clean and… clean. No matter how disgusting it was and how horrible the conditions of the public bathroom would get each day, she knew that it could be worse for her. Trish knew it could, especially when her mother made it clear that her life was in peril for merely existing.

Her father, the Boss of Passione, was a man with many enemies despite his face being far from known. He was an unknown name in her birth certificate, and the source of interest that had drained out by the time her mother passed away. She could still remember the times she would just sit by her mother's lap, looking at the kind brunette and pestering the poor woman about him.

"Who is my father?"

"A handsome man."

"But who is he?"

"A busy man."

"But… who?"

"He is someone. And it's better we don't distract him from his work."

The many times she asked her single parent would just result in that never-ending deflection which left her younger self even more annoyed. All kids at school had a father and a mother, while she got just a mother that would only let her know that her father was alive, busy and handsome. But that wasn't something she cared about. She wanted her father, as a child, that was one of her greatest wishes. To have a complete family.

Right now? That dream had been ignored for so long and heard so little about to be legally considered dead and long buried into the deepest pit of her 'don't care, don't ask' hole within her mind.

Trish just didn't care if she ended up with her father, which should technically protect her from any kind of trouble, but she knew she didn't have much of a choice due to her parentage and the many individuals that wanted to take a shot at the leader of the strongest Mafia group in Italy by killing off what was left of his family.

So, as much as she wanted to know who was the bastard that ditched her and her mother, Trish was more worried at living through the infamous reputation behind his name and deeds. She just wanted reasons, an explanation, maybe even a free shot at slapping him left and right. Punching and kicking too. But for now, she had to wait and keep all that frustration inside for the time she would need to use it all in a single moment.

Of course, knowing her luck, this just wasn't going to be an easy thing for her to achieve but… she had a good feeling she was going to get what she wanted by the end of this crazy odyssey.

---------d-d-d-d------------d-d-d-d---------

AN

Ah, if only things were that easy…

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 7: The Treasure in Pink, Part 1

The boat finally reached its destination, and Bruno decided to take a few precautionary steps before getting the treasure.

Giorno wasn't sure why this was a must, but he decided to keep quiet and listen. Why he knew the basis of how criminality worked, he didn't know much on the way the mafia handled that kind of delicate operation. He was still a rookie when it came to deeds of this kind, and he saw it more as an opportunity to learn and grow out of these experiences rather than be stunted by his own boredom and thirst for action. It would come to him, it was destiny for him to see violence before victory… So why rush it?

"Zucchero is known to have a partner. A more level-headed individual that is known to be the 'brain' of the group if needed," The leader of the group elaborated. "Thus, we need to find him. Mista-"

"Yes boss?" The gunslinger inquired, ready for the task he was soon to receive.

"You will reach this address," Bucciarati continued, handing out a small piece of paper with the address written on it. "While… Giorno will make sure that our target is distracted. Be wary that he isn't as gullible as Zucchero. He will put up some more resistance."

The blond paused over the exchange, his glance briefly poised over the unconscious body owned by Mario Zucchero. Abbacchio had been particularly aggressive with his means of interrogation but failed to crack the attempted saboteur due to his inability to 'break before bastards', while Bruno's cold-hearted but calm approach managed to easily shred through the mental resilience shown by the older gangster. The result was now that they knew that Zucchero hadn't come to try and steal Polpo's treasure alone. His partner, Sale, had been involved in this kind of affair and was waiting for his 'friend' back on the island. It wouldn't have been safe to try and approach the location of the money without cleaning up any threat along the way. And that's why they had to kill Sale before being set for their current goals.

A nod later, and Mista was off to take care of the last obstacle left between them and Polpo's impressive treasure. Still, there was a minor issue as the young Giovanna would immediately learn with Bruno's own request to sit with him and Abbacchio in front of the radio system of the boat. As the rest of the group remained on the boat, Giorno was soon instructed on how to man a radio the spot by a serious-sounding Bruno and an annoyed Abbacchio. To be fair, he wasn't exactly experienced with this kind of technology. The commands were far more complex than expected, but nothing that he couldn't learn with some good advice. From time to time Sakura would drop some words about it, having some basic knowledge of this specific device herself since her father tended to use it a lot during research on the field.

The notion that his father's enemy was actually his 'ally' by relation felt incredibly odd. Not unpleasant, but easily away from fully positive news. Sakura was still nice, and she spoke highly of the man that is Jotaro Kujo. He always imagined his father the way his mother remembered him: ambitious. And she had been right… in most part. Dio Brando was an ambitious monster, something that shocked him when he learned of this from Sakura. Still, Dio Brando… wasn't him. He developed an ambitious plan not for the sake of dominating others, but to help.

Sakura admitted that his goals were purer than Dio's and that he shouldn't be tied back by that kind of fright. In a way, he could understand. It had been so simple to ignore his mother and his step-father, so why should it be difficult to do the same with… him? He thought about it, and thus Giorno conceded that it wouldn't be wrong to be ambitious to also cleanse the tainted roots of his bloodline. This 'Brando' was more of a Joestar than anything else. And maybe he was worrying himself too much about a possible encounter with him, but for now his real concern was elsewhere.

Giorno eventually grasped the purpose of the various buttons he was meant to use, and soon he got hold of the line which the target was going to use to keep in contact with. Soon the line was joined by the target, Sale, and Giorno did his best to mimic not only Zucchero's voice but also his speech pattern. A boisterous and hotheaded bastard, that wouldn't be something too difficult for Giorno to come up with due to the experience he had with this kind of person. He spoke, trying to sound distracted, loopy, kind of unable to keep attention on the matter beyond the current objective: money.

"I got them. I swear, you were just lying about how tough they were," The blond muttered dully, catching a sigh out of his current interlocutor.

"You should have just waited for me rather than ran off like that. You still owe me for the fright you gave me a while ago," The partner rebuked with an irritated voice, clearly failing to spot the difference between Giorno and his now unconscious partner. "Seriously, leaving the car still running with me inside? Were you trying to kill me or what?"

"Bah, you're just a fighetta(1) if you really crapped your pants for that."

"Everyone would be scared of being suddenly left to die by a mad bastard such as yourself, you utter stronzo(2)."

Narancia held back a snicker at the crass exchange, with an irked Fugo glaring at the device while smacking the teen's back of the head. Sakura frowned harshly at the radio, while Abbacchio and Bruno ignored the brazen language to focus on the success of this trick. Soon Giorno took a pause, looking to the side as he saw Bucciarati giving him a look and a nod. Mista was in position, and it was time to have Sale's full attention on him as the gunslinger took care of his objective. So, how about raising the heat some more?

"Well, if you really want to get something back about it, how about we play it off. Poker or Blackjack?"

"Ah, why the fuck would I want to play some gamble you can cheat to win? Plus, what would you get out of it, more money?"

"Meh, I knew it. You were always a scaredy little turd, but now this confirms it."

"Oh, fuck you, you incredible-"

Sale didn't get the chance to finish that sentence as three shots rang from the other side of the call as Mista struck at the opportunity offered by the fake call. Giorno remained quiet, hoping that the assassination had gone through as intended. Soon he heard a loud thud as something big landed on the ground, with softer ones, footsteps, slowly approaching towards the other radio and the transmitter was picked up.

"Bastard is dead."

Mista, he thought quickly, not hesitating in passing the transmitter back to Bucciarati.

"Good work, take what valuable objects he had on himself and get back to the boat."

"Gotcha, boss."

The call ended and Bruno drew a breath of relief before glancing at Giorno. "An impressive move, Giorno. Your worth is improving thanks to these efforts."

A respectful nod. "Thank you, Bruno."

Abbacchio snorted, but turned away before anyone could have asked about this kind of reaction. As soon as Narancia understood that it was over, he rushed up to Giorno and begged him to teach him how to mimic other voices, citing some pranks he needed to do on a couple of people. Fugo's deepening frown and glare told Giorno it was best to avoid getting involved in that kind of matter, and decided to reply that-

"It's not exactly something one can replicate. I would say it's just something I was born to use like this."

"Aww, not even some advice, Giogio?"

...Giogio? Isn't that… familiar?

Blinking at the unexpected nickname, he was saved by Sakura after retrieving a pack of cards out of her jacket's pocket.

"Does anyone want to play Sette e Mezzo?"

The request took them by surprise considering she was a foreigner and she was the one asking for that kind of local game of cards. Still, the shock subsided as the idea of passing the time doing something sounded way better than sitting and thinking. Narancia jumped at the chance, Fugo joined to 'prevent disasters and make sure the rules were respected' while Bruno and Abbacchio joined out of boredom from the looks of it. Giorno happily sat down and started to handle the cards, slowly but surely enjoying the little wait before Mista got back. In the meantime, he also learned from Sakura as they played that 'her friend' was going to get to Capri quite soon and that she would be… odd. 'Fun odd', she argued when Fugo inquired about the kind of oddity this individual was and… Giorno wondered, maybe out of curiosity, what kind of fun oddity was going to be meeting his cousin's friend.

Caren Hortensia… and why did that name get a frustrated reaction from Abbacchio each time it was brought up?

--------d-d-d-d-------

A slight inconvenience.

That's how Caren saw it when someone actually tried to scam her with the intention of stealing her luggage. Here she thought about giving Naples an olive branch ever since someone tried to do the same with her father back when they last visited. She remembered the vicious retaliation at that point, and how her father had taken enough precautions to cover his traces but... this situation had tended into something more tragic than what Kirei Kotomine did a few years ago. Humming quietly as she wandered the now silent halls of the base she just took over, the young faithful girl grimaced over the blood staining her Black Keys, the liquid leaving in small drops off the edges of the blades as she checked to see if every room had been cleaned up.

Yes, Caren just went on a killing spree and she was happy about the list of kills she got. Of course, not just for the kills (not as much as the other reasons at least… okay, maybe a tiny bit more than the rest), but also because she felt compelled to help those within the buildings, the imprisoned souls, while also freeing Naples from part of the sleazy grasp holding it corrupt and hurting. The poor citizens… 'Saved' by a girl from Rome. Amusing, should she start calling herself 'Balilla' as a vigilante name?

Another amusing detail was how it all started with a scumbag trying to trick her into something scandalous. She might be young, but she was tremendously far from stupid. So much that the silver-haired teen had gone through the effort of not only teaching the unfortunate sinner that blocked her path, but also those associated with him within the city. In a sense, she was also to blame. After all, Caren could have just intimidated him to stop and be done with it. But then… she realized an issue with that kind of mindset. Not only would she allow a foul person to live and try the same thing with someone else that couldn't defend themselves from him, but she also knew that her face would be remembered by the local gang and turned in a target to eliminate for the 'slight' she inflicted on their gang.

Citing Machiavelli, 'If an injury has to be done to a man it should be so severe that his vengeance need not be feared'. Finding the base was simple through some intimidation on her part. Who would have known that being faced by a young girl armed and capable of using sharp blades could draw so much fear out of grown men? Nonetheless, she ventured inside, slicing her ways through aggressors, sinners, hopeless souls and… freed the rest.

Children that were forced by some binding favors to do some scummy dealings? They were free to go home with part of the money stored inside the building to help their families. Abused prostitutes that were 'caged' by the lecherous fools within that place? Given expensive clothes held in some crates by the nearby warehouse to replace their rags and set free to seek help from God by the nearest churches as she felt they would find the light if they accepted God in themselves. The drugs she found together with other trade goods? Caren learned that these crates were highly flammable as soon as her 'little' fire saw a fiery explosion rip apart most of the building once she was done setting up some explosives all over the place plus some gasoline she found around.

Caren huffed at the result of her hard work as she stared at the fire consuming the corpses and the unconscious bodies of those that were part of Passione and had kept operating the base there. A tragic accident, but one that would be shown to be perpetrated by a faceless vigilante. After all, who would be sane enough to push all the blame on a young church girl that looked cute to everyone that spared her a glance? Speaking of cute, Caren's attention was once more aimed at her current goals and the thoughts that were entertaining her as she got off from the train.

Sakura was going to Capri, a modest island off the shores of Naples. It was a pleasant tourist destination, but also one of those 'safe havens' where the local mafia was known to have set some 'respectful businesses' to make the best out of the flow of foreign people coming by. Finding a boat to reach it was slightly tough due to the assumptions she was 'too young' to get through, but a quick look at her money made the owner of that section of the docks change his mind and give her a free pass with one of the smaller boats. He was going to move it himself, what a nice man, but he seemed a bit 'worried' when she mentioned any attempt to annoy her were going to be met with 'just retribution'. While also showing one of her Black Keys in the process.

The journey was going to take just a few hours, enough for them to make it to the nearest docks in Capri while also getting to understand by phone where Sakura was moving next. She had a quick exchange of messages with her friend and… she had to pause a few times when she remembered that there was something that Caren had rightfully kept her in the dark about. Mostly because it wasn't something she felt confident of bringing up by phone. She had to tell her in person. The fact that the plum-haired girl was taking this trip with… a relative of hers was odd. She wasn't speaking of Sakura's cousin, no. Caren was talking about… her relative. Someone that father never told her about and that had left her in the dark for so long. It wasn't even something he did on purpose as he explained, arguing that this decision came straight from her mother's last will.

It was decided to not mention him or even try to drag him back to the family due to some affairs within the Hortensia group which had seen his father leave out of disgust and disinterest for the familial business. It wasn't like Caren couldn't blame her deceased uncle for being disappointed by the sternness of his family, not when Caren herself had experienced that kind of unpleasant attitude from her maternal grandparents. And she could easily say that living with her father and grandfather was much easier than that, but also kind of 'refreshing'. She could understand her father, he understood her, while her previous guardians just couldn't get anything out of her 'weird' attitude without thinking she was doing things on purpose to draw attention to herself.

Her father knew what to say or do to make her happy, but also teach her about life, about growing tougher and protecting those emotions she was so unsure how to use at times. So, when it came to her uncle and… her cousin, she knew that they had the right to pick their decisions in case she found the latter. He was with Sakura after all and it sure made for an ironic coincidence considering her friend did this trip to find 'her cousin' too. What really made this case unique compared to that was that Caren had a solid reason to seek out and see what her cousin wanted to do with their blood relation.

After all, her cousin was the one from which her mother found a name to give her, and that, Caren knew, meant a lot for her.

-------d-d-d-d--------

AN

Caren joins the gang next time and… 'About the first section': The reason why Sale was easily killed was because he had no idea that Zucchero had been captured. In the original timeline he was alerted by Zucchero, and ITTL he didn't have that advantage. Mista had an easy job in killing the distracted Stand User.

Of course the next chapter will add new threats to the plot. Let's just say that Arcueid being awake might have stirred some inactive figures to be moving around and causing messes around the country. And Magi are on the move too…

Glossary:

1) Fighetta: Little Pussy (Italian swear word);

2) Stronzo: Turd (Italian swear word);

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 8: The Treasure in Pink, Part 2

It was a curious day for a very worried Executor.

Fixing his glasses, his gaze was aimed at the buildings in the distance as their bus finally reached Florence and… yes, he was outright frightened by what he was meant to do now that he was at destination. Despite his threatening looks, Mr. Dawn was no monster like his fellow Executors. He was a faithful member of the Church, yes, and surprisingly effective in any mission he was sent to. Him and his partner. One would normally question how a man of his pacific mindset was still part of the Burial Agency as the Sixth Saint, but the truth to it was far too complicated or… just plain stupid, as the man was keen to confess when the director wasn't around to glare at him.

Director Narbeck was an exceptionally dedicated servant of God, there was no doubt about it. But her zealotry sometimes amounted to an impressive cruelty that she eagerly aimed at her own group when not out to slay any heretics. To Mr. Dawn, that cruelty was displayed the best by the way she expressed her 'reasons' to keep such a 'valuable part' of the Agency such as himself. Something that was false in all senses, especially since he always needed someone experienced to be a Saint to escort him around. He was no Kirei Kotomine or Argaleon, he shouldn't be there to handle someone like the Strongest Vampire with minimal backup. Despite the brazen and hotheaded attitude of his current partner, a young man that went by then name Gianmaria Franceschi, Mr. Dawn had no doubt about it: Narbeck wanted his demise, but she wanted it to happen slowly and via mission. Which explained why she was so 'eager' to send him out into deadly missions and… why she would get particularly 'excited' when he would return from those slightly hurt.

It was dreadful. And embarrassing. He could have found a way to escape her wiles many years ago now, but he was unable to pull the needed words to break his oath. He could. And he wouldn't be punished. His hard work had been praised by Cardinal Noi many times now, and the man had made it clear he would be willing to vouch for a peaceful retirement for him. No tricks, no sudden assassinations, only Mr. Dawn getting his long overdue rest after a decade or two of bowing to superiors, dodging death and doing a fine job through it all. He was hopeful that it could happen after this one. After all, it wasn't a common thing to face someone like Arcueid Brunestud. What really made the task not as simple as it sounds was that Narbeck didn't want her dead. She wanted her captured alive.

Despite how bold he sounded, even young Gianmaria knew this was no easy task. Far from it. In fact, in a way, Mr. Dawn knew that Narbeck had said this just for the sake of finally ending him. Why not set him against the worst kind of threat and see if his luck got him out of that situation once more? Like a mouse left alone with a pack of cats, Mr. Dawn knew he had a single choice. A direct confrontation couldn't work. He had to step back from that mindset and discover the girl's pattern. Surely the Crimson Princess followed a determined daily pattern and had a reason to have picked Florence as the place where she was currently staying at. The city held no significance to her- there was nothing majorly essential for someone like her to be lingering within this location… beyond the chance it was going to be the setting of a rendezvous of some importance.

It had been one of the many good assumptions Mr. Dawn could make out from little scraps of clues they got from her profile. For it to be confirmed, or any of the other theories, he needed time and quiet to study the phenomenon itself. This wasn't exactly a well-known threat, with most of their data tracing back to numerous centuries ago… and lacking anything major compared to other entities of that time. Gainmaria didn't seem to care about reasons, preferring to 'focus on actually getting the mission done' by planning any weaknesses and beating her himself.

"You're too much of a wimp. I swear, I can't even imagine why Narbeck had picked you up as an Executor."

The mocking was common in this line of work, especially from foolish partners that were going to die a stupid way. It didn't bring him any comfort as a thought, but it was enough to merely reduce his reaction to a mildly truthful nod. It wasn't like he was wrong with that assumption, but his folly, Mr. Dawn knew, was going to be his own undoing. He just had to focus on his plans, ignoring the whining of a brat that could potentially kill him with his sheer stupidity, and plan his own survival out of this mission. That was priority, for, as far as he cared, he didn't see a reason why he should put his life on the line to satisfy a sadistic witch such as Narbeck. She could have sent Ciel- in fact, from a logistical and efficient-wise standpoint, Ciel would have gotten an easier time with this task with her unique predicament. Sadly, that wasn't what the director wanted and, while Mr. Dawn's mindset on the case held some genuine merits, he would soon learn one thing as he got sight on his targets.

Despite her power and personality, Arcueid Brunestud was a child. And not just by appearance alone. Not when he would see her wander off and visit the same ice cream parlor so many times in a single day. It was baffling, yet quite amusing as it confirmed some suspicions he held on her. If she had fallen asleep as a youth, perhaps he could try to trick her as an extremely arrogant and proud one? It was too early to say, but Mr. Dawn still could tell that, one way or another, this girl was going to be his ticket to survival.

And perhaps a much deserved retirement from that crazy place he ended up working in.

--------d-d-d-d---------

Sakura could tell something was wrong.

She just couldn't tell why, or what precisely, but she knew that something foul was coming their way. It all started when they ended up making their way where their goal was staying, with the group finally arriving at the public bathroom where Polpo's treasure was held… so Bucciarati could give it to Pericolo, a crime boss of Passione operating in the area, in exchange of influence and 'respect'. The true gain in this mission was not to receive cash, but to put Bucciarati in a higher perch with the rest of the team. The 'higher up' they were, the higher the chances of ending Passione's drug trade were going to be.

Bruno effectively replaced Polpo as the 'owner' of Napoli, but he was also entrusted with another kind of treasure that, at first glance, didn't seem much, but Sakura soon learned to dislike. Trish was a year or two older than she was but… she instantly 'clung' at her due to Sakura being a girl like her. Which was true… to an extent. After all, she didn't exactly know about half the answers to the questions Trish had about fashion and 'how she kept her hair so smooth'. The pinkette was the daughter of Passione's boss, a 'treasure so immeasurable' for the boss as he wanted her by her side. Their newest mission? Bringing the girl back to her father. And while this looked more like a chore, the truth was that it gave Bucciarati the leverage to finally cease the drug trade. That was the kind of favor they needed to impose a change in the mafia situation in Italy.

But as the group focused on getting all the needed effort to keep Trish safe by the very moment they got back to Naples, Sakura had the horrible task of 'babysitting' Trish for the time being. Which, in the pinkette's mind, translated as the two going out for a shopping spree. So, here Sakura was, playing the part of the reluctant 'friend' that is trying out the various clothes Trish was picking for her. And that's where the problem was. The pinkette picked stuff only for Sakura, and nothing for herself. It was appalling that she had to be subjected to this kind of torture, even more that she was being targeted this much because of it. It didn't help when they started to bicker on a point Sakura was unwilling to budge from.

"Why keep the hat? It doesn't match with-"

"The hat stays, or I'm just leaving you with no money to pay this whole… mess."

It was one of the few prerogatives that Sakura wasn't willing to let go. It was a gift, something that she got back when she didn't have much to herself. It was her father's kindness given form, it was a memory from a time where she finally felt free and able to live happily as a child. Away from the horrors of the Matou's basement, and free to be Sakura Kujo, no more Matou or Tohsaka. So, Trish didn't know just what kind of critical button she had pressed with that pressure but… she was about to learn. That Sakura could swear an oath on.

Trish's eyes narrowed. "You have no reason to be this rude."

And that was a nice way to piss off the plum-haired girl. It was just hypocritical and plain provoking at this point.

"Rude? You think this is 'rude'. How about being yanked in numerous shops and becoming a doll for someone that, by correlation of the fact we're both girls, seems to not care about what I think about this?"

"T-That's not like it-"

"Is it not now?"

Before Sakura could have pressed on the now-embarrassed Trish, her chances were dashed away when a new voice joined in.

"Is there any trouble?"

The shop-keeper, a motherly-looking brunette, had decided to come and check how things were doing for them. Two other workers, slightly younger women, came to check too.

"N-Nothing." Trish replied weakly and one of the workers hummed.

"'That' doesn't look 'nothing', dearie. Are you sure? I think we can give them coffee so they can calm down a little bit."

"There is no need-" Sakura tried to reason, but the shop-keeper insisted.

"Oh, none of that, huns. You both need a moment to clear up your thoughts. There is no need to be this angry this early in the morning. We make use of hand-made coffee, so it's none of those yucky ones made in offices."

Despite her reluctance to go for it, Sakura could feel that she was being too stressed. Just a tiny bit too much. A nod, and she was soon sitting by the counter together, they waited for the coffee to be ready. It was a swift process, one that still felt… odd as she added some 'honey' into it. She could see it had the same texture, smell and consistency as normal honey… but something was off about it.

"I hope you will like it. I put a lot of effort into making it the most delicious, Miss Matou."

Sakura froze instantly, realizing what the mature woman had said before her lips had the chance to sip at the coffee. Panic rushed into her mind, but instead of allowing it to dictate her decisions, she decided to play it carefully. As slowly as she raised the cup, she put it back to the counter.

"I don't feel like drinking it actually."

The reaction was instantaneous from the rest of the ladies.

"Aren't you the rudest child?" One of the shop-workers lamented. "We just offered you some coffee-"

"Now, there is no reason to be this harsh on Miss Matou-"

"How do you know that old name, hag? It's not even mine."

As the owner tense up, Trish looked a bit confused.

"What do you mean? What is- is going on?" The pinkette asked, her voice slurring as she felt her focus on reality faltering.

The coffee had been drugged, and they planned to take them away with that. Were they part of the ones that were trying to get Trish? How did they intervene this quickly? It made no sense!

"Well, so much for the element of surprise," One of the workers admitted. "Well, too bad on you, brat. Our master wants you so- GAH!"

CRACK!

The bad woman was sent slamming on the wall behind her, stunning the other two at the sight. They might have expected a cheap win out of this, but they excluded that 'Miss Matou' had something they couldn't see and could easily create trouble for them. ｢One Vision｣ matched her anger from the way it itched for a fight, and the Stand was instantly taking care of the two harlots. Grasping both their heads, the humanoid proceeded to slam both their skulls against each other, depriving them of consciousness just like their already-downed friend. There was a moment of silence, with Sakura checking on Trish and confirming that the girl was just unconscious. Relief washed within her mind as she prepared to make a hasty retreat to the temporary house they were meant to use for emergencies in case something bad happened on the island. From there, it should have been easy to get support and help from the others.

Their escape started sluggishly. Not by choice, but because Trish was… heavy. Her height added extra kilos, and it didn't help that Sakura wasn't exactly a super-buff person like her father. Still, she didn't shy away from the challenge and swiftly picked up the pace. The streets were mostly empty as it wasn't one of those 'tourist months' where a large influx of people would visit the renowned holiday destination. She rushed as quickly as she could, but, somehow, she ended up tripping on something sturdy and solid… even though there was nothing like that under her.

Crashing on the ground, Sakura tried to pull herself and the pinkette out of that bad spot, but she soon found out she couldn't for some reason. Dread fell on her as she finally realized that there was something that was preventing her from standing up. The floor, there was a strange seal chalked on it. One that had activated the moment she stepped into it. She hadn't paid attention to it, leaving her helplessly stuck on the ground and struggling to free herself and Trish out of this trap. Three women turned the corner in front of her, smiling smugly as they approached their helpless forms.

"So, our 'sisters' have failed? Such a shame. Well, I guess we will graciously take the reward master promised us."

Gritting her teeth, Sakura struggled again, but failed to free herself. The three dangerous individuals kept on approaching giggles and- The three women fell down, the dark blades having slammed on their throats and killed them on the spot from the looks of it. Sakura heard footsteps approaching from behind, feeling like this was a familiar sight… yet not. She heard someone hum and soon, she gazed behind to see her 'savior'.

"Ciao."

Sakura blinked at the familiar voice and soon was smiling at a certain white-haired girl. She looked slightly worried, but her expression softened look. She looked to be fine, unscathed, and only more concerned than anything else.

"Ciao Caren."

A petite smile appeared on her face at the happy response she got. It was a rare reaction from Caren towards many things and people, but one that Sakura knew she was able to bring out with ease. Not because of any bizarre imposition or reasoning, but because… they were friends. Closer than that… sisters? Possibly.

"I see you were in some trouble," The childhood friend pointed out and Sakura groaned.

"You don't know half of it. Can you help me, she is getting very heavy now?"

A nod and the girl was soon destabilizing the seal that was keeping both her and the pinkette stuck in that awkward situation. She sighed in relief, her calm brief as she noticed Caren frowning at the unconscious Trish.

"This is Trish. She is someone we're escorting. The boss' daughter."

The 'mini-nun' nodded. "I see. I'm sorry for being a bit… awkward there."

"You are not awkward. You are Caren."

A little dad joke, but one that warmed up Caren as both started to make their way to their destination and well away from that trouble they had finished dealing with. For some reason, both girls could tell something was off about it as they discussed this matter. Something just didn't feel right to believe it was tied to Passione. Not when magecraft was involved in this mess.

But who was currently tracking down Sakura… and how did they know of her previous last name?

-----d-d-d-d-------

"They failed."

The emptiness in his voice sent a shiver down the other women that had waited to 'deal with the rest' once their allies were done retrieving their target. Their master looked disappointed- no, furious as the news set his plan back a lot. It would have been so simple, especially now that there was a chance to do what he was destined to do. To win, to succeed, to conquer the Magus Association through the tools left behind by the Three Founding Families. It took him a great amount of his family wealth and years spent studying the tedious relics recovered but… he found it.

The path that transcended the Root and went back to the 'material world'. Absolute control, absolute supremacy. He just needed the little Matou playing like a normal person. Silly girl thought she could run away from her dual legacy as a Magus, but that was soon going to be her undoing for failing to become strong through these chances. A fool that was going to be his toy the moment he got his hands on her. And he was going to play with her a lot~. Still, he would have to adapt to make sure that the next plan worked. He had a limited window of opportunity from the looks of it.

The Association was going to notice that something was off here in Italy, and the Church was definitely going to react the moment they got news of a limited boundary-field being used to contain someone within Capri. If they managed to get to him… the situation would definitely end poorly on him. And that wouldn't do, not when the glorious future before him was mere days away from unfolding as it shall be decided through a single act of rightful power. Something that would potentially bring back Magic and faith back in this disappointing world as he would become the restorer of the Age of Gods. He needed to invest more in his workshop, more sacrifices shall be employed to channel the best kind of spells, the artifacts in his arsenal fully employed for the sake of that final lap into pure divinity.

Oh yes, he could see it and…

Atrum could swear it upon his family's name and life. The Galliasta shall rule over all!

--------d-d-d-d-----------d-d-d-d---------------

AN

Poor Mr. Dawn. He got stuck capturing the previous form of Neco Arc!

Also, Caren is here and… Oh boy, what is Atrum planned to do? And why is Sakura vital for this kind of plan?

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 9: The Treasure in Pink, Part 3

Leone Abbacchio was already regretting having accepted this friend to Sakura.

The plum-haired girl had vouched for her, Bruno had given her a thorough look before being fine with this development as she had helped with Trish's protection, and he hadn't seen anything worrying out of this unusually familiar individual. One moment he thought that this one would have been as polite, if not more than Sakura considering her pious predisposition but… that ended up being the least of his worries. A glance, that was all it took to Abbacchio to actually be uneasy around this girl. The silver-hair, the golden eyes and the delicate features of her face…

It was her daughter, wasn't it? That woman back in that park many years ago, the one that Leone had given the idea of naming her child with that unique name. After all, how many bore that resemblance and were called Caren? He wanted to be wrong, he really did, and yet the girl proved him wrong as soon as they were en route to get back in Naples. It all started when Bucciarati was promoted as Capo, giving him control of the casinos and the hotels in the former Two Sicilies' capital, as their newest goal became hiding Trish and waiting for the boss' next orders regarding her protection. It wasn't going to be easy considering that Pericolo had given them some bad news: atop those that were tracking them down, the Squadra Esecuzioni was planning to make it a big hit on the boss.

And that wasn't a group Leone felt confident they had high chances of dealing with as smoothly as they did with Zucchero and Sale.

So, as he somberly thought what could happen once they arrived at their planned hideout for the next few days, the secondary source of his unease decided to pipe in and try to get him to talk. One thing that he could pick up through observing the conversation between Caren, Sakura, Trish and even Narancia was that the first girl was… careful. Methodical. It was intriguing to see a teen her age this well-mannered and careful with some situations, which is why he felt incredibly unsure how to handle someone so cautious with her own words.

"Signor Abbacchio?" Caren's quiet voice shattered the suave silence he had immersed himself into.

It's been a while since he had grown accustomed to his lonely perch, a small chair he retrieved from the inner section of the boat they were taking to get back to the mainland that he saw fit to place as distantly as possible from the others. There was much to think about, and the last thing he needed was to receive some frustrating teasing from either Mista or Narancia. Of course, that plan had backfired as he was now alone with Caren from the looks of it.

He blinked, his gaze turning to the girl that wore clothes akin to a nun. "What?"

Rude, impolite- he didn't want to engage in any conversation at the moment and he was doing his best to do so while creating further reasons for the girl to avoid him. Sadly, that only seemed to intensify her stubbornness.

"Can I ask you a few questions?"

His lips twitched, he knew the brat got the message but she was doing her best to press on this matter with as much leverage as she could out of his moderate rejection.

"I'm not your father. Go ask him whatever questions you want."

The girl raised an unflattering look, clearly upset by that full-front rejection she was being subjected to… but she had an ace in her sleeve which managed to get another reaction out of Leone.

"Well, since he is not here, I wanted to ask the closest family I got here."

"..." Abbacchio kept quiet, but his face and mind were acting the opposite. Surprise swelled in his eyes as he narrowed his gaze at the minor smug on the girl's visage, while his mind tried to wrap around that sudden comment. "What are you talking about?"

"Do you really want to know?" The smugness exuded by that petulant child was quick to restore the previously-forgotten irritation.

"I'm not sure of that right now," He rebuked, and his words held a dual reasoning.

First, he wasn't sure he wanted to know how that actually worked. It was a long lost memory, the one that tied Caren to that bizarre woman back in that park. The other reason was more immediate, as it was becoming clear to Abbacchio that Caren was far from the usual bratty girl. This one was using this attitude as a mask to hide her true intentions, and it worried him immensely about the motivations driving her to behave like this. But, as he would soon learn, Caren was far from willing to let this go and she had a couple more tricks to employ.

"Apologies. For being too rude."

"You weren't. You were confrontational, and not in a rude way."

A frown adorned the girl's face as she was surprised by that correction.

"Wouldn't that still make me a rude person?"

"Sometimes. Not always- not in this case." Abbacchio replied curtly, staring away from the girl. "Now, if you are done with this-"

"Why don't you want to talk with me?" She pressed on, interrupting the man. Her eyes narrowed at his displeasure, "I just want to set things straight."

"In which regard? Wanting to be rude?"

"You knew my mother."

"…And what if I did?"

"Do you even know why she was so interested in talking to you?" The girl grew more stubborn with each question. "Why do you and her, and even me, share so many physical similarities?"

He blinked, he was once a police officer, so the current situation gave him some weight over a possibility. One of the few ones he had started to think about as soon as Caren became part of the group. He could tell this was tied to it, to Claudia and her odd questions.

"We are related," Abbacchio replied flatly, stunning Caren for a moment and the reaction drawing a small smile on his face. "She asked about my father, about the fact he didn't have parents. I might have been a child once and not connected dots back then, but I can connect dots, especially when you present me with an extra clue to it."

Caren remained quiet, but she tensed up a bit as he stood up from his chair and took just two steps towards him, stopping right in front of her and crouching down. A mostly blank look lingered on his face as only curiosity persisted through his composure.

"The only thing I still have to understand is… what does that make you to me?"

For the first time since he got to know her, Leone saw Caren stare at the ground, showing genuine embarrassment as a girl her age would. It took her a moment to either think about it, or to try to find the voice to bring up the truth. But she did and… it sounded really different with how genuinely honest her response was.

"You and mom were… cousins. So, that means that we are… second grade cousins," She hummed nervously. "But… Can I ask you something?"

He didn't answer, yet the girl decided to finally be 'rude' and ask anyway.

"Can I call you… Zio(1)?"

Abbacchio paused over this kind of question. Ever since he joined the Mafia, one thing that he outright refused to give a thought of was having to deal with children so close to himself. Until that very confession, he never had to worry about it as he had been an only child, thus no sibling of his would have given him nephews or nieces to worry about. But this? This was a curveball. Sure, their connection wasn't the same as uncle-niece, but there was no reason to believe it could have been due to their difference between their ages and the fact he had once seen her mother as 'sister material'.

"That sounds like a big request. You have just met me, why would you want that?"

Instead of being pressured by that kind of question, the girl half-smiled at him. "It's easier to call you that, plus… it fits, Zio."

His left eye twitched at the cheeky last bit. "I didn't give you permission."

"What if I called you that even without permission?" She inquired back, her amusement growing as her soft features… took a familiar expression. One that he had seen back with… her mother.

Eh, I guess she is her mother's daughter...

"Then I would be quite crossed. Also, I would have to respond to that kind of behavior."

A hint of nervousness filtered in her smile as Caren saw Abbacchio reach out her face with his hands, seemingly ready to slap her and force her to close her eyes… only for something else to happen. Something painful but… far from what she expected. Her eyes opened in shock and upset as the smug-looking Leone had started to pinch her cheeks as earnestly as he could.

"Owie," She lamented. "T-That hurts."

"Oh? Does it? Well, I guess that's what happens when girls your age behave like cheeky brats."

Caren pouted. "Then I shall call you Zia(2), OWIE!"

The pinching increased at that threat, raising the level of playfulness between the two and… mellowing both at the prospect of this dynamic bond.

"I think not, little brat."

Despite the rocky beginning, Abbacchio couldn't help but hope that this wasn't going to backfire horribly on him. Last thing he needed was to babysit this pesky girl during the whole trip. Also, why the hell did her father send her on her own and…

Why could he tell that there was something else beyond that thick veil of childishness?

----------------d-d-d-d------------d-d-d-d------------d-d-d-d--------

The mission was finally over!

He could now enjoy a break from all the hard work as the Boss had promised him. Yes, it was time for one Doppio Vinegar to enjoy some peace and relax after making sure the Turin's branch stopped being this riottish against Passione's demands.

The Consigliere was fairly young despite his high role within the group with a few elements on his appearance, his freckles in particular contributed to his boyish looks. His orange eyes lacked any hints of maliciousness, a perfect testament of a professional member of Passione that knew when to be happy and when to be… cruel. His pink hair was tied into a small ponytail, with the frontal locks left loose turned to the side by one side lock. His outfit was made by a light-purple-colored sweater with gash-like openings that left part of his upper chest, his midriff and a bit of his thighs exposed. He also wore a loose pair of jeans pants.

After years of good service, the young man just knew that his beloved Boss would allow him some slack after a job well done. He was young and quite timid at times, but never too shy from enjoying a proper break before getting back into action and… as much as it dismayed him, he was soon contacted with a new mission.

He was sitting inside a taxi, ready to reach his hotel and spend a few hours of sleep when he received a call. For some reason the driver spared him some odd looks as he retrieved his phone, but Doppio had long learned that some dumb people just didn't seem to grasp how sweet and cool his phone's ringtone was.

"Doppio here."

"Doppio. I heard you managed to succeed in your mission… as usual."

The pink-haired man smiled, elated by the sudden praise by his leader. It's been years now since he was given a chance to become a fundamental part of Passione, and he has never disappointed with the completion of the tasks pushed forth by the boss. He was picked up from the ground, as a nobody, and given the opportunity to really show his value to others through his determination and loyalty to the noble cause of Passione. It was the boss that took over the underworld and removed all drugs, he was the one that supported charities and progress in the peninsula where politicians would just bicker and do nothing to help the needy.

"Yes boss, I managed to get the nasty morons under check. They will not disappoint ever again."

"I believe you, Doppio… but I'm afraid I have to ask a favor out of you," The boss expressed with a degree of mournfulness. "I could tell you were set to enjoy a minor break from work, but there is a new matter that requires your attention. If you reach out in your bag, you will find the documents that will provide you with some insight on the next task."

Doppio was slightly unnerved by that missed chance to rest, but he knew better than disobeying his leader's request. So he complied, reaching into the bag and pulling out two files, one describing a message from Capo Pericolo and another from the boss himself. His eyes widened as he realized the content within the message and then, he focused back on the call.

"B-Boss, you have a-"

"It's unimportant for now, Doppio. What I need you to do is reach Venice. There I will meet with you and discuss what we will have to do over this unexpected development. You shall do so as I command, understood?"

A slow nod. "O-Of course. I will never stray away from your orders, boss."

"...Thank you for being the most loyal to me, my dear Doppio."

His cheeks flared in embarrassment, the praise striking deep as he felt the most loved by his leader. No responses came out of it as the call ended there, with Doppio ready to get back to his hotel and retrieve his things. Things were set to be quite smooth with no major issues up ahead. Or at least, that was until something rather unexpected unfolded. The taxi suddenly stopped, surprising Doppio as someone rushed to the side and forced their way into the car. Soon the scene turned into the most chaotic possible situation, with a woman suddenly sobbing close to his ears as a masked man yelled orders at the driver.

"Start the car, get us out of there!"

The old man driving the vehicle only nodded, panicking as the speed was suddenly increasing. The pink-haired young man was stunned by the development, caught off-guard by it as he tried to make some sense of it. The masked man was clearly a robber, his deduction tied to his current outfit and the fact that he was holding a sack filled with paper money, while the other held the handgun currently aimed at the young woman. That woman… she sure reminded him of something familiar. The way she was crying and screaming, begging to live… A knot twitched deep within Doppio as he stared at the scene in pure shock and dread, his own good morals flaring in horror at his inaction. He should act but how? How was he supposed to do anything about this? He didn't have any of the boss' gifts with himself at the moment. Only his own body and his own experience… but nothing that could have allowed him to move without getting shot by the criminal. It was absurd that someone would dare to go against Passione's orders. Peace was restored and crimes weren't meant to be this direct and chaotic. No, he couldn't allow this and…

And then the woman opened her eyes. It was there that something burned within Doppio's head. A memory. A smiling brunette posing for… him, as he took a picture of her. What a pretty girl, he thought as he felt his consciousness faltering for just a moment. It was brief, but enough to allow a change within the scenario he was in. A blink, the criminal was now slumping, his arms falling limp as a shocked look formed on his face… while he drowned in his own blood. A large gash crossed his neck and ended his life instantly. The taxi driver took notice of this and stopped the vehicle, trying to check on what was going on as soon as he realized that the criminal was slumping in such a manner, the wound having appeared out of nowhere. Then, he also realized another thing: the previous passenger, the bizarre young man that he had been taking back to his hotel before the escaping criminal hijacked the vehicle, was no longer there.

Meanwhile, Doppio found himself several meters away from the car, standing on some sidewalk while staring at the concrete ground under his feet, frowning as he tried to recollect what had… happened. He was sure that he had taken a taxi, but he couldn't remember what unfolded inside of it and he got taken off. Still, he was quite close to the hotel, and he decided to shrug off at that normal 'forgetfulness' that he tended to face from time to time. Yet, as he retreated towards the hotel's entrance and got prepared for his trip to Venice, he could tell that he did something… good. Maybe he gave the tip to the driver? He looked quite poor so… maybe?

Then again, this reasoning faltered as he felt warm in his chest. His fuzzy memories on the matter showed a crying woman sparing him what he could only describe as a beautiful and thankful look and… and then he was there. It made him feel like this was familiar to something he saw in the past, something important. Doppio wasn't sure how that had worked, and why he felt convinced that this was the best feeling he had ever experienced, even more than just fixing some affairs for the boss. He almost tensed up in shock at that thought, horrified at the notion of the boss learning of these traitorous ideas of his for believing this kind of madness.

After all, Doppio was the most loyal servant to the boss and while he wanted to change the world for the best, it would be wrong to bite the hand that had taken him off the ground and given him worth.

He just couldn't imagine a world with that ever happening.

------------d-d-d-d------------d-d-d-d-----------

AN

Uncle Abbacchio is now a thing, sorta, and I have plans for Doppio. Will those be for the good or for the worst? It will definitely give him some role beyond being the boot-licking puppet for the main antagonist.

Glossary:

1) Zio: Uncle;
2) Zia: Aunt;

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 10: The Treasure in Pink, Part 4

The hideout was average at best. It wasn't meant to be used for long, but it definitely was enough to work for its current purpose.

Bruno wasn't fully sure of his own commitment to this, not when this could have ended so poorly. The boss' daughter- she wasn't tied to anything regarding Passione. Except them, except now. It was upsetting how this was a chance to get something done about it. Maybe it was the hopefulness lacking that form of… realism. It felt too abstract on the spot, and it didn't help that even Abbacchio hardly believed it. The former police officer was busy with Caren, admitting that there was an unusual connection between them. Very odd considering how little time they got to bond up, but Bucciarati could pick up the possible blood relation between them. Their traits, such as hair and eyes, were unique compared to others, and it was clear that they were tied by blood. The real question was how precisely that bond was classified.

It was ironic in a way. Giorno had Sakura, Leone had Caren, while Bucciarati had many thoughts about his past. He wondered if his father had relatives, if his family wasn't as small as he thought it to be. It was the first time in years since he entertained that thought but… he didn't consider delving deeper into it. It wasn't fear, it was worry that drove him to keep away from looking more into it. Considering his current disposition, it would just endanger whatever relatives he got. It was for the best that this question, just like it had been delayed for so long, was kept away until he hadn't threats to his existence. And he had yet to solve the drug problem. Even as a Capo, he couldn't exactly enact anything that trailed away from the main course of the whole organization. Which is why he needed the Boss to do this. To make that decision.

It was going to be intense and… he doubted he had the means to stand strong against the Boss if he disagreed with this idea. Which is why this hope wasn't exactly something that he could rely on. It had to be his own strength in the initial delivery that had to carry most of the impact within the conversation. And… he had to make sure his own group didn't get decimated in the process. There were just too many individuals that were trying to get their hands on Trish. She was a pawn that could warrant immense wealth and prestige. Maybe even a higher position in the hierarchy with enough care provided to the pinkette.

There were many reasons to keep an eye on this matter… but not the only issue that Bruno felt worried about. As a Capo and chief-in-charge of all operations in Naples and other smaller cities within the area, he had access to part of the informants' network within the region. And what he heard as of a few hours earlier left him worried about keeping their base in a single place for too long. Someone was tracking them down, and they weren't part of the local factions. A new player? They attacked Trish and Sakura while they were still in Capri, which meant there was a high chance they were after the Boss' daughter. But… the more he looked into it, the more he could tell this was different. They weren't looking after Trish. After Sakura? Why would they want to go after her? There was something off about this, which is why he decided to speak with the girl in private.

The plum-haired teen looked hardly unfazed when he regarded her with a serious glance. His small temporary office was pretty spartan in nature, with just empty shelves on the side, a simple old wood table and a few chairs to sit on. The conversation was brief, especially since there wasn't much to ask due to how limited his current information on the matter was. But what he got in return was… nothing to scoff at. Far from it. Sakura told him a 'secret', or rather, something that 'no one but a few' were meant to know.

Within Italy, there was an underground group that operated for the sake of dealing with supernatural matters and… they used a form of limited magic known as Magecraft. Sakura argued that at a certain point one of their attackers used a special seal to keep her in place, which was feasible only through that. They were after her, but she didn't know specifically why they would do so. Bruno would have preferred that, at this very question, she had lied. That she had known what was going on. But he was dismayed to learn she was really clueless about it. Her posture, her facial features, everything suggested she was being bluntly honest about it. And it left him baffled on what could be causing this.

There were many things that came out from this revelation, with one of them being that the Church was one of the organizations that harnessed that kind of 'power' and was hiding it from the rest while operating hidden missions to secure their influence in the peninsula and overseas. It would explain why the Boss never voiced any interest in controlling the Papacy, and why he would shoot down any ideas of doing anything about this specific trouble.

It always stunned most of Passione how unflinching that position was considering how the Boss never held back against other powers of that kind. The government, the police and the carabinieri. Even the Army was influenced through their highest officers, so there was no reason to stop at dealing with the Church… unless the Boss knew of this detail and didn't want to take a chance in delving into that kind of mess. It was reasonable to believe he had backed away for Passione's sake, knowing that any confrontation wouldn't have ended well, Stand or not. It sounded risky, and made him wonder how much 'antagonistic' the Church viewed Passione. They might have not attacked them directly, but some of the Vatican's assets in Rome had been taken over in recent months. It was reasonable for them to feel rather 'crossed' about when it came to their gang.

Which is why this meant they had to move quickly out of this place and get Trish to safety. Yet Bruno knew he couldn't divert into another hideout anytime soon. Not when the Boss was meant to contact them very soon and provide them the next steps to reach him without gaining any dangerous troublemakers on their tail. Things were tense, and they had to risk a bit to keep things 'calm'. Which is why Bucciarati had sent Narancia to take care of food and beverages as they waited. They needed as many available resources as possible for this trip to limit the needs of stopping around and landing in some ambush laid down by their foes.

The Boss was going to eventually contact them and give them instructions, but for now they would have to wait and keep their guards up during the wait. There wasn't much to do beyond making an effort to keep his group away from being detected and targeted. Narancia was going to be quick, he knew how to handle this kind of task but… he couldn't just shrug off the feeling that something bad was just around the corner.

It was a tense situation alright, but he could tell things were even more difficult than they were at the moment.

-----------d-d-d-d--------

Fugo was bored. Or rather: Fugo was annoyed for having nothing to do at the moment.

Usually he would have the chance of speaking with Narancia, to entertain the notion of trying the difficult challenge of teaching the boy more about Math and Grammar. As much as it tended to irritate him at times, it also made him feel distracted, unfocused, non-thinking about what the general situation was and… he was nervous. The blond was not exactly a calm individual in tense situations, hence why he needed to talk with someone that could 'entertain' his brain for a while.

Not Mista, not Abbacchio- with the former being a down-right pain in the ass when needed, willingly failing his questions to get a foul reaction out of him, while Abbacchio was busy and didn't seem in the mood to entertain any challenges from him. So, he was left with no choice but to actually address two of their recent 'new members'. In his mind, Giorno fit the bill because he had gone through the trial, while Sakura was tagging along and helping them passively, not necessarily having to obey Bruno's commands.

Ignoring this difference, Fugo set up a little test to check out their intelligence and preparations. He knew Sakura had gone to school already, and he was confident she had higher chances of passing his challenge, while Giorno… Giorno was an enigma. It wasn't like Fugo doubted the fellow blond's intelligence as he had proved himself capable of going through some clever ruses on his own. In fact, he decided to go for the same tests he would give to Narancia. Simple Elementary-grade Math. It was meant to be an easy challenge, nothing to worry about and… he was about half-right. Both accepted the idea, both went through the tests in roughly ten minutes, and then he realized that Giorno had copied from Sakura.

It was quite the confusing outcome, but one that left him trying something else to see how Giorno reacted without a source to copy from. Both had to do similar set exercises, except both were set away from the other. Instead of panicking or struggling like a young cheater would in that instance, Giorno's face showed no issue during that second test. He went through the papers without any problem and soon Fugo was reaching out for his paper. Did he 'lie' with his composure? Did he fail?

The sole answer to both questions was… no. Giorno actually did his test successfully, which drew a perplexed look out of the hotheaded genius as he failed to grasp why would someone like the fellow blond cheat if he could do it himself. And when Giorno spoke up, Fugo felt… stupid. Incredibly so.

"Why shouldn't I cheat? Isn't the purpose of life to find commodities through simpler routes? Isn't the purpose of Math learning how to simplify difficult formulas in something that eventually draws a single answer? Why should it matter which path I take for something so unimportant when the result will always still be the same?" The young man stormed with questions, each slamming on Fugo's confusion as it was soon replaced by understanding. "Life… life where the path taken really matters. The goal might be still the same despite the path taken, but there are ramifications, other formulas, which can twist fate in either a positive or damning light."

He shook his head at how unforgiving that explanation was. On the one hand, he found it to be enlightening on how Giorno's intelligence worked. He didn't cheat for the sake of compensating for something he lacked, but to get things right quicker than just doing it the right way. It was wrong… but right. That kind of mindset was the basic element of a successful criminal, someone that used his intelligence not only to win against issues, but also adapt to the environment surrounding them. On the other hand, he felt like he was being played by this response. He felt his past education was ridiculed by this comment and… he felt glad that it happened in this way. Giorno wasn't planning for a humiliation with this response, but to bring forth his own thoughts on the matter. It was his perspective and it felt so fitting to his actions considering how he behaved, genuinely convinced of his own ideals.

Giorno was clever on two different meanings of the word, and Fugo felt sheepish for failing to take notice of that very notion early on. He retreated to the nearest balcony, taking a seat by the lone chair that allowed one to watch over the vineyard they were hiding in and took a moment to immerse himself in that natural beauty. It's been months since he had the chance of being away from Naples, and this was the closest thing to a relaxing location where to spend some time thinking on his own, away from others and their… bizarre mindsets. Yet, as Fugo was enjoying the spectacle before his eyes, he found himself frowning as his gaze took notice of an odd bird. It was fairly small, like a robin, but its plumage was… unusual. Instead of normal feathers, the flying creature bore pristine white ethereal wings.

A blink and… it was gone. Did he just see things? No. He could tell that this was important and… could be a Stand. Knowing that this could be problematic if someone was indeed watching them and had their eyes locked on him, Fugo carefully faked his behavior, trying to act as if he had ignored the curious development as he retreated inside. Nothing seemed to happen and… soon they were relocating. Narancia had returned and the situation was pretty grim. Another attacker struck, this one managing to burn up money and supplies meant to give them an advantage for this trip. In layman's terms? They had to relocate somewhere safer. Everyone was quick to prepare their bags, they left nothing incriminating behind and were soon moving out to a new location.

Fugo was annoyed due to how careless Narancia had been. In his mind, he felt that the boy should have been more cautious about the place he hid the important resources, but then he realized through Giorno's own questioning of the matter that Narancia couldn't have done better. Between saving the resources and surviving, the viable option was the latter one. And yet that still didn't stop him from worrying about an issue that was going to become troublesome by the time they relocated. With that fire, and that fight with one of the infamous members of that group, they were definitely going to need to worry about La Squadra catching up to them.

And a full explanation was provided the moment Caren asked about it, reminding them all that both her and Sakura were unaware of the deadly problem they were now going to be on guard for the time being. A formidable team of professional killers that were likened to the Boss' finest assassins. They were brilliant, efficient… but far from loyal. Not when the Boss saw fit to kill two of their teams for trying to get 'too big for their shoes' and ask for a proper cut of the cake within the Italian territory. Most of the hierarchy was divided in regions and areas, so it felt natural for them to ask for a slice of that after years of service. The response managed to curb any other requests of that kind, but it destroyed any form of loyalty they might have held towards the leader of Passione.

As they were leaving, the Boss managed to contact them and give them new instructions before going to reach him. Pompeii, there was a key they had to retrieve before going to their next destination. The boss made it clear, they needed to retrieve it as it would help them to reach a safe spot where he would be waiting for them. Bruno took a moment to gauge the situation, and decided to dispatch a small team to deal with this. Initially it was meant to be just him, Giorno and Abbacchio, but Caren decided to tag along. Something that was opposed by Leone but… the girl was stubborn. More stubborn than Sakura as Bruno was adamant for the plum-haired girl to stay behind and 'protect Trish'. Fugo might not be aware of the real reasons driving Bucciarati's decision, but he could tell it wasn't the one he used to keep Sakura around. Something serious had happened, a piece of info they weren't aware of and… that worried Fugo.

Luckily, none of the assassins managed to track their newest hideout anytime soon. They were moving quickly but… the Squadra d'Esecuzioni was known to move even quicker than that. Time was essential and each minute wasted meant a new problem to endure during this bizarre trip.

And as far as Fugo was concerned, he wasn't going to let any of that stop them from serving their Boss as he commanded.

-------------d-d-d-d-------------------d-d-d-d-----------

AN

Next time, something nuttier will unfold. This and previous chapters were quite tame so... The next battle will retain some canonical details, but will derail after a bit and… there will be another fight at the same time. And that's all I'm willing to say~!

...But first, an Interlude!

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 11: Mirror Mirror, Part 1

Pompeii was a place Caren had heard a lot about.

It was a known tourist destination, one of the few well-preserved ruins of Roman civilization and… a good place for people of dubious morality to meet for illicit activities. It was no surprise to her that this is where the boss of the gang had decided to leave the literal key to the group's goal. It reminded her how some members of the Church handled secretive affairs, except in this case the potential locations where to set this matter was much more broader than any others the members of the Holy See would entertain for something so important.

The ruins were, as mentioned just now, in a decent shape. Archaeologists were known to be quite protective of the place due to its historical importance, but, sadly, that didn't prevent the happening of events such as the one she was partially involved in. Not like Caren minded the 'heinous' activity as it was a mere item-retrieval situation. Nothing foul of uncouth was happening… and yet, as she entered inside the ruins, she couldn't help but feel discomfort as they stepped inside the area. For a brief moment, she thought it was her MSC (Masochistic Spiritualist Constitution), but the feeling felt too 'lenient' on her flesh and more centered around her mind. Her paranoia aroused before this bizarre feeling and she was on her guard as the four started to approach the location of the key they were sent to get back to Bucciarati.

Golden eyes looked around, trying to justify this ominous feeling now pooling within her stomach, as if something was looming over them. Danger, but where and what? Her guarded gaze was noticed by Abbacchio, but where her uncle spared her a cautious look, he said nothing to bring this up. Not yet, he too could tell something about the place being off. And as they started to make their way through the old streets of the Roman city, the girl finally spotted an anomaly. Something flickered through one of the few in-wall mirrors that were known to be built within the premises. And she got confirmation of this when Giorno suddenly stopped, his posture tensing up and instantly gaining the attention of the rest of the gang.

"What's wrong, Giorno?"

"There is… someone standing on the column right behind us," The blond muttered, his blue eyes turning to check right at the location and urging the others to do the same. Caren briefly glanced at where he was looking and… she saw nothing. Glancing back to him and then to the mirror, she could see what he was talking about. Her eyes narrowed over the figure slowly approaching them, a small smile creeping on his face as he walked closer.

"Are you blind? There is nobody there," Leone remarked dryly, but…

Caren looked back once more behind and she could tell something was off between what was visible through the mirror and their surroundings. It felt so confusing, and yet something about it reminded her of a story she heard from Sakura's father. Truth be told, the girl loved these stories. Ever since she met Sakura and learned of her father's exploits through him and her own father, Caren had slowly gained an interest in finding herself thrown into a crazy adventure such as the one Jotaro Kujoh had to experience. Minus the dreadful reasoning behind it, of course, but still giving them the same rush and intensity of action that he was keen to bring up.

Each fight, each encounter, each new location to explore- Caren was in love with the notion of fighting for her own ideals, to be there to show off her true dedication and emotions. After all, her father had told her many times that this was how one truly showed their feelings, through actions, through dedication, through being more than just talk and being able to go through with the duty and burden of these emotions. And it became even greater in her mind as she knew it also meant fostering the growth of the bond with her real first friend and exploring the world at the same time.

Yet, that knowledge she got, those fine details she burned into her brain, they were being used to grant her a lucid grasp of the situation. And it wasn't a nice situation. Not at all. It reminded her of the story Jotaro told the two girls about, the one about how his friend, Polnareff, had to face his sister's murderer and how this one had a Stand that… operated in mirrors. What were the chances this one had a similar ability? After all, she could see him, the person that was walking towards them with malicious intents… but only within that mirror. Her eyes widened a fraction at that recollection, but she did more than gawk at the possibility. Her lips twitched and then turned as her voice burned through her throat.

"Giorno, duck!"

Calm but stern, the blond blinked briefly but complied as he barely crouched down to avoid two Black Keys rushing towards the mirror, stabbing into it and destroying it. She could have told him to break the mirror, but the chances of their attacker also knowing that he was being caught and moving faster and before anyone could intervene reinforced her resolve in acting on this matter herself. Surprise exploded within the group as they stared at the sudden attack in confusion and… interest. There was a moment of quiet, with Caren looking around and hoping that her intervention had been quick enough to prevent any issues with the strange circumstance. Nothing happened, but the confusion remained from the rest of the group.

"Caren?" Abbacchio's question was minimal in words, but packed in meaning.

"The one Giorno saw, it has to be a Stand User."

Leone looked surprised at the notion, while Giorno quickly moved away from the remaining shards of the mirror, unsure if that extended to even the broken pieces as a possible danger. Fugo frowned at that curt explanation, but as he glanced at the shard and seemed to think about it, he offered a trusting nod.

"It could be possible. A Stand that uses mirrors? We know there are some absurd abilities and… this presents a problem."

"Pompeii has other mirrors, and one in particular is right where the key should be," Caren added and the trio slowly nodded. "We should be careful."

"It could also be one of the Stand's abilities," Fugo concluded with a serious tone. "Until we know the full extent of its power, it would be best if we're always on guard, even when mirrors aren't within our proximity."

The plan was sound, and yet there was much that Caren felt that wasn't being addressed. There was something odd about this whole situation. How did the Stand User know they were going for Pompeii? After all, their boss was meant to have told only the group about it… right? It didn't make much sense, but their goal remained the same. They needed to find the key, get out of the ruins and make it back to the newest temporary location where Bruno had the entire group relocate. And as the four resumed their walk, this time being vigilant of their surroundings, a lone figure growled at the development, frustrated by the fact that they had managed to stave off his first attack.

A minor delay, he thought. After all, the next ambush wasn't going to be as lenient and give them the chance to dodge or block his assault. It was now a fierce game of cat and mouse, with the lone man being the one still keeping an advantage. They knew part of his Stand's ability… but they had yet to learn it is wishful thinking to expect the mere knowledge to be enough to stop him. He would just need to make use of the small mirrors he brought in case of emergency and…

Then he would grasp victory by its neck!

---------d-d-d-d----------

Bucciarati could tell something was off right as he finished checking on Narancia's conditions.

In a rather odd turn of events, Trish had taken it upon herself to learn some first aid so she could try and fix the boy herself. And Sakura was pulled into this by having to help as the 'nurse' to 'Doctor' Trish as Narancia was quick to joke about. A joke that found amusement also in Mista as he glanced at the trio bicker and yet slowly helped their gang's youngest member. The small room they had been staying in the last few hours was one of a small hotel in Naples owned by someone Bucciarati knew and could trust. It was rent free, but only for this very day. The relocation had been quite dangerous, especially since anyone hunting them was definitely checking through any properties that were most used by either him or Polpo. Fugo's warning, the one he gave him before he left, had been good enough reason to change into a place that would set them at risk of dealing 'known issues', but lessened the chances of this new pursuer from getting too close to them. They were after Sakura, and it was clear that the bird hadn't been a Stand. No, it was something akin to the 'magic' that the plum-haired girl had mentioned. And while this choice meant putting his team in danger, he knew that there wasn't exactly a way to prevent it.

Either decision he made, they would have still had to deal with a specific sort of enemies. In this case, it was the cast of foes that weren't going to use magic against them. Stands might be troublesome, but they had limits that could be exploited with proper brainstorming. Magic? That didn't sound like something they were prepared to face just yet. In fact, the ideal scenario was never dealing with it through the whole trip. But one thing was hoping, another was reality, rearing its ugly face and showing some teeth back to him in an unforeseen situation. And so, there was a small issue with that plan, right as they were waiting for the rest of the gang to get back to them with the key. And it all started with a...

A slow knocking noise coming from the door of the small suite they were in.

Knock.

Knock.

Knock.

The five occupants paused, unease gripping Bucciarati as there was a good chance that this was going to end with an attack from another member from Passione. Maybe from La Squadra. Mista was the one that went to check, his cautious self highlighted by the tense posture he got. He looked through the peephole, his composure easing and yet keeping vigilant as he went to open the door. Not a threat, but whoever was standing beyond that door had gained his worry. Bruno knew something was really off now, but he had yet to understand to which degree. The door slowly opened, revealing a shivering cleaning lady standing outside, her eyes wide open.

"I-I'm sorry. S-she told me- she told me that I had just to… knock and-"

Before the lady could finish, the windows that gave to the balcony outside all broke as a single individual and numerous bird-like creatures stormed inside the room. Mista quickly removed his revolver from the holster, aiming readily at the ethereal birds while Bruno placed himself between the attacker and his targets. The woman was wearing a cloak, an unfamiliar face greeting him as she didn't seem threatened by his effort to protect the girls and the still-injured Narancia, the boy trying to stand up and failing. She was holding and now showing what looked to be a dagger with something written in it.

"My, oh my… the way you put yourself into. Such as shame you would resort to playing with thugs and criminals. True scum… unbecoming to the heirship of one of the Great Founding Families."

Was she talking about Sakura? Bucciarati wasn't completely sure but… he still kept his fighting stance.

"Who are you?"

"That's none of your concern. After all, your worth is lesser than the very being you're pathetically trying to guard. My master is not up to play foolish games with some grunts."

Her tone was quick to get on Bruno's nerves, but the Capo already knew that this individual, this dangerous woman, had to be one capable of using magic. He would have to play it smart rather than try his hand in a direct confrontation and… he had something in mind. As the woman kept on approaching, slow, almost tentatively as she seemed still worried to a degree about Bruno and Mista, Bucciarati carefully manifested ｢Sticky Fingers｣ by his feet and tapped the ground right in front of him. The woman was soon getting close, close enough to try and do something dangerous but… then her footing went missing. Her eyes widened in shock as she stared down at the ground and saw part of the floor now open wide to have her fall to the lower section of the hotel.

Mista used this chance to shoot down the bird-like creatures, killing them on the spot and further freeing them from that ambush. "Boss?"

"We're leaving. Now," Bruno ordered sternly, and he personally took care of picking up Narancia as the small group made it out of the room and rushed for the staircase. Everyone was silent, stuck in an uneasy quiet, but then, as they reached the entrance of the building, Trish spoke up and brought to mind a fair concern.

"W-What about the others?"

"We will address this issue later. Right now, we have to get to a safer spot."

Mista's words were matched with a calm nod from Bruno, his mind wracking over which place they could move to and which road to take without being caught in some distraction or fight. Just as they turned the corner and rushed through the sidewalk as quickly as they could, Narancia muttered something that almost made him trip.

"Why don't we use the sewers?"

While that tactic would be shot down instantly if they were dealing with a large force that was familiar with the way the Italian sewers were structured, the Capo couldn't help but realize this usually ineffective tactic could actually work well for them. Without wasting any further time, Bruno gave the order and Mista obeyed.

The nearest manhole was opened, the group descending into the lower grounds despite Trish's loud displeasure of the development and were soon resuming their run to get away from their pursuers. It would take about twenty minutes of running through the maze-like disposition of the sewers before deciding to get back to the sidewalk and get to the closest hideout Bruno could think of. Definitely not the best way to handle this issue, but now Bucciarati had a clearer grasp of what they were dealing with, and he could plan something to counter any future attacks of this kind.

Hopefully the group he had sent to Pompeii was going to get quickly back to Naples so that they could leave for good.

--------d-d-d-d-------

Atrum was enraged. And it was one of the most amusing sights his current 'stalker' could get out of the arrogant Magus.

The blond was so incensed as he slowly walked over the two women he tasked with the pursuit of the group, his disappointment displayed within his face as he berated the mortified duo about their failure and how much that cost him and his plans. It was clear he was going to have them removed, toys that proved broken before he could play more with them. It was still a fun sight for the lone figure studying the situation from a nearby rooftop. It was ironic how he would end up giving chase to someone else that was chasing the 'main protagonists'.

He had spied on Atrum for a while now, tracking him down, learning of his motivations and then drawing a plan to bring him to a quick demise once it was time to remove him from the chessboard. By all means, the figure knew he was taking a big risk by being there and… Then again, he shouldn't have been there to begin with, but an anomaly had forced his hand to be dealing with this matter.

Something bad was unfolding within the plot. Something sinister tied to Atrum himself and his ambition. He had found something that gave him the edge for the plan he had conceived, something that was partly tied to Sakura and… another girl. A girl that shouldn't be within this timeline. Zelretch had been clear, this situation was his to solve and only his.

Not an agent of the Kaleidoscope, but rather a concerned individual that had the means to intervene in these affairs. The Wizard Marshal asked him for assistance, explaining how this individual, this 'counterpart' was akin to his world. He needed to save her and make sure that no one gets their filthy hand on her. It was a must, especially since something bigger was coming their way.

"Oh well, let's put the mask on and see what I can do by being a bit more 'helpful' about this matter," The figure hummed, calmly putting on the Harlequin mask he borrowed for the occasion.

A little mask to preserve his identity. He didn't need to have his own face become reason for distrust, trouble and some awkward questioning. Right now, what he needed the most was to get the right setup to introduce himself to the gang, get accepted in Bucciarati's team and finally make sure everything ran as smoothly and closely as fate intended.

With his plan reinforced, the figure that went by the name of 'Arlecchino' took the final steps needed to start getting involved in the very group destined to topple Diavolo so that they could achieve this without any interruption. And who knows, perhaps his own curiosity was taking part in this too and influencing him so he could learn more about Sakura's Stand.

Truly an intriguing Stand to say the least.

----------d-d-d-d-----------d-d-d-d------

AN

The Battle against Illuso begins, a quick escape to avoid Atrum's group and… a new player? No, it will not become relevant until a bit later. While this 'Arlecchino' sounds like an unimportant and unneeded entity, he has a purpose to be there, and it is tied to the Atrum storyline, or rather, to its origin and what got Atrum interested in going ahead with his plans.

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 12: Mirror Mirror, Part 2

Fugo gritted his teeth at the situation.

Despite Abbacchio being the oldest, Bruno had put the former scholar in charge of the situation. This 'treasure hunt' the boss had put them through required cleverness and awareness of the ruins, something he was known to have due to extensive research of this place in the past. And right now, that knowledge offered little to no way to predict what to do against this kind of enemy. A Stand that worked around Mirrors? The notion wasn't that absurd to believe, in fact, it sounded like a brilliant ability for an assassin to have. Clean, diligent and… quite difficult to counter. They had no means to reach their current foe if they were actually using mirrors to create a personal dimension to operate on a limited area. The only 'saving grace', if it could be called as such, was that the mirrors within Pompeii were placed in known locations and Fugo had a distinct idea where those were and the path to take to avoid those. The slow paced approach did nothing to soothe the nerves of himself and the rest of the group.

Abbacchio was the worst due to how frustrated he was getting. Not unusual, but also not appreciated at the moment. Caren looked around, eyes adding extra awareness for any unexpected ambush along the way and… Giorno was an anomaly in a way. Guarded as his stance might be, the young man looked particularly in control of his own unease. Quite unique, and extremely crucial so that at least one in his team managed to hold their wits in case he got caught. The last thing he needed was for their current enemy to apply a 'divide and conquer' tactic, splitting them from one another and then picking on them individually. That would be dreadful, but not out of question. If someone with that power was pushed onto a corner, their best bet would be to prepare a surprise to trick them. To render Fugo's knowledge of the mirrors normally present in the ruins void if not deadly on them. Which is why he was keen to look around corners with quick glances, pulling back and then resuming the walk. And eventually they reached the building they were meant to get in, their attention heightened due to the tight turns for each corridor. The old walls allowed no sound to pass through, leaving just visual awareness as their best bet to predict any trap laid for them.

And soon they reached it, the room where the key was. The dog-like painting on the floor at the entrance of the large room confirmed it was the right place, and he could have just waltzed in and got it. But it was there that a chilling feeling passed through his spine. Abbacchio was about to cross the entrance and enter the room, but he was stopped by Fugo himself, his hand gripping tightly at his arm before pulling the former policeman away from any surprises.

"What?"

Fugo gave him a long look, making it clear that it was something serious but that he couldn't tell more about it. If the Stand User they were fighting against could use the mirrors to see, then he could theoretically use them to hear them. Soon he glanced at his fellow blond, words already pending by his tongue.

"Giorno, can you turn one of the pebbles into an insect and check the room for any mirrors?"

A simple request, one that Giorno nodded silently to as he retrieved a small rock and used his Stand's power to turn in a small fly. Nothing unusual, this kind of insect was common in the ruins. The fly calmly floated around before following a shaky flight into the room, checking around and then slowly making its way back to them and… landing on Fugo's palm and turning back in a pebble. The man felt upset, having a slight hatred for this kind of pest due to the sickness they could draw out… but this wasn't a normal fly and surely that didn't apply to it. He believed it. Or else there would be a murder.

"The fly was given a compulsion to turn to you in case there was one," Giorno explained the last act of the temporary living being. "There is one inside."

And that was bad news. Now, it wasn't the worst and something could be done if the angle was in their favor.

"Which side?"

"Right from the entrance, I would say around the closest corner."

Fugo's lips twitched in clear annoyance. This meant that any plans to ricochet an object against their current target could end up in a failure or worse depending on the projectile itself. And the response adopted by their current enemy to any failure to kill them.

"What do we do now?" Caren inquired, the girl unsure on what course of action could be taken in this difficult situation. "I don't see a viable angle to try and predict where the mirror is."

And even then, there was no indication if that would be enough or if the enemy Stand was just going to do something to the projectile itself. The first time could have been a fluke, that Fugo could see as a bad possibility for them. Still, the man didn't allow fear to take hold of his mind. No, there were many things he could do, with one of those being more risky than others. Fugo remained silent, pensive, hopeful and yet that very hope didn't last long as he could tell that he would have to do something quite extreme and unpleasant for him to get this situation dealt with. But… it had to be done.

"I would suggest you all take a step back," Fugo suddenly warned, his voice remaining serious as he stared at the entrance, ignoring the potential surprise from the rest as he prepared himself to use his own ability to clear the room. "Abbacchio, I'm about to use it."

Leone tensed up, reluctance building up instantly at the notice as he knew this could become troublesome if Fugo didn't get the proper amount of concentration to control the 'beast inside'. Footsteps ensued, they took a safe distance and soon… it came out as he demanded. His Stand, ｢Purple Haze｣, was not the normal kind of spirit anyone would want to have. Not when Fugo knew how unstable it was. Deranged, insane, and a manifestation of its user's inner despair when it comes to his madness tied to the past years, before he became a mafia man. The worst representation of his own flaws, and yet bearing an ability that was particularly useful. A flesh-eating virus- one that procured that kind of quick and painful death. Either by proximity or through the small capsules it had by its knuckles. Purple Haze was a humanoid Stand with a similar height and build to Fugo's. Its face and body are patterned by horizontal lozenges of alternating shade, purple and white. Armor pieces reinforced its shoulders, elbows, and knees. The Stand's lips and appendages are loosely stitched closed, and its eyes have distinct irides with miotic pupils, portraying the endless madness held within its contorted mind. It adorned a Roman Legionary-like black helmet, with a transparent visor in the approximate shape of a beak.

The plan was simple: use one of the capsules to get the job done. The Stand could eject those with the same speed from a pressurized gun. This projectile couldn't bounce and ricochet, but the range of the virus was so that it could cover up a large section of the corner and reach the mirror. And since the virus is something that influences the environment and isn't inherently 'controlled' by his Stand, it means that it should influence the one beyond the mirror without having to cross it. And that proved to be the case as Fugo went through with this plan. First, he had to make sure his Stand obeyed him as ｢Purple Haze｣ was the kind of Stand that didn't follow orders, but accepted targets. And, in this case, the target wasn't something he was fully aware of. So, it was quite the blind kind of target, but one that ｢Purple Haze｣ still recognized as a viable option to attack.

Roaring and smearing some of the ground with the drool pouring from its lips in the process, the Stand threw one of the capsules, the golden orb cracking and revealing the purplish smoke held within it. Fugo tensed just for a moment, worried that the smoke could reach him since the virus could hurt him too, but he was relieved when it stopped before that could happen. ｢Purple Haze｣ was quickly 'removed' to prevent any surprises from the Stand, leaving just silence beyond the virus sizzling within the air and consuming anything alive in its proximity. It was going to last for half a minute, and that was going to be enough to kill anything in its proximity. Now, there were two possibilities: 1) The enemy managed to somehow dodge the counter-ambush and 2) they failed to do so and were struck by it, leading to a 30-seconds death from the infection unfolding. And soon, an answer came in the form of an unpleasant noise of something wet falling on the ground. A line of blood managed to make its way around the corner, a thin line- and then the noise of a mirror breaking.

The virus soon dissipated, allowing the group to finally check inside and see that their foe had actually broken the window… and ditched the skin of his hand that had contracted the infection. It was distant enough for them to get to the small crack within the ground where the key had been left in by the boss. Now that the item they were after was now in their hold, it was time to get out of this enclosed space. Considering the circumstance, a new question came up to Fugo's mind: should they just leave and fear a possible new ambush from this Stand User or actually try to kill them here now that they had a bit of an advantage? While the latter options sounded enticing, they had small chances of getting a repeat to unfold about what happened in the key's room, and Fugo could tell that any confrontation would still put them in peril.

"It would be best if we tried," Giorno argued calmly. "Sure, it could be a gamble, but I believe it would be only right to prevent this kind of enemy from tracking us down again and creating more trouble for us."

"More like this could kill us if we try to fight this guy here in his turf. We should trick him somewhere else rather than beg for death," Abbacchio sharply rebuked, confirming his opposition to this notion. But while the two men yelled about it, Fugo's attention trailed slightly to Caren. The girl was quiet, yet it was clear she was thinking about the situation itself. There was a hint of 'mischievousness' that left the blond perplexed, even more as he finally noticed that she was getting close to the reach of a nearby mirror. Unconsciously? No, it was done on purpose. And that was enough to get the man to tense up.

"What are you doing, Caren?"

Caren's posture stiffened, but her pace didn't falter. No, it increased. Abbacchio noticed what was going on, rushing to catch up to her, but… it was too late. Fugo yelled, Leone just lunged to try and stop the girl but… she was gone as she reached the mirror's range. Shock entered their system at that development, unable to digest that the girl just decided to be exposed to their foe's Stand and be dragged into the mirror world. Giorno looked as shocked as the rest, stunned by this foolish decision. Ten minutes passed, the worry remained the same if not increasing due to the unpleasant silence and then… Caren hummed, back in reality and dragging a dead body of Illuso with what looked to be a large knife. The sight was surreal considering the fact that the girl didn't look physically strong to handle the hurdle, but also because she didn't have a Stand to fend off the one used by their foe.

"How did you fight a Stand? You don't have one and-"

"His right hand was weakened, so he couldn't react fast enough for attacks coming from that direction," The girl explained flawlessly, interrupting Fugo. "Also, he called it to help too late as he thought I was weaker than he was, I already had him by his legs."

"But how did you see the Stand?" Fugo inquired curtly and the small girl 'smiled'.

"I have a gift from… my mother's side. I can see and 'feel' to a degree spirits and curses around me."

Vicious, devilish and… chilling as Caren smiled through the exposition. Leone frowned, while Fugo could only worry that this girl was far from normal. In a way, it reminded him of… well, him. The way she behaved, the 'logical maturity' which she was keen to portray around others except with Sakura… this was a sign of a tough childhood. Either that or the Church was indeed training children to be this violent and yet cautious with the way they handled this kind of job once they reached adulthood. Very odd, but not as odd as when he contacted their capo and learned that they had to relocate after an attack. A grim look appeared on his face, and Fugo felt they could have been faster. That this could have been solved quicker.

Then, he felt his memory of when he was berating Narancia about his 'sloppy work', somewhat feeling on the other side and getting defended by those that defended his close friend. Yes, in a way, he could see that his self-disappointment was unwarranted… but he was still someone that had many flaws and many sins to repent about. And sometimes… The guilt was just unpleasant.

But for now, his inner issues would have to wait. Like usual. He needed to help Bruno reach the top and… change things for good.

---------d-d-d-d---------

Meanwhile, California...

"You're awfully quiet, Jotaro."

Doctor Jotaro Kujo, Marine Biologist, father of two and beloved husband, was far from happy due to the recent circumstances. The man was just good at hiding that kind of irritation, of worry, of inner turmoil that generally left him in a perpetual bad mood away from others. But there were a few people that could tell apart if he was being honest with his stiffness or just being 'normal' as he tended to be. One was his mother, then his wife, his daughters and… then the very pink-eyed pest checking on him out of the blue. She didn't even announce herself as she entered his office, almost surprising him into making a mistake in his report-writing.

Very unnerving, but not uncommon considering their bizarre bond.

His 'former' Servant was still wearing her classic 'civilian' clothes. Her brown hair was combed short and mostly hidden by her white hat, she wore a long yellow thin coat and, under it, a light-blue shirt and dark-blue pants with yellow sandals. Around her neck, a white and magenta striped scarf that seemed to exalt more her pinkish gaze. Still, that smile was the same. The smile of a pest he had grown quite fond of as a long-lasting close friend.

"Xuanzang. You didn't mention coming back this soon," The researcher carefully greeted, trying to not let his nerves further dig him in the hole the Servant was dropping him into with that half-tease.

"That's because I forgot," The Caster replied sheepishly. "Still I had a good reason to forget that. After all, I was quite far away when I learned that Sakura is currently dealing with some crazy adventure in Italy and I wanted to quickly check on you once I was done with a particularly difficult mission of mine."

Jotaro held back a huff, he could tell that Xuanzang was meaning it all. And not to tease or gloat, but to genuinely check how he was faring. His wife had already given him a lecture, but not for the reasons he had hoped for. He thought Lena would have just conceded that their eldest daughter would need his help to protect her, to make sure she wasn't hurt during that vacation-turned-adventure. Instead the woman had stunned him once again by chiding him for 'ruining this for Sakura'. They had many discussions about this, how he had suddenly grown too overbearing when it came to protecting his family.

After what happened in 1994, Jotaro felt compelled to at least give it a try, to make his affection be felt through more direct action. But what he got in the end was a slice of grievances raised by his own wife about his 'overprotective' nature. Too much? His mother believed so herself. And this wasn't even the beginning of his own worry. Not when he learned that Polnareff had been once sent to Italy and had mostly gone quiet during this time. Jotaro knew of Jean-Pierre enough to not doubt his skills, but if the guy suffered some event that forced him into hiding, then there was something dangerous it was best to not approach anytime soon. Not this close to the wasps' nest.

"Are you even listening to me?" An impatient Xuanzang asked loudly, yanking him off from his musing. "I swear, you are even more in the clouds with that mind of yours when you are in this place. Still, how are you?"

"Good."

"Then we can talk about it further by dinner. I've already checked on Lena and Jolyne and… I suppose you didn't get the news."

News? Jotaro felt the need to brace for something incredibly foolish that the woman had done. And could it be tied to the 'difficult mission' she mentioned keeping her from contacting them before her return. And soon he was given an answer as Xuanzang giggled.

"I wish to introduce you to..." The Caster paused, her eyes widened as she aimed her open palm to… introduce an empty space within the room. Surprise entered the girl's gaze, but the marine biologist could tell that she wasn't 'wrong' that it wasn't just them. A quick glance around found a third individual inside. A very small and very distracted little girl that was staring at a map of fishes he had on one of his walls, wonder and delight exuding from those curious golden eyes of hers. She had long brown hair that trailed down and created some contrast with her light-themed outfit, a small pink dress over her white one-piece and pink sandals.

"Oh! Kiara, I told you to not wander off," The woman half-whined, but that seemed to be enough to get the child's attention as she panicked about being caught staring before proceeding to walk up to them. "Still, Jotaro, I wish to introduce you to my new ward. She is Kiara, Kiara Sesshouin."

"Hi," The little girl added shily and the man nodded.

"I'm Jotaro Kujo."

The little brunette blinked. "You're Jolyne's dad?"

"Yes," Jotaro replied quietly and the girl hummed.

"Is it true that you study fishes and the sea?" The child asked curiously.

"...Yes?"

"Really?"

"Kiara, there is no need to be this pushy with Mr. Kujo," Xuanzang pointed out, and the girl looked slightly mortified. "Still, she is quite enamored by the sea. Her favorite tale is the Little Mermaid."

"Andersen?" Jotaro guessed, trying to remember the tale itself. It was ironic that his mother tended to read it a lot to him, except what he really cared, what he really remembered, was overall the story and the fact it was a bit of influence for his current job's expectations.

"Yeah."

"I took her in after her father 'left her under my care'. She was sickly for a time, but I managed to heal her up and now she is happy and loves to swim when possible."

Kiara smiled giddily at the mention of swimming, and Jotaro could tell this encounter was one planned by the Servant. Which meant there was a catch behind this kind of interaction and he had yet to be subjected to it.

"So, since we were here, I thought it would have been nice for Kiara to get a tour of the place. Also, I heard you have a souvenir stand to buy plushies?"

The more Xuanzang spoke, the more Kiara's eyes glowed in interest and… proceeded to then give him puppy eyes to get what she wanted out of this situation. He could only sigh in frustration at that little trap but… perhaps it wouldn't be that bad if he took a break and thought of something else. Maybe that could do something to keep his mind away from Sakura's possible plight and… maybe he could get to see what was up with little Kiara and why he could tell she wasn't exactly a normal child for Xuanzang to take care of her out of the blue.

Still, he would soon learn that this little girl was quite like himself when he was a little boy. Interested, polite, and interested in marine biology. Yep, this wasn't too bad.

------------d-d-d-d-----------d-d-d-d--------

AN

Purple Haze was revealed, Caren showed her skills to others and it will lead to an interesting conversation with Abbacchio about it, and… yeah, Kiara will appear in the sequel and she will be among the good guys. For those that don't get the images of her, the reference is her lily form.

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 13: Crazy Train, Part 1

With the key now under their possession, it was time to get to their destination. Instead of going for a straight line to get to destination, Bruno had decided to plan out a trip through multiple stops.

First to Florence via an Express train, then to Ferrara via car, and finally to Venice via boat. It was an expensive trip, but there was enough money to get it through with the appropriate means without getting attention aimed at them. With those following them proving to be a few steps ahead when it comes to simpler plans, Bruno argued that it was best to go through the hurdle of making it a bit longer than initially planned to shrug off anyone still chasing them and… the car ride to get to Naples' train station sure proved to be fairly awkward due to a circumstance that Sakura could only dislike due to her own preferences on the matter itself.

Sakura doesn't like people bickering. Even if it is for good reasons.

It's a bit of a dislike that she built in the last few years through the way both her father and mother were keen to engage in some heated conversation from time to time. It wasn't something that reached unpleasant levels, but it was a constant element that could be created whenever the two were talking. The loudness, the displeasure for one another due to some issues within their relationship and… the bitterness that was left behind towards themselves when it came to the aftermath of those circumstances. So, in a way, she was upset when he learned that Caren and her uncle. Abbacchio had good reasons to put her through that lecture, something that the silver-haired girl still didn't appreciate considering the success of that mission.

"It's not about winning, Caren. It's about the fact you put yourself through an unnecessary risk without letting us know what you were going to do!"

The irritation was justified, by all means that wasn't something she was opposed to, Sakura knew that Caren was someone that tended to headbutt into trouble her own silent way. If her friend saw something she had to do and she knew that it was going to get her scolded beforehand, she would just do it quietly and without notifying anyone. And while that hadn't backfired just yet, Leone was correct in thinking that it was a wrong habit to foster. Sakura herself had told this much to Caren but… it was a stage for their own bickering most of the time. It was that stubbornness that tended to really put them at odds before this matter and… there wasn't much to do or say about it without further incensing the girl.

"I had it under control-"

"And how did you know that?" Leone rebuked fiercely, almost matching if not exceeding Caren's own temper. "We had limited sight on the Stand User, we knew a fraction of his abilities- what were the chances he could heal within the mirror world? What if you died because you had to prove a point?!"

To prove a point. To whom? Herself. Sakura couldn't help but nod at that, closing her eyes as she knew that, as the two kept on yelling at each other, that Leone had hit a particularly sore spot on both Caren… and Sakura. In fact, this very adventure, this dangerous trip across the peninsula was a bit more than just for family's sake and… it was embarrassing to even think about the real reason. It made her feel so childish and stupid but-

"The skies are clearing up," Giorno hummed, reminding the plum-haired girl that the young man, his 'cousin' was sitting near her in the van they were using to get to their destination. "Could be a good sign."

Sakura hummed, barely paying attention to that remark and ending up gaining a curious look from the blond as he decided to cheek more on her.

"How are you holding?" Giorno's concern finally pierced through his calm voice, surprising Sakura just briefly.

Was she that open to others with her own doubts and uneasiness? Maybe. She felt small again, a frail little girl that could barely hold back a sob when one showed her affection. It was a painful reminder of a past she had thought forgotten and… it wasn't important here.

"I'm holding well."

Curt, 'too curt' she chided herself. She should have been less stiff with that response and, as expected, that didn't satisfy the blond.

"I can tell this much, but I was more concerned about the fact you haven't contacted your father just yet."

A fair assumption. She had held back from calling Jotaro and telling him she was fine. That she was doing well and… that there was someone trying to kidnap her. The girl just knew the man would stop whatever he was doing to get to Italy, to track down the guy behind this whole mess and personally take care of this trouble.

…

But something stopped Sakura from actually valuing this option as a feasible one. Something that held her back from contacting her father, from telling him that this situation had escalated well beyond her expectations and… that part of her was dreading that this was more complicated than she wanted it to be. Is it wrong for a daughter to be ashamed of her poor judgment and face that stoic face from her father telling her 'I told you' with a mere glance?

She glared at her feet. "He knows I can handle it. I don't need to report to him everyday."

"But… wouldn't it make you happy if he knows you are alright?"

The question hit her quite weird. It wasn't the first time someone raised that fair point, Sakura wasn't someone that would be so stubbornly prideful to admit defeat in these instances regardless of this matter, but there was something about this matter that she knew she couldn't afford to just bow down to. And that was a sense of responsibility towards promises she made here. She was the one that joined this group for goodness' sake, that she took on this burden to help others, to stop a horrible plot and to ultimately be there for family. Giorno was family regardless of the circumstances that brought him up.

It felt a duty to her, something that matched with her own past's dismay. How many kids were being abused by drugs and other criminal deeds? How many were dealing with a childhood akin to hers? Back then, she was just a little girl that couldn't control her destiny… but that changed. And it all started when she discovered her Stand and used it against Angra Mainyu. The power she used against it, the rush of energy, the vigor of being a good person- it all hit her at once and left a mark that can't be ignored. A badge of honor, a burden of power that comes when one bears morals born from hardship and pain. She knew that… she had to do it. Because it was her first step into being her own person rather than someone that hid in the shadows. It was her prerogative as a well-meaning individual trying to make the world better by proving herself she could do her part without asking for help. Having others to support her was one thing, but she had to pull her own weight if she wanted to make her point clear. Sakura had to be the person she considered herself to be even before these frightening circumstances.

"It would. But it would make him worry," She finally answered, glancing at Giorno. "Are you afraid too?"

The counter-question had the blond tense up just for a while. Despite his best efforts, even Giorno had that 'shiver' that could be depicted as someone that was holding well, but still having his own doubts in his resolution. Small hints of skepticism about his own success.

"At times."

"But it's for the right thing. We are… doing good things for those that need help."

"Yes. We are," The young man confirmed with a small smile, one that was dense with genuine acceptance. "But that doesn't mean we can't talk about our doubts with others. And you should since… you have someone to talk to."

The reminder stung Sakura in a burning matter. Giorno didn't have the same kind of moral support she had. Not one that he could depend on within a finger-snap decision. He was 'alone' in a way, with no one behind him that would provide him with the support that Sakura could rely on right now. There was some silence at that, but Sakura's mind didn't cease to think about it. What if, instead of her seeking solace in talking with her father… someone else did. After all, she didn't have a sense of urgency about it, but she felt justified to do something quite unusual for her cousin.

"How about you talk to him?"

Giorno blinked. "Who?"

"My dad. You are family with him too."

Reluctance flared at that offer. It wasn't like that was something expected from that conversation, but Sakura tended to be particularly 'unique' when it came to resolutions to tough dilemmas of this kind. And she could tell that would solve a good part of her worry without having to actually be fully honest to her father.

"…Would it even be alright? My father was-"

"More Jonathan than Dio. You are not his enemy," The plum-haired girl argued with a calm smile. "Plus, he could give you some tips on using your Stand since it's similar to his."

That seemed to give him an interesting point to value. After all, he might have been natural with ｢Gold Experience｣ and his ability in close quarters, but the notion of 'training' that ability to be more refined? That was too good to say no to and… he decided he would do so only after they arrived in Florence. Considering the length that conversation was going to have, Sakura had no issue to force him to talk with Jotaro earlier. Plus, at this hour, it had to be soon to be dinner, so perhaps it was best to not disturb home this soon.

Just as they finished that conversation, the girl noticed a pouting Caren looking away from Abbacchio, arms crossed close to her chest to further emphasize her irritation. A sight that became reason for giggles from Trish and Narancia as they hadn't expected the girl to be able to pull off such an expression. Something that was eventually tamed off from Leone's annoyed glaring as he still kept quite protective of the girl despite their current debacle. Something that got Caren to smile for a split second.

Soon the van started to pull over as they arrived at their destination. The train was soon to leave, so they went through the documents verification process swiftly, bringing on their bags with haste to the right train and boarding it. Soon they were moving, with the fast vehicle making its way to the Italian city renowned for its unique brand of Renaissance and the home of many great artists and poets. Still, despite their best efforts to keep anonymous through the boarding, a shadow loomed over their approach.

A bird-like construct saw them from its distant perch, notifying its creator of what the group was planning to do next.

-------------d-d-d-d-------------

"They are going to Florence."

Atrum smiled briefly as he heard the first good news of a very troubled week. Here he was trying to put his best efforts in trying to capture the heiress to the Matou Clan and he was being stopped by this gang of thugs and scumbags that knew little of the girl's potential. A disgraceful delay that he couldn't accept anymore, and something that he had already planned to deal with as soon as he got to Florence with his private plane. The expenses were getting particularly high, and the fact this was further going to add to the growing suspicions of the Clock Tower meant he had to be careful with his next moves. He had to strike quick and be certain of winning this one without any mistakes at hand. Passione, this group of normal fools that were starting to leave him with headaches, shall face his wrath once he was through with this plan.

He just needed Sakura, and then all the pieces of his ambitious goal would be realized. Closing his eyes, he almost wondered if this was just going to be more complicated than how it has been to get hold of the other brat he had currently under his custody. To be fair, this other child had been well-sheltered away from known avenues, and it has been only thanks to a friendly 'admirer' as the info dealer had called himself that he found out about her. To think that such a gift was just around the corner, waiting for him to come in to take her and prepare her impressive magecraft for something the three founding families had so long tried to accomplish but failed because of it. Tilting his chair backward, Atrum stared at the lady that had provided him that information and decided to look more into how his 'guests' were right now.

"By the way, how are they? Any surprises have occurred while I was out?"

The woman's gaze lowered at that, a sign of embarrassment and expectation for a form of punishment.

"No. They are restrained as ordered but… I think the child is doing… things."

Preposterous. Despite the innate ability this girl had, there was no way that the girl had the means to use her gift under the heavy restraints he personally applied to her. Yet, the way his minion voiced it meant that something had happened to make them worried. Which was quite a red flag considering recent circumstances. At this point, he couldn't just ignore these minor issues. Not when those could easily disrupt their plans.

"What about?"

Unease poured into the girl's expression. "She is… talking to someone. We can't pick up her words since she is whispering but… it feels like she believes someone is listening to her and…"

"Has someone infiltrated the facility where she is being held?"

"N-Not that we know, no. We inspected the cameras' footage, but found no hints of anyone getting inside."

…This didn't mean anything. It could be that their current troublemaker was actually more ingenious than he would have expected. Could it be someone from the Clock Tower? Considering how active the Wizard Marshal had been in recent times about any affairs tied to the Holy Grail affair, it wouldn't be a surprise that he sent someone to face them. But what really worried Atrum was to determine who this spy was and how he was meant to either bribe him out or kill them.

"What about the mother? Has she shown any sign of interacting with someone?"

"No, she is behaving as usual with… her usual head shakes. But that has been a behavior they picked up from the very beginning of their captivity, their necks tend to grow sore due to their restraints."

The blond nodded in agreement. "I see…"

For the time being, the Sakatsuki situation seemed to be mildly stable if not compromised just partially.

"Well, I believe this dedication beseech some affection. Don't you think so? How about you come closer?"

The woman smiled, almost dropping any form of formality and unease as she felt 'rewarded' by a strong and beautiful man such as himself.

Ah, how easy it is to capture maidens' hearts…

-----------d-d-d-d-------------d-d-d-d-----------d-d-d-d------

AN

Sakatsuki, that's a name that is quite unique within the Nasuverse…

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 14: Crazy Train, Part 2

Sometimes Bruno just believed things were normally meant to be bizarre.

Between Stands, dreams, magic and… turtles with the ability to house objects and people inside its 'inner room', he learned that things were never getting easy on him despite his recent promotion. Coco Jumbo was, from what he could remember, something that he heard the boss having. A small turtle that was discovered having the means to provide protection to a large group of people. Diavolo had purposely left it at the station, with Narancia spotting it and Bucciarati taking care of it as he knew what he was supposed to do with it. The very key they had recovered in Naples was meant to unlock its 'secret'.

｢Mr. President｣ was the solution to their current problem. Temporarily so. The ability of Coco Jumbo would allow most of the group to remain inside it and keep undetected from anyone sent to check on their presence within the train. Maybe he was expecting too much, but he knew for a fact their arrival at the train had been the cleanest operation possible and no one had followed them inside. It was an advantage Bruno wanted to exploit to the furthest while also relying on the fact neither Sakura or Caren had been notified to others of La Squadra. So, the two girls would take turns and change when possible as those that kept the turtle safe in the seat they had picked within the vehicle.

The trip was meant to be calm and quiet, with the plum-haired girl being the one that began the shift and kept an eye out for any surprises while she was sitting alone. Worry was always there due to what happened recently, with Trish being quite vocal that it would leave the fellow girl exposed to that set of kidnappers sent after her. Sadly, there wasn't much of a choice. They would have to take a risk and leave the turtle only if strictly necessary. Caren was tense, Giorno looked unfocused and fairly annoyed by the circumstance, and the entire team was staring at the situation Sakura was in with clear tension. Bruno too was having second thoughts on the strategy, considering putting the young 'nun' in charge of this matter if that meant lessening the odds of trouble. Then he realized that would just piss off Abbacchio, and he knew that, at this point, there wasn't much of a best choice out of the many flawed ones at his disposal.

To make things worse, his deduction tied to La Squadra, and their interest in tracking down any possible vehicles leaving the city to reach Northern Italy proved to be correct. Two familiar faces passed by the compartment where Sakura was staying. Prosciutto led the charge, while Pesci aimlessly looked around closely behind.

Prosciutto was a man of slim build, having short blond hair braided into three short mats at the back of the head and cold blue eyes. He was currently wearing a dark two-piece suit. Meanwhile Pesci held an athletic build, with his most recognizable feature being the lack of a chin. Such a feature was unusual, and enough to gain the sneers from some colleagues back at work. His hair was shaved, save for a couple of green locks originating from the top of his head. His current outfit was made by a dark jumpsuit with a black fishing hook in pink hearts motif, matched by arm warmers and shoes. Over that, the man had a sleeveless long coat decorated with fur.

Both men gave passing glances at Sakura, giving her not much of a look as they proceeded to check the rest of the train. Relief washed over the Squad Leader, knowing that his plan was working as intended. He knew these two weren't people to underestimate considering their high kill spree, with Prosciutto being the veteran between the two, while Pesci had 'potential' as Polpo had once told him. Naive and easy to fright, but not someone to consider a complete waste of time in having around.

Sakura sighed calmly, seemingly relieved at the lack of tension during that brief interaction, and she looked ready to enjoy the rest of the ride on her lonesome… when that plan crashed and burned down as soon as the two men returned to her compartment and knocked at the door. Pesci peeked his head inside after shifting the door open.

"Hey kid, can we sit inside?" The green-haired man asked with a quiet but at ease tone. "The other compartments are full."

A lie. Bucciarati could tell, everyone in the turtle could- same for Sakura, but she seemed to handle the pressure just right in not behaving too nervous compared to a normal girl being subjected to that unexpected situation. Bucciarati thought about it, perplexed by the development but excluding the chances they actually thought Sakura was tied to them. No, the situation had to be different than just some advanced plotting against them, it sounded so risky to put themselves in that closeness if they knew they were there. Yet, instead of refusing the offer since she could actually do that with small risks, the girl nodded.

"Sure."

A happy smile appeared on the man's face as he took his partner inside with him and they took the two seats in front of the girl.

"Apologies for my… colleague. He can be quite creepy when he wants," Prosciutto muttered, getting a gasp out of his partner and prompted some bickering between the two.

That interaction stunned Bruno as it highlighted a possibility he didn't consider because it was too absurd to be true: The two assassins wanted to sit there because Sakura looked as the least suspicious, so sitting in her compartment offered them a degree of safety that none of the others would provide. They were disguising themselves… near to where his group, their targets, were disguising by. It would have been an amusing joke to tell around, but this was reality and… it wasn't a simple situation. Even though Pesci was at ease, Prosciutto wasn't. A man with experience and a degree of awareness of danger, it was clear the man wasn't going to be at rest until he was back in a safe hideout with his partner or lying dead or unconscious due to some fighting. But while the situation kept uneasy for them all, Pesci decided to speak up about something he had noticed.

"Nice turtle."

Sakura's lips twitched. "Thank you."

And that was just the beginning of a thorough explanation about turtles as the man was instantly intrigued by the reasons tied to the girl having that kind of pet.

-------d-d-d-d---------

"Woah! You really mean that turtles can also do that?"

Sakura nodded calmly, offering a polite smile as she could tell this assassin wasn't as bloodthirsty as she thought him to be. Pesci was what she could describe as a man-child in this regard. Boredom left him prone to be quick for distracting conversations and he seemed quite keen to the subject brought up. The man was friendly enough to not be too pushy about it, but his eagerness about learning more 'silly' things as his partner called them was clear to anyone watching this unusual scene.

"My father told me as much, and he is a marine biologist."

"So cool! I never had the chance to get some legitimate info about that kind of stuff," Pesci pointed out in delight, yet he soon deflated with the second half. "Never got the chance to check any aquarium actually..."

That actually sounded fairly sad in Sakura's mind. In a way, it was reasonable to assume that not many kids in Italy ever had the chance to visit an aquarium with either how sparse those are in some areas, and how expensive some tickets can be for a single visit.

"It's not that impressive," The slimmer man, Prosciutto, replied calmly. "You get the same stuff on TV through documentaries."

"But it's not the same," Pesci whined back. "Things are repeated from books and sometimes people are even wrong about it."

"He is not wrong," The plum-haired girl agreed truthfully. "I mean, one thing that dad tends to do when those go live on TV is that he calls out any mistakes or misunderstanding some narrators do when reading some of the non-verified facts."

"See!" The chinless man shot back with a smug look aimed at his partner. "Also, since your father is a marine biologist, did you get the chance to… I don't know, pat a shark?"

The girl perked at that question. "I actually tried to do that once, but dad said I was too young to do something and that adults are best to handle that scenario."

"Your old man has common sense," Prosciutto admitted flatly, while an undeterred Pesci pressed more on the topic.

"What about dolphins?"

"I actually help feed them when needed," The teen replied confidently. "Play even when possible."

"With an inflated ball and stuff like that?" The chinless man pushed for more details and the girl nodded mirthfully. "So cool! Man, I'm so jealous now."

It was quite an entertaining conversation. Sakura had no reason to lament any of it despite the current circumstances but... Prosciutto looked interested in something else about this matter.

"Still, what brings a young girl from the States such as yourself to make a solo trip to Florence?" Prosciutto inquired quietly.

Sakura blinked at that comment, but offered a slow nod to it. "I've been doing solo trips to Italy for a while. I am just visiting a friend of mine that lives in Florence and then… make it back to Rome and get back home after a week or so."

"That sounds expensive," Pesci thought aloud. "I mean, isn't that a lot of money for those brief trips."

"It's not a frequent occasion, and I care a lot for my friend."

"I bet. If you're out there making these expensive trips, this friend of yours better be caring a lot back at you."

Sakura's gaze lowered to the turtle, a fond smirk on her lips. "I believe so."

Just as she started to muse a bit about their first meeting together, how little they were and how fun that experience had been, her world suddenly shifted from calm and pleasant to abrupt and shaky as she found herself yanked away from her seat.

"Heads down!" The yell came out of nowhere from the previously quiet Prosciutto, the man's hand grasping her shoulder as he shoved her close to the ground.

Confusion skyrocketed in Sakura, but it made way to dread as she heard a window crack and saw a small black ball with red electric crackling around it slam on the seat she had been sitting on just mere seconds ago.

"B-Bucciarati?" Pesci asked, but the blond shook his head negatively. "Then what are we to do?"

"Make sure the civilian isn't hurt while we take care of this bastardo. Whoever caused this trouble, I can tell they are trying to hurt the kid."

Pesci nodded, revealing what looked to be a fish rod. "Gotcha."

The two men started to give each other orders and brainstorm the situation as they tried to find the source of this attack, with Sakura blinking in surprise as she pondered over the situation. Here she was, stuck under her seat, holding close Coco Jumbo so it wouldn't leave her as the whole ordeal escalated due to this sudden attempt on her life. Could it be that the Magi sent after her had tracked her down to the train? A shiver went down her spine but… at least her identity was preserved. The two assassins weren't aware of the fact the gang was inside ｢Mr. President｣. Instead, the duo looked ready to find and kill the attacker and… that was convenient in many ways than not. Perhaps the two groups would end up distracting each other for long enough for the train to get to Florence and for her to get off without having to fight. That sounded like a brilliant plan…

But Sakura could tell that life was never that easy and that this looked to be way more complicated than she wanted it to be.

---------------d-d-d-d-------------

AN

Kind of ironic that Pesci translates as 'Fishes' and he uses a Fish Rod. Still, things are just getting complicated. A fight, a possible revelation and… a complete change of fate? Could it happen? After all, the final battle will not be as simple as in the normal timeline. Something inside Diavolo is resonating deep within…

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 15: Crazy Train, Part 3

Prosciutto was no rookie, but he sure felt clueless on what was going on.

Leaving the carriage while making sure that the girl was safe and sound was the first priority. The kid, Sakura, was being targeted. It was clearly her, with Pesci mistaking the attack as one ordained by Bucciarati at first. Not a wrong assumption, and proof that the dumbass still had that very potential that made him worthy of his presence in La Squadra. But while it was the kid and not them the target of this attack, the assassins had seen the duo as collateral damage. Individuals that weren't worthy of living. So, despite the dry opinion of the girl the most experienced of the two had, he was capable of seeing that it didn't matter on the spot. The assassins wanted them dead for merely just being there. But who was attacking them? And how did they track them down when the train was moving? There were no means in sight that would allow any sniper to get to their position without exposing themselves, and that meant only one thing.

Either a Stand or-

CRASH!

Some of the windows crashed in that moment, small creatures that resembled birds with glowing white bodies appeared and were soon targeting them.

Or bullshit. Definitely bullshit.

Pesci reacted nicely, his fishing rod Stand, ｢Beach Boy｣, instantly yanking the closest away and disrupting its effort to concentrate a sphere of light to shot at them before slamming it onto the side of the window, tearing it to pieces, while Prosciutto carefully aimed his revolver at two others, carefully taking them down. ｢Grateful Dead｣ would work well in these conditions, not when they were dealing with abstract creatures that Prosciutto didn't know if those were organic or could even age. So, he decided to rely on his gun for the time being. Still, the two were quick to push one away from the other as the three remaining 'birds' shot at them. One of the small blasts soared over their heads, one slammed on the side, missing Pesci, while the remaining one trailed through the space created by their distance.

They didn't hesitate to resume the carnage, with Prosciutto shooting at one of the remaining creatures while Pesci masterfully yanked at another and slammed it against the last one. It looked like the worst was over, but a new noise of windows being crashed forced the duo to turn around. Not fast enough, Prosciutto realized as one of the shots hit the arm with the revolver. It wasn't a deadly wound, but it instantly forced him to flinch and drop the gun. Prosciutto snarled, with Pesci suddenly tackling him back in the carriage they had left, allowing the birds' shots to miss them.

"P-Prosciutto-"

"I'm fine, get my revolver!"

Brief hesitation flashed on Pesci's face, but the panicking partner managed to use his Stand to retrieve the gun, providing it to Prosciutto just in time as the three birds that attacked them found themselves drilled with bullets. Sighing, Prosciutto glared at his revolver, noticing the chamber was now empty and in need of bullets. He just had twelve of those left. Looking at his condition, he knew better than to assume he was going to be able to be of help with this development, and he knew what he would have to do in order to prevent any issues from happening from this point onward.

"Pesci."

"Yes, Prosciutto? Do you need something or-"

"Check the train."

The green-haired gangster paused. "W-What?"

"I think the assailant is somewhere in the train. There is no way that they are outside the train as we're still moving but… be careful."

"...Got it."

It took him a moment to leave, and for Prosciutto to quickly pull down the curtains before sitting down on the ground right beside Sakura, gun reloaded and ready as he grasped it with his left hand. Not his best hand, but it would do for the time being. And that's when he remembered that there was a kid they were protecting, with the girl still lying under the seat in a fetal position, clutching her pet close to her chest.

Prosciutto wasn't good with children, there was a reason why Pesci was the best choice when talking to those during missions. He tended to behave as stupidly as a brat, making him more relatable to them to a degree. But right now, Pesci was out doing a risky operation, and Prosciutto's pride wouldn't allow him to ask for help anyway.

"How… how are you holding, kid?"

The question came out so dejected that the mafioso flinched at it too. Meanwhile Sakura just hummed and slowly nodded.

"I'm fine. Your wounds-"

"I've experienced worse," He replied quickly. "Plus, these attackers are after you. You should worry about yourself the most."

A frown adorned her face. "But… why can't I worry about others?"

Prosciutto scoffed. "You shouldn't. Not when there's a chance you may end up dead."

"...Are you sure you are well?"

"Yes."

Silence emerged from that harsh response, and Prosciutto felt the need to facepalm for getting riled up due to some kid's genuine concern. It wasn't like he was that prideful, but he could only blame his current injury for turning him so sour so quickly. He thought about the situation some more, wondering if Pesci had it in himself to make it through without getting killed. He had guts and potential, but it takes one mistake to mess things up. And Prosciutto just could tell that their current foe wouldn't just sit down and take that kind of treatment. His thoughts were suddenly interrupted as light flashed from the… window. His eyes widened as he snapped to see something cut through the curtains and reveal a single individual already hanging by the window, a crazed smile on her face. A hood covering most of her face.

"Found ya~!"

Prosciutto's instinct kicked in, left hand grasping the handle of his revolver as he aimed the weapon at the intruder, but failed to get a shot in as knives rushed at him. One stabbed by his right shoulder, one slammed into his left knee, and the last one pierced his left arm. The combined pain forced him to drop the gun, but not before letting out a wild shot. The bullet landed right below the woman, eliciting a giggle out of her.

"Missed me~."

Gritting his teeth, Prosciutto struggled to not crash down completely. He was now bleeding a lot, and he would end up passing out if he didn't keep his mind focused on the situation. Pesci couldn't get alerted, not when the woman was within range of attacking him again and potentially killing him. No, he needed to play safe about it. As soon as the intruder entered the carriage, she pulled her hood down, revealing a beautiful woman with pretty pink eyes and light-red hair. A true beauty, but one that was as fatal as a sick monster could be from the twisted smile on her face.

"Master Atrum is going to reward me handsomely as soon as I bring you to him. Oh my, he is definitely going to enjoy the gift despite me being a bit naughty and breaking his rule to not engage just yet," The attacker mused foolishly, providing information for Prosciutto to check later on. Once he was done killing her. "But alas, I think it's time for you to come with me, little Matou. The little spectacle is now over~."

While he could no longer use his gun against this individual, Prosciutto finally spotted an opportunity within his reach. Sure, he could strike this woman due to his current limitation, but he could still touch her leg. And that should be enough for his plan to go through without any issues. So he reached out, grasping her heel. She tensed up, her gaze aimed angrily at the weakened assassin.

"Fuhu? A little worm trying to do something here? What a silly individual," The woman hummed deviously. "But of course, I'm merciful. I wonder- are you so desperate to touch a girl that you would do so in this situation?"

...He had no regret for what he was going to do.

The amusement lasted a few stupid minutes. Each second provided a rise of annoyance within Prosciutto but eventually culminated in a good development for him and the kid he was guarding as his ability finally worked. ｢Grateful Dead｣ had a special ability that could be used within two modalities, with the first one being an indiscriminate area-wide aging attack, or an individual use when it came to single targets. The sole requirement for that last option was that the user had to touch the target one way or another.

The woman paused in her giggling, her jaw dropping as she spotted the wrinkles appearing on her hands. Then her arms, shoulders- she touched her face, her once beautiful face, and her vibrant red hair as they had aged up. Her visage grew terribly wrinkly and ugly, while her hair turned a filthy gray. She was shivering once more, but where before she was excited, now there was another emotion driving that reaction.

Dread.

"T-This doesn't make any sense? What is going on? WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME, YOU STUPID CRIMINAL!?" She panicked, sobbing without restraint. "M-Master Atrum- He is going to hate me. I'M SO UGLY AND WRINKLY!"

"And dead," Prosciutto muttered weakly, gaining the woman's attention… just as a fishing rod's hook bypassed a few walls and stabbed into her chest, reaching her heart. Shock flared at the sudden attack, with Prosciutto smirking at her foolishness. "You were too loud."

While he didn't get the chance to alert his partner, that didn't mean Pesci didn't hear what was going on nonetheless who was screeching. And since it was clear that the 'subject' was a 'criminal', the fellow Stand User managed to pick up what was going on. A yank was all that was needed. The wrinkly hag had aged to the point her skin was turning gray, and then she shattered into dust through that strong hit. Prosciutto stared grimly over the scene, musing over the possibility of seeing red grains if Pesci had moved quicker, if he had pulled at the woman faster than he did now. But for now, that wasn't his main priority. Pesci finally came back rushing in the carriage, looking at them and helping his friend up before starting to finally patch him up with the first aid kit he brought with them.

Who would have thought that shitty bag would have been useful?

As the older gangster allowed the rookie to fix him up, he thought of what was going to happen next due to the recent developments. Prosciutto would have felt relief and calm as he knew now it was time to retreat, recover and resume their missions, but as they all sat down back in their carriage, his gaze ended up spotting an element he hadn't seen on the girl's pet due to her arm covering it. A strange gem, similar to a ruby, stuck in the middle of its shell. And a thorough look gave him sight over… faces. Familiar faces.

That's Bucciarati.

"That… that turtle. It's not a normal one," Prosciutto highlighted calmly. "Girl, give it to me."

Sakura answered by keeping it closer to herself, looking ready to attack them much to his surprise and annoyance. Prosciutto didn't need a genius-like mind to know what was up, and he looked ready to jump her if not for Pesci's own confusion.

"W-What do you mean? What's wrong with that turtle?"

"Bucciarati- that turtle is a Stand User, and you can see people in its gem."

Pesci's eyes turned and squinted at the exposed ruby, shock filling him as that unexpected surprise was also met with some reluctance to go through with their plans. They had talked so much of going through the assassination attempt on Bucciarati that they didn't imagine that this would have been how it would happen. Their only obstacle at the moment being the very girl they just protected from that attack. Before Prosciutto could enforce their mission's goal, Pesci spoke and he sounded, as expected, unwilling to go through with this.

"Maybe we could do something about it that isn't… killing them?"

"We've gone rogue on Passione. You think they would spare us? We are traitors worse than they could get with their current plans with the boss' daughter," Prosciutto rebuked fiercely. "We shouldn't do anything stupid."

"D-Didn't Risotto tell us we didn't have to kill them? What if- What if we just ally with them against the Boss."

"Pesci-"

"Come on, maybe we can do something out of this situation. Think of it, why would Risotto give us the option to spare someone if we rarely get that? Doesn't it generally mean that there is a chance that allying with them would be a better option?"

His lips twitched in discomfort at that logic, mostly because it did make sense due to some cryptic words from Risotto himself. The boss' daughter wasn't to be killed. The only reason they would need to eliminate Bucciarati and Co. was to use her to track down their final target. If they managed to get access to Trish and get some information from her, but also keep her with extra protection, they could potentially kill two birds with a stone. Fighting off the irritation of going through the mission without questions, he knew better than to risk a good chance to put his team in a better position to fight off their foes. So, Prosciutti bowed his head, angrily, but with a resolute tone in his voice.

"Fine. We will discuss this then."

----------d-d-d-d-------

It took them a few moments to leave Coco Jumbo, but Giorno still had to understand what was going on.

Before actually trying to grasp the situation, he took a moment to check on Sakura, a gesture mimicked by Caren, Narancia and Trish, with Mista paying attention to them before aiming his glance at the two assassins meant to kill them. Fugo just looked frustrated, more than usual, and Giorno could tell it was about the assassins. Sure, the blonde knew that they were enemies, yet it was slowly becoming clear that their goal here wasn't to assassinate them and Trish, but rather assassinate them because they had Trish under their protection. It was a matter of similar goals with different methods.

Bucciarati was quickly on the offense. "Your team already tried to kill my group."

"Illuso and Formaggio. Both of which aren't known even to others as stable individuals," Prosciutto pointed out. "Truth be told, you did us a favor in a way."

Pesci didn't look as convinced, but he was nodding reluctantly over that opinion. The fact that even Abbacchio was nodding at this wasn't lost on Giorno. Could it be that these two cases were so bad that even their teams didn't want to have to deal with them to that degree? It was awkward to accept, but he could see that being a good reason to remove individuals.

"Then what's your goal here and how do you think negotiations would help it?" Bruno inquired, still guarding himself around these two. "We're not giving up on Trish."

"I thought so to myself, but that's not what we are after. We want you to help us take out the boss."

… "No."



Prosciutto frowned. "Why?"

"...What do you mean with 'why'?"

"What's your goal in bringing the girl to her father? What do you think you will gain out of this?"

"The spread of drugs, we want to stop it."

A disappointed sigh left Prosciutto. "And you so believe that he would do it? That he would do that without hesitation?

Trish looked upset at this and tried to reason with the man herself. "My father- surely he would consider this if I-"

"Ah! As if the Boss would ever consider that. Do you even know what the girl is to him?" Prosciutto remarked angrily. "Trust me, girl, it's not you. But your father knows you are a liability. He never inquired about family, he never checked on you, and you believe he did so because he didn't know? If he really cared, he would have known, and he would have brought you and your mother to a safe place to live."

The rebuke shook Trish up as there was a sense of truth that brought dread within the carriage. And Giorno couldn't exactly find much fault in that comment. The boss had slowly turned in a very problematic figure within the young man's mind. Slowly turning from a unifying figure to a demagogue that would hardly listen to their pleas. Sure, he sounded cordial through his messages, but even the most ruthless among tyrants would talk sweetly over someone that bears a weakness to his hard shell. Trish wasn't a weakness due to any feeling towards family, but because she was key to his identity. Trish was a threat.

"H-He didn't know-"

"The man knows things. If he wants to know something, he can. He knows when a foreign infiltration is happening, when organizations from beyond the national borders try to get through the doorstep created by the operations tied to drugs," Prosciutto interjected once more. "And yes, our team despises this circumstance the most since we have to constantly move to prevent these issues. It's a lot of money that comes in through drugs, but never enough to make up for the issues it causes."

"...And what's your goal then?"

"You will help us by providing assistance as we take out the Boss."

"You can't seriously consider this, Bucciarati," Fugo muttered angrily. "That's treason, the organization would look bad at this move."

"Would it?" Prosciutto's words cut with ease into the tense exchange. "If you haven't noticed, with the boss growing more and more detached from affairs, he is hardly seen as a real leader. It's just the big monster that comes and goes whenever someone is threatening Passione or his secret identity."

Was that really that bad? Giorno hadn't inquired that deeply on Passione's current state of things, knowing its general structure but now how rotten the group really was. Bruno's hesitation further enabled the blond to expect this to be quite bad and… they weren't done just yet.

"Meanwhile Risotto would stop the trade altogether," Pesci piped in, looking at his partner with a confident look, continuing only as Prosciutto nodded at him. "He isn't interested in pushing Passione in too many heinous affairs and is planning to shift focus on more respectable investments to sustain its current size and organization."

"That would mean being more public," Bruno argued and Prosciutto smiled.

"If the people like us, then I see no reason why that would be bad," The man remarked without hesitation. "And I don't need to explain how genuine Risotto can be when he swears on doing something."

Bucciarati just tensed up at this, unease crossing on his face at this circumstance. Giorno couldn't pick up all thoughts in his head, but he was quite expressive in that moment, and he could tell how the temptation was now too strong to say no too. And it proved so strong that they actually shook hands on it. An alliance, more like a reinforced truce, which was meant to deal with the boss. Trish didn't look convinced, quite distraught at the news, and Fugo looked incredibly upset by this whole matter. The rest of the group was tense about the news, but Abbacchio showed no sign of disappointment on the matter, quite the opposite. Mista too was unsure what to say or how to react to it, but he looked at it neutrally and not fully unnerved by it.

But what did Giorno think of it? Many things. Most of which were good, but with hints of bad here and there. His priority was to defeat the drug trade within the peninsula, yet he was aware that it could end up with someone like Risotto, someone he heard from the group wasn't truly a good person, taking over the organization. Could he be lying about his plans? It didn't seem so. But what if the methods he planned to implement were crueler than those used by his current boss?

So many questions remained, and Giorno doubted he currently had the means to get the answers for those. And while he kept on thinking about this, the conversation was brought to a halt as someone was soon knocking at the door. It wasn't insistent, but loud enough to draw all words to silence. Giorno looked at the door, tension rising within the occupants of the carriage, but Bruno seemed to recover just in time to muster a simple word.

"Yes?"

The door slowly opened, revealing a masked individual on the other side. He looked like one of those old theatrical masks, with the multi-colored outfit he wore looking close to that specific mask, the Harlequin. He bowed his head, and then spoke.

"Apologies for my interruption, I was told this is where my current ward is being guarded."

Tension returned full-strength at the news.

"Your… ward?"

"Sakura Kujo, great-granddaughter of Joseph Joestar, my employer," He replied to Bruno with a calm voice. "I am Agente Arlecchino, and my goal through this stay in the nation is to make sure that young Sakura is protected from the attacks of some unpleasant individual trying to kidnap her."

And with that, a whole new can of worms was opened. Yet, as the new 'alliance' handled this new anomaly, Giorno's gaze was fully fixed on this new individual and he could tell, deep down, that the masked fellow was staring back at him. Blue eyes finding Orange ones. Something familiar sparkling between them.

Something… important.

-----------d-d-d-d-------------d-d-d-d-------

AN

La Squadra and Bucciarati's group are currently allied… to a degree. Not everyone will be on board, and things are just getting tougher on them all due to these new circumstances. And with Arlecchino here, the next four-part arc will be fairly interesting. After all, the train is going to reach Florence, and a devastating meeting will happen. Like in Cairo, where Jotaro faced Dio, Sakura is about to face her own vampiric problem. Except this one is less hostile than many would expect.

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 16: Crazy Train, Part 4

Caren couldn't find it within herself to trust this odd masked man.

The mask of Arlecchino wasn't exactly one many were keen to remember, with the prankster Pulcinella being the one mask most remembered from classic Italian Theatrical works. To her, that mask was an unpredictable and unknown factor which urged her to ask Sakura to do something to confirm his version of the matter. So, as the man was being interrogated by Bucciarati regarding his job and the particular details regarding Sakura's current predicament, the plum-haired girl opted to call Great-Grandpa Joseph. The man was the one that supposedly tasked 'Arlecchino' to help them, thus he was the one that would absolutely confirm his explanation. It took a little while for the message to be noticed, but she was disappointed when the one that answered turned out to not be her great-grandfather.

Apologies, Miss Kujo. Master Joestar is currently busy training with young Master Shinji as of right now, but they should be back in a few hours. Alas, I think that Master Joestar did bring up some concerns and had engaged in conversations by the phone with the Foundation to provide you with extra protection.

-Reginald

Caren frowned at the message as Sakura quietly read it and her lips twitched as she felt that despite this confirmation, something about this whole situation didn't feel right. It was tied with her unique condition, that much she could say, but it wasn't the same unpleasant discomfort she would feel by malicious creatures. No, Arlecchino's essence felt… too pleasant. It felt familiar to a degree, almost close to what she once felt while Joseph Joestar was around. Same for that woman that wore shades, Lisa Lisa or something close to that. Yet this time she felt it was denser, stronger. It was odd, and something that just unnerved her to no end. Sakura was uneasy too, but she felt less worried about it since she pointed out that it could have been Hamon. The notion was possible, and it would also be fitting considering Hamon was the kind of ability that, despite its limits compared to having a Stand, was nonetheless worrisome to those foes that weren't prepared for it. These Magi that were hunting Sakura? They were up for a rude awakening on the matter.

But why didn't that lull her in a sense of calm? Caren asked that to herself, knowing that she had already proven through Sakura's own words that this wasn't a bad person. Even Bucciarati confirmed so by the end of the interrogation, and thus this 'stranger' was allowed in their group within the limited role of protecting Sakura. And her. It was still odd how he managed to board the train while it was moving, but the agent reasoned that he had to 'waste' a motorbike to reach for it. Quite an unusual way to infiltrate the train, but the way he said it felt almost like he didn't mind doing it and that the real trouble was the risk of missing the train rather than getting hurt. Which was quite… unusual.

As the others were done talking with him, Caren took this chance to finally approach him. Bruno and Abbacchio were still chatting with Prosciutto, while Pesci was huffing in frustration at Mista's teasing but smiling at Narancia and Trish as the duo tried to cheer him up. Quite the lovely sight, but nothing that really put her mind at ease before the many things she wasn't sure of with this new individual to keep an eye on during this trip.

"Is there something troubling you, Caren Kotomine?"

The teen's eyes narrowed at the masked man. His tone felt so condescending, and yet not too much with the 'ease' exuding from his words. It felt odd to listen as it reminded her of her father. And she loved her father which made her slightly reluctant to interact with this unknown individual. Still, she decided that perhaps being a 'petulant child' would work better in her current circumstance. She didn't like that, but she would have to do that for the sake of her questions.

"Why do you wear a mask?" Caren inquired directly, uncaring of the kind of outraged reaction she might get out of it.

"I was told that it was best to hide my identity from our foes due to their renowned tradition of… hunting down sworn enemies," The man calmly answered. "Also, I quite like this mask since my wife gave it to me as a gift when we visited Rome a few years ago."

Now she had some info that actually shaped this person. He was married and he wasn't native to Rome. That didn't exclude the chance he was a native of Italy, but the way his accent felt as she heard it lacking regional accents sure pushed onto the chance of him being a foreigner. It was something Caren picked up from listening to tourists' talking. Some had foreign accents, but some were fairly fluent but lacked any hint of accents from those that were considered regional Italians.

"You can use Hamon," She then affirmed, and the man hummed.

"That's… an interesting deduction."

"I can sense something from your spirit which is… bright. Brighter than Mr. Joestar's own power."

Arlecchino offered a sigh. "A good assumption, but I would say that it's mostly because Mr. Joestar's power had long started to wane due to his prolonged 'break' from training. Even though he may have resumed practicing with it for his adopted son's own training, his prime time has long passed."

Caren slowly nodded and she couldn't help but see that being the most probable reason. All in all, it wouldn't be a surprise if the old man had indeed grown weaker than he used to be in his youth due to the passing of time and his slacking. But just as she felt mostly satisfied with the questions, Arlecchino decided to speak up once more.

"Alas, there is a question I didn't manage to ask Bucciarati due to how tedious the current circumstance is, did any of the attackers mention any name that could be useful to identify the main source of trouble stacked against you and Sakura."

Frowning at this, the silver-haired girl took a moment to ponder about it as she was quite sure she did hear a few odd names being brought up, with the most recent one being-

"The woman that attacked Sakura in the train, she mentioned a name. A 'Master Atrum'."

The posture tensed, but for some reason the silver-haired girl felt that it wasn't an honest reaction to that discovery. Before she could comment about it, the man spoke up again.

"Atrum? Then I believe we're dealing with Atrum Galliasta and… this is indeed a meddlesome development."

Caren's eyes narrowed in confusion. "How so?"

"Atrum is no arrogant fool at times. Sure, he is known to share many similarities with many traditional magi, but he is a man that adapts to overcome obstacles along his path to success. Any chance where he is allowed to analyze defeats and plot for more attempts, and he will take this opportunity to eventually catch up with a most nefarious and troublesome plan."

"...How do you know this much about him?"

"Anyone that has experience with the Clock Tower knows of the unusual nature of the Galliasta Family. Before Atrum's ascension to lordship, there were other members, brothers, which competed against each other for that title. Atrum was a prodigious foe that had them beaten with incredible efficiency. He is rather taken by power, and the moment he will be able to attain something incredible to ascend to the Root, he will waste all resources just to reach it."

"But… Why Sakura?"

"I would say it's 'secret', but I believe your father has actually brought up to you about what the Holy Grail War once was."

"Yes? But how does this connect to Sakura? She wasn't tied to this matter until the very end-"

"Not the full end. No."

Caren frowned even harder, her confusion grew until the man finally gave her an explanation on what was going on and… it left her perplexed and worried.

"Sakura currently has traces of the Grail in her body. Her Stand conceptualized these shards within her ability to use partial Wishcraft to enable her ultimate skill. That ability can revert to the shard if Atrum manages to take hold of her and, with proper preparation, could turn Sakura as a battery for a Holy Grail."

"But… how would he be able to then find the Holy Grail? I thought it was destroyed," Caren argued and Arlecchino shook his head.

"The Einzbern Grail was broken… but there are other ways to achieve Heaven's Feel. Some Grails are 'older' by tradition, and yet can be used within the Holy Grail Array without even requiring the summoning of a Servant."

That sounded dreadful, and soon the girl's gaze trailed away from Arlecchino as she stopped over Sakura's current position. The plum-haired girl, her closest friend, was calmly playing with Coco Jumbo, seemingly unaware of what was going on with her and why Atrum wanted to capture her now.

"Should she know about this?"

"She should," The agent confirmed. "But I believe it's best I do so in a more 'private' setting since I've just noticed your uncle had been trying to eavesdrop on our conversation."

The girl paused again and then turned to see that Abbacchio had indeed walked away from Bucciarati and had been staring at the two for sometime. It was quite amusing to a degree, to see the 'tough guy' that was her uncle huff and puff about whatever kind of 'nefarious plot' she had stumbled upon. He wouldn't be wrong to assume the information she got was unpleasant, but it was the furthest thing from what sort of silly worry the man might have on the matter.

And for now, Caren's real worry was aimed at Sakura as she now knew her friend was going to need help in these trying times.

---------d-d-d-d------------

They were close to reaching Florence. She was close.

Arcueid was smiling eye-to-eye as she finished her 'Morning Sundae' and prepared to go through a small preparatory training session before getting the stage for the planned battle finalized. It's been a while, and yet the blonde vampire hadn't wasted time in finding something to curb her boredom to acceptable levels. The sweets and delicious food offered by the locals were more than appeasing when it came to deal with her cravings, but Arcueid hadn't just slothfully wasted time in a lazy lifestyle. After memorizing Florence's streets, checking its monuments and then finding appropriate spots where to rest without being disturbed, the girl had rekindled some training to keep her shape up. It's been so long since she fought and she didn't want to be beaten through a technicality she could have avoided. Her blood would just boil and burst at the notion of being defeated through arrogance.

No, Arcueid trained her butt up to a proper form as she got herself ready to use a good part of the skills she had forgotten about. It wasn't a training session intended to 'improve her current power', but to remember those things she forgot and which could be useful against her foes. It was something that had gnawed at her mind for some time and while she thought it would have all distracted her from her main goal, she had to pull back from that mindset when something else came through training. And that was a greater desire to fight her. It was like a craving, an urge which had been subdued at first but now claimed for blood. Her blood. Her pain, their desire to survive.

Maybe it was because she was putting more effort than before for that event, or maybe she was finally catching up at the notion of fighting someone worthwhile. It would be her first serious fight and… that intrigued her. Would it be as difficult as her older sister told her about? Or maybe like Zelretch told her when Type-Moon was around and he had to brawl with her parent. Maybe she was going a bit too far with this, but Arcueid felt excited, she felt enticed into that brawl and she was itching to finally get things started. Thus the vampire pressed on being as prepared as possible, to have all places and situations set up for the matter and then let the purest form of chaos ensue to her heart's contentment. It was going to be great- no, even more than just that. And they would all feel… whole.

Time was passing, the last countdown had started as the heiress to the strongest monster prepared to face the heiress to the most determined man on the planet.

-------------d-d-d-d----------

AN

I may have gotten Arcueid a bit bloodthirsty in this chapter, but she is only 'excited'. This is the first serious fight she has to handle and with someone that she knows will match with her current potential. So, she feels giddy about it.

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 17: Bloody Tears, Part 1

Something worried Sakura. Something intense, something foreboding and… wrong.

Caren could sense her current turmoil, but the fellow girl's concern was settled by mentioning a foul wake up process. Nothing bad, nothing that was extending even now as they finished checking in Florence. Pesci had gotten permission for a call with Risotto, his boss, and hoped to get his chief to give him a plan of attack before the entire group left for Venice.

The rest of La Squadra was being notified of this current situation, but it was difficult to imagine if this was going to gain their overall acceptance. Some of them, as both Pesci and Prosciutto were quick to say, weren't going to digest the news well. They just didn't like 'cooperation', especially with 'fellow traitors'. The mere mention of 'traitor' was enough to leave Fugo in a bad mood, something that Narancia was barely keeping under check. Mista admitted it wasn't unexpected for the intellectual young man to snap into such a foul mood.

The notion of betraying the boss of the very group that took him in after leaving his family felt bitter, wrong, and dishonest. Things that Fugo wasn't and wouldn't normally condone. But the more he looked into it, the more Narancia brought up the fact that the Boss wasn't a good person despite his openness when it came to recruitment. That beyond the veil of kindness, there was a ruthless man that saw little importance in what his actions caused beyond the organization he created and was actively hiding away from.

It was an intense exchange, and one of the reasons why Abbacchio told her, Caren and Trish to go and eat outdoors while things got more stable. Arlecchino was supposedly joining them, but he admitted he was going to keep himself in the shadows until a troublesome threat would require his active presence and intervention. The three girls didn't need to stray too far as there was a rotisserie just in front of the building they were staying at.

Trish wasn't exactly a fan of the 'fried snacks' offered by the activity, but she found the mini-calzone of her liking from the way she devoured two of those. Caren settled for a crepe, and Sakura stuck with a Rollò. The piece of bread covering the cooked wurstel felt delicious and fairly savory considering she felt hungry and in need of a big charge-up.

"Are you sure this is fine?" Trish hummed as she glanced at Sakura, the girl talking about why she was okay in spending time with her. "I mean, last time you weren't happy to spend time with me."

Sakura sighed and shook her head. "I'm fine with this. We're not shopping."

"Well, there's nothing wrong with shopping," The pinkette huffed, which prompted a hum from Caren.

"Not when it's too intensive."

"I-I'm not that bad."

"You kind of are," The hat-wearing girl remarked, which caused Trish to huff angrily.

"Well, it's not my fault you two aren't that girly."

"And what does it have to do with that?" Sakura pressed back, stunning the fellow girl in the process. "I mean, I tend to not complain when I go shopping with mom and my little sister, but it is never this intense."

Trish's annoyance morphed into something different. At first it felt angry, then it felt mutedly furious and ultimately she adopted a resigned look. "It's complicated."

The odd mood-swing didn't pass unnoticed to Sakura. Her blue eyes flickered a few times in Caren's direction as her friend seemed to have spotted just as much as she did. A mental trauma? That was the first thing that came to Sakura's mind as she saw the pinkette struggle to answer that question. It reminded her of so many people she met, and herself too. It stung a little, but she wondered the full extent of that trauma.

"Is it tied to your mother?"

The brief flinch was the confirmation they needed to know it was it. "No-"

"Trish, you should tell someone if you feel you have something to say. Bottling that kind of pain in you will just make it more unpleasant to look back at it," Sakura pointed out, this time being a bit more direct about the situation. "And I… I understand it's rough

"Do you?"

The words felt way harsher than they were meant to. She couldn't blame Trish for being this rough on the matter, especially since it was irritating speaking in her stead. So, Sakura decided that true bluntness was the best way to get things solved about this matter.

"I was adopted in the Kujo family when I was four. Before that… I had two families. The one I was born into, the Tohsaka Clan, and then the one which 'took me in', the Matou," Sakura explained with a calm voice, grabbing both girls' attention. Caren knew already, and her surprise was more aimed at her decision to bring up that topic. Trish? She looked fascinated, but allowed the hat-wearing girl to speak about it on her own rather than prompt her into it. "The Matou were horrible people. They were Magi like the ones that are hunting me down, and they had, like many other families, traditions which weren't… pleasant."

"Sakura-"

"I can do it, Caren," The girl said, yet she couldn't bear to look at her as she said that. Her gaze was aimed at the table, her physical focus lessened to endure that memory the best. "They used worms."

"… Worms?"

A nod. "They used worms to implant new circuits, to create a connection to the leader of the Matou's house and… training was tied to that."

Sakura expected more questions for details, but Trish listened quietly. Her gaze had widened, her face had grown paler, and it was clear she had connected dots on why this was horrible.

"Sakura-"

"I was saved when I was four, close to turn five. My father, the one I think is the closest thing to what a father should be, was the one that saved me. He looked so stern and yet carried me around with care and attention. He checked on me, made sure I was safe and, when asked, would provide me with answers I wanted," The girl continued numbly, reaching out for her hat and slowly pulling it off from the top of her head. "This was the first he gave me after freeing me. I wanted to be like him, so brave and tough. So caring and yet so rigid against evil-doers."

...

"For almost a year after what happened that day I met him, I had so many nightmares of the past. I believed I would one day wake up back in that basement, once more swarmed by these worms and tortured as I was back then. I… I told my dad about it. I told him what terrified me, what kind of nightmares I got, the fears, the reason why I was so upset," Sakura pressed relentlessly. "I was horrified of what would come next, of the fact I couldn't keep up with him, that I couldn't be like him but… he just hugged me. He hugged me and held me tight. He told me I was there now, that the past was now long buried and couldn't haunt me again. Kind of a lie now with this group trying to capture me, but it was warming. And then he told me to be the person I wanted to be, and to always believe in that if I wanted to become it."

There was a lengthy pause after that explanation and Sakura used it to calm down a bit.

"I… I understand our pains are different. I understand I can't fully understand what happened to you. But Caren and I- we both had our own bad situations in our childhood. We have experienced loss and pain. We can't fully understand you, but we can at least listen to your pain and give you something to endure it for once rather than suffer it alone."

The pinkette looked shaken by this, but rather than just keeping silent, the girl was soon breaking down with her own tale. Of her missing her mother, of her missing their lives together, of being with her, of having family back then that supported her. The ensuing hug was tighter than Sakura would normally want, but it was fitting within the circumstance they were in. Caren took this chance to propose a way to spend the day if things were better now back at the current hideout: cuddle and rest together. It felt a bit awkward to the plum-haired girl, but Trish wholeheartedly approved of the plan. Soon they were done with the food and ready to go through with it.

Sadly, said plan was ruined on the spot just as they stepped outside. Someone was waiting for them. And that someone, Sakura could tell from a glance, was not planning to be their friend. The plum-haired girl could tell it was not a simple blonde with red eyes that was walking towards them. It wasn't a human girl- and despite her princess-like dress, she doubted she owned the same amount of kindness her pure white dress seemed to exude.

"You… are finally here," The stranger muttered, sending a chill down the other girls' spines.

There was something in her voice that stirred in Sakura an unnatural need to switch to her fight-or-flight mechanism. A threat, but one that didn't seem to appear as troublesome as her senses were making her to be. A deceptive sight for sure, but not one Sakura was willing to let go her gaze on.

"Sakura-"

Caren stopped Trish. Surprise poured out from the pinkette together with indignation, but the silver-haired girl didn't budge. Her golden-eyed gaze was aimed at the duo and she could tell that Sakura, with her body's language, wasn't planning to let this troublemaker go and create any issue. This stranger was out to hurt her, and it didn't seem tied to the reason Arlecchino was here to help the girl.

"Who are you?" Sakura asked, her tone lacking any warmth as the previous conversation had set her up for a rather upset mood.

"My name is Arcueid Brunestud, Crimson Princess. And you are..."

"Kujo. Sakura Kujo."

A blink. "That's an unusual name."

"Yours is too," Sakura rebuked, managing to steal a brief smirk from the blonde. "What do you want from me, vampire?"

Red eyes widened in surprise. "How-"

"Your fangs. And the general sense of pompousness behind your approach," The girl replied curtly, thinking back what her grandfather told her were defining traits for vampires: unnatural paleness, blood red eyes that seemed to glow, and elongated fangs. The girl fit the requirements to a T. The other detail she brought up? Also a requirement, but one that was as common as it was uncommon at times.

The girl huffed. "I am not pompous, jerk."

"And yet you are trying to sound like that. Pompous blood-sucker."

A very frustrated Arcueid launched forward towards her foe, trying to outpace Sakura early on and show off her speed. A terrible move considering ｢One Vision｣ had already materialized and proceeded to punch the surprised vampire on the side of her skull. The blonde was for a moment really close to her, then she ricocheted on the Stand's fist and was sent slamming twice on the ground. After rolling some more, the vampiric threat stood up and dusted her clothes off the dirt and other filth and grime landing on her pretty outfit.

"So, I had seen right. Your shadow! that's the true source of your power."

Shadow? Sakura gritted her teeth at that exclamation as it was clear that one thing had just been revealed to her, and it wasn't pleasant. Did this Vampire have the means to see Stands? Didn't that mean she could also develop one by that logic? She remembered Jotaro pointing that element up to her, but she never expected it to happen to her like that. For her to meet a potential Stand User that was… dangerous on her own and without a Stand. It could develop poorly on her and clearly could end up like what happened with DIO and-

Why wasn't Arlecchino there to help Sakura?

----------d-d-d-d-------------

"Who the hell are you?!"

Arlecchino didn't answer, he didn't have any reason to. But the woman that just asked him that? She should be more worried about her near future. Atrum sure had a questionable amount of disposable women to throw in the grinder he and others protecting Sakura represented. Then again, all of those had basic knowledge in magecraft. Low-tier magi? Would this count as a benevolent twist to the current stage of things? After all, less Magi meant less people exploiting mysteries and thus less straining of said mystery. Maybe he was seeing it too much into his own brawling, or perhaps the logic behind the Root was just plain BS at times.

The masked agent wanted to believe in the good behind his action. After all, there wasn't exactly anything bad tied to what he was up to. The women under the foolish magus he was hunting down were hardly provided with good morality. Not with that viciousness and knowledge of unpleasant spells. None was prepared to engage him in close quarters and the way Arlecchino handled it was nothing short of quick and bland. Maybe it was the lack of competition in recent years, or the fact that Magi in general were too weak of a threat for him to face. Not like he could really complain considering that the faster he dealt with this threat, the quicker he would have an excuse to get back home.

But just as he finished dealing with the considerable troop recruited by Atrum trying to intervene in the nearby clash, Arlecchino frowned as he perceived two bigger issues coming by. One was clearly a Magus, another was… stronger. Its energy was indeed way more troublesome than anything he had dealt with. Soon it was just him, a large pile of corpses littering the ground, and two figures approaching.

The first one was easy to recognize since he came in without any disguise, the other one was hiding her features through their cloak and hood. They stood beside Atrum, the mastermind taking a risk by being this close for him to deal with for good but… his arrogance was missing.

"I'm surprised to find out that someone of your caliber truly exists. Then again, I learned so many things about reality through my newest friend that I wouldn't be surprised you are a 'reaction' to our plans," The blond hummed mirthfully. "Yet, may I ask what's your real purpose, stranger?"

"I will kill you and free those you kidnapped, you pathetic fool," Arlecchino remarked dryly. "And I'm quite sure you know already that this will end up poorly by being this close to me."

"Maybe, or maybe you will find your demise here, mongrel," The Magus shot back angrily. "Your presence here is indeed cause me no little issue, but it doesn't matter if-"

"Your plans to revive the holy grail will not happen, Galliasta. Your destiny is to perish under me, like the true worm you are."

The proclamation irritated the blond some more, but it set him up for a vicious retaliation rather than a foolish one as Arlecchino had hoped for.

"You're becoming quite the meddlesome issue, masked fool. But you hold your own usefulness in being the perfect testing subject for my most recent acquisition," Atrum announced happily before turning to the cloaked individual. "Caster, take care of this fool."

At the signal, the hood fell down and Arlecchino's eyes widened briefly before staring grimly at the smiling face of a certain blue-eyed and blue-haired Servant he recognized on the spot. This Caster was not the Witch of Colchis, but her name was the same and she bore the might of an upcoming monster. A working puppet, the masked protector detailed in his mind, one that was willing to handle being submissive to such an arrogant prick.

Medea Lily wasn't as troublesome as her older self, but her magical potential was nothing short of problematic if not handled with haste. His stare was aimed back at the fool. He actually did it, he actually went through to create an anomalous summoning situation without a properly-activated grail. This was… bad. Bad, but still feasible. It was just going to make Arlecchino up his game to a whole new level for once and… it sure has been a while since he took care of such a troublesome threat like this one.

But for him? This was just a warm-up.

------------d-d-d-d--------

AN

Sakura and Arcueid, and Arlecchino vs. Medea Lily. How will it develop? How bad things will be for reality itself? Stay tuned for more!

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 18: Bloody Tears, Part 2

Medea of Colchis had never felt angry as a young girl.

Not the same way and intensity as her older self would have. Not when she never experienced true pain, true betrayal and true discomfort. She always had others helping her when she was younger- when her friends were around. And yet, even though she wasn't the Witch that eventually led to Jason's demise through his shameful backstabbing, the girl had enough common sense as a Servant to perceive her Master didn't mean to do good things. Yes, she had done terrible things herself in her original life, but it was always due to her intense attraction for her first 'master'.

Now? That was missing. It was just the Master-Servant bond that enforced basic trust. It wasn't enough to kill off the doubt growing within her mind, especially when he got a glimpse of her Master's 'Ambitious and Efficient' workshop. Sadly, it wasn't. Then again, Medea doubted people in this time and age knew what that kind of setup was meant to look like. A shame, really, and yet she couldn't do much. It wasn't like he was outright going against her goals, but her Master… sure was getting on her nerves with his Jason-like behavior.

It was frustrating- not the boiling point that made her snap, but slowly getting to that point the more he flaunted his wealth and control over fellow women. Jason had some limitations due to the females among the Argonauts, but here that filter didn't seem to exist. A 'true pig' as her aunt would have called him, yet Medea doubted Circe would have been as patient as the girl was towards him. It was just business at this point, and… that wasn't holding that well before their first battle.

Yes, Medea was supposed to kill someone that wasn't a Magus, but it wasn't as easy as it sounded. The masked individual looked incredibly confident in his current abilities despite the lack of magecraft and he was soon proving that he could back up his simple claims of power. Arlecchino moved fast, nimble- her spells were swift, but failed just short from hitting their target. The human was moving at an unnatural pace, and his 'tricks' were definitely noteworthy in their own right. Medea was no natural spellcaster, she couldn't exactly understand the limits of natural magic, and yet she could perceive its energy as she was taught by Circe. The power her enemy was harnessing was impressive, and yet not at the level and intensity she was currently displaying with her own power.

A trap? Definitely looked to be that way, but Medea kept away from any surprises. Sadly, that didn't seem to prevent other 'issues' to emerge in the middle of that battle. Specifically her foe trying to talk with her when they were at each other's throats.

"You look upset."

Argh! Even her current foe could tell. This was just embarrassing, and she wasn't willing to waste time like that.

"Truly? Perhaps you can stay still and die for me?"

"I'm afraid I can't do that, Medea," He replied confidently, making use of her name so easily and annoying her some more as her identity had come out so early on during this brawl. "Yet, it would hardly help you. I'm sure you can tell why."

Of course! If her Master won here, he would just parade it as his win. Not hers, just like back when she was still an argonaut. Back then she didn't mind. But now? That matter actually stung her pretty bad. And it was even worse considering that she was doing it to harm others… and nothing else. Back in her original life, Medea could at least put her conscience at ease before the fact she was hurting some to help others. Now? The only one getting helped was her Master. And she knew he was a bad person without any doubt.

"It's irrelevant. You have to die."

"Hmm, I'm afraid that's not that easy," The masked figure remarked truthfully, and Medea could only groan in frustration before that honesty.

She was starting to lose faith in her own superiority right now, letting herself grow a bit distracted as she wondered how it was possible for a mere non-magus human to manage to pull such an interesting situation. It was just surreal, impressive and- she huffed as she felt her body forced to take action on the stalemate by a Command Seal. She hardly heard her Master speak, mostly because she had zoned him out as soon as she heard him just throw insults and orders at her about doing what she was already doing.

Instead of precise shots, Medea unleashed a full force 'multi-barrage' that was meant to at least deal some damage. Speed didn't matter if she hit a lot in a quick pattern. The barrage was meant to work, she saw some of the beams closing in on Arlecchino's position and… then something happened. It was brief, and yet the figure was out of her sight in a blink of an eye. Her shock increased before this development, but it got even worse when she felt a hand pressing onto her upper back. She would have turned and dealt with that issue, yet her body was just paralyzed. Her head could move, and what she saw was… interesting.

Arlecchino stood there, calmly holding her put with his right hand while a small metallic sphere rotated in a perfect pace within his other palm. Red energy crackled out of the unusual object, coursing over the masked figure's body and then trailing up to her. She was impressed, this was indeed one of those times where her many years of studying magic couldn't fathom what she was looking at.

"What-"

"I'm going to give you two choices, Princess of Colchis," The figure hummed. "First, your return to the Throne of Heroes and I deal with your fool of a Master."

Medea blinked. "Or?"

"Or we can strike a fortuitous deal which would enable you to live for as long as you wish back in the mortal realm."

…

"What? That's-"

"Within my power," He remarked firmly. "So, that's your choice now."

"...Why?"

"Why what?" He asked back.

"Why do you want to give me that?"

Arlecchino hummed. "I believe people can be granted a chance to be happy if one has the means to provide for them as much. Especially when someone like you was deprived of the chance to achieve a true happy ending."

While that sounded incredibly dispassionate, the way he said it wasn't. No, it sounded genuine and particularly honest from her foe. He meant it, and she was slowly having trouble finding reasons not to switch sides. Not when her soon-to-be-ex Master had taken so many horrible steps that were making Jason's malicious plots look like child play. Yes, Medea couldn't accept this anymore.

"I… I want to live."

"Good. Please, assist me."

The polite request was accepted with a nod. She was sure the growling Magus screaming at them was using another Command Seal at this point, but the deed was done. As his 'magic' suppressed the connection she had with her Master and neutered the effects of the Command Seal, her own magic reached out to redirect the 'support' to sustain her body from Atrum back to her newest Master and… that's where she realized how lucky she truly was. The moment the Seals were rewritten on the masked man's hand, Medea had a glimpse of the individual that she bound herself too and… she giggled.

"You are indeed a most bizarre man, Master."

"I hope it's not too much," The man commented politely and she smiled brightly.

"Not as much as dealing with the Argonauts, Master."

Arlecchino turned to stare at Atrum, looking ready to move against him as the Magus had fallen on the ground due to the shock of feeling their connection abruptly cut. "Now, Mr. Galliastra. I believe it's your turn to-"

Before her new Master could have finished that sentence, a large explosion ripped a building nearby, drawing attention to the matter and… allowing the panicking Magus to make a hasty retreat through the nearby alleys. Arlecchino looked back to try and not allow Atrum to leave, but at this point it was too late and… he sighed.

"A shame."

"Indeed, but… what was that explosion?" The Caster Servant inquired about the mysterious warrior she had tied herself to merely 'smiled' under his mask.

"Someone is having a tiresome day."

That… sounded like an understatement. And yet, also the truth.

---------d-d-d-d------

Arcueid Brunestud was having fun.

Yes, her body was suffering incredible damage through the ferocious clashes she was taking part in, but she didn't mind. These exchanges with her current opponent- it would be a lie to say that those weren't fun. It was just something novel, it was intense, and it was that kind of struggle that lacked the sense of deadliness in its truest sense. The most mortal spar possible, and yet it made her blood boil in delight rather than irritate her.

She ached, but so did her opponent. Sakura Kujo wasn't exactly a powerful warrior beyond her shadow. And while it was striking her fast and enduring a lot of damage, it wasn't reacting fast enough to prevent some of that damage from passing through the plum-haired girl. Yet, the pain didn't seem to deter her foe. The opposite was true, with Sakura roaring at the challenge and showing no care for the cuts starting to appear over her body and clothes. Her ferocity matched Arcueid's, which meant a lot considering a Vampire's anger was said to be legendary if fully unleashed, and while the blonde wasn't furious, she was still raging through the battle as her instinct called her to. There was just something mesmerizing with her opponent's attacks. So precise and strong, and yet also clumsy at times.

And that was ignoring the unusual 'battle cry' the shadow had.

"ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA!"

It was just so unexpected and yet it fit with the rapid barrage of punches that tried to get her. Most managed to get to her, but they were cushioned by her resilient arms. The shadow was strong but Arcueid was nonetheless stronger than it.

"Why did you attack me?" Sakura finally asked, growing impatient with the lack of progress on her end.

"I saw you," The blonde answered curtly. "Your strength, your vigor- you are an incredible fighter."

She frowned at what felt like compliments. Which in truth was that, but meant more to Arcueid and the girl could tell that. "And?"

"And I want you to give me purpose! Through a serious battle that will give me sense and hope!"

Foolish, idealist- that's what Arcueid had called Zelretch. She ignored how that would have changed 'overnight'. The wonder, the boredom, the interest and… the emptiness. What comes after this? What's the point of going forward? As an inhuman entity, Arcueid knew that, without a purpose, it's futile to keep existing. And yet, there was something that latched dearly onto her that told her to wait. Wait and hope. But why? Hope for what? What was she trying to achieve through this? She didn't know.

Soon she had her full focus on the fight and she managed to hit Sakura's stomach with her claws. It wasn't a deep cut, but three lines of red formed through her clothes and onto her belly. The plum-haired girl groaned in true irritation and soon something seemed to happen. It was getting too far, both could tell this much, and Sakura was ready to pull a risky move to deal with her. Arcueid could tell this much, but she had yet to see what she had in mind. Something more brutal with her attacks? Some faster punching? First, the vampire got struck with an uppercut that forced her in the hair. Then the shadow, now glowing a pure white and red, seized her with its fists and… then something didn't feel right.

"｢One Vision: EX – The World｣!"

A strange sentence, but it seemed tied to what soon ensued. She was moving her arms to block the assault, but for some reason, her limbs felt heavier. A quick glance down and she felt shock before the battered look both arms were stuck in. Same for her dress as it looked tattered and her whole body suddenly bruised and wrapped in a thin layer of pain. The blonde had just a moment to understand how screwed she was, just one. A blink, then two- finally the punch connected and she felt her consciousness recoiling at that hit. She was sent flying, the wind broken by the impact as the air quake exploded and sent her soaring back on the ground. Concrete shattered, bricks crumbled and Arcueid felt her own injuries finally take her out of commission.

She fell down, her body refused to make a stand anymore. She was too tired, and her foe too strong as Sakura finally approached her. She snorted. Was it how she died? That sounded like an oddly satisfying demise. It made her feel some 'purpose' rather than just accept she didn't have a reason to exist beyond giving Zelretch a reason to not feel outright ashamed for what he did with her parent. Her eyes closed, Arcueid slipping into unconsciousness for what felt like the last time, but unaware of the fact her life was far from over. Quite the contrary in fact, the path was still quite long and filled with new emotions.

She just had to open her eyes to know that, as destiny was indeed quite unpredictable.

-------------d-d-d-d--------------

AN

Arlecchino has dropped two strong clues on who he is, but only a couple of readers will recognize him now. Please restrain from spoiling the fun reveal for the rest. I bet a couple of new readers will be surprised by who it is.

Also, Sakura had gone for the big guns to handle Mini-Arcueid. What will happen next? Is this the origin story of the Chibi Neco-Arc? Only one way to know that for sure… in the next chapter of this bold story!

Lastly, someone asked about Sakura's appearance. The closest resemblance is with Mori Calliope's rapper outfit (the one with the baseball cap), but with her shirt drawing down and covering her midriff.

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 19: Bloody Tears, Part 3

Sakura was far from amused as both Caren and Trish used her injured self as 'reason' to play nurses with her.

While that would suggest something scandalous, the truth was that the teasing was nothing more than infuriating at best. Trish seemed amused by treating Sakura as a child, while Caren used this chance to mirthfully 'tease' her wounds. It wasn't exactly something the silver-haired girl was completely conscious about, but she knew for a fact that the fellow girl was just a bit too 'taken' by inflicting pain to others. And the small jolts of displeasure were her way to satisfy this urge while also not harming Sakura in the process.

And while the act did something beyond patching her up, which was distracting her, the situation tied to this 'Arcueid Brunestud' was soon dealt with by Bruno and the others. There were many questions, many conversations and, ultimately, numerous differing opinions regarding what to do about her. Considering all circumstances, she was a foe- but to which extent.

Sakura was extensively grilled for answers in that regard, mostly because she had been the one speaking the most with the now unconscious blonde. The fight had been intense- it would be a lie to say that the plum-haired girl had it easy on her, and Sakura saw no reason to boast for anything. Each wound she got was proof that it hadn't been one-sided and she left that encounter slightly hurt by it. Even with her Stand's power unleashed, the girl had gotten through by straining her body once again.

Arcueid Brunestud, she decided, was different from Dio Brando in terms of power and personality. The need to fight? It was there, but the reasoning was different- The presumably older vampire had been far more crueler in his actions, while Arcueid… restrained. It felt odd to make a generalization of vampires when she met just one (and now two) in the past. Then again, it was difficult to be accepting of someone that, by nature, lacked humanity in their thinking. Yet the vampire girl had shown that there was something that wasn't cruelty fueling her interest in Sakura: and that was general playfulness.

She wanted to fight her for the sake of fighting her. Not for abating her hunger, or to satisfy any unknown motivation that would prove to be their undoing. It had been too exposed for it to be this way. And she found confirmation of what happened through Arlecchino, the man returning to them just as she defeated Arcueid and helping get everyone back to their temporary HQ.

Speaking of Arlecchino and his 'odd' disappearance during the fight, Bruno got fairly frustrated at Arlecchino due to this unexpected and suspicious behavior. That was the ground for some loud discussion between the gang leader and the mysterious agent as he brought in a new 'ally' to help them out.

Medea looked quite unusual in terms of appearance, mostly her unusual pointy ears which the masked man defined as 'congenital unique features'. Still, the truth that came out from that heated conversation was one and confirmed by Medea herself: the Magus hunting down Sakura was behind his brief minutes of going missing, and that the result was her being their allies now.

Back to Arcued, Arlecchino further elaborated on who she was and… Sakura was perplexed by what she was hearing, but the ones that spoke up the most during that narration were Mista and Prosciutto.

"So she is some sort of princess of… the moon?" The hat-wearing gunslinger inquired, drawing in on the confusion tied to that notion.

"That's a way to call her, yes. Albeit the title fits within the Association's standard, she is without fief or regal possessions," Arlecchino explained. "Her 'creator' was a being that gained the influence they still retain through sheer power alone."

"You're making it sound like this 'creator' was some sort of big shot in the past but… shouldn't that make this guy known?" Prosciutto argued. "I mean, I am not exactly sure if we would have known but… it sounds to me that not even you know much about them."

"That's because Brunestud of the Crimson Moon was not someone known to many but a handful of people and their existence is not exactly a matter many can proudly say to know even by an abysmal extent."

"And how do you know this much then, Signor Arlecchino?" Abbacchio asked tensely, eyes narrowing at the masked man. "Plus, there's something else you have to answer for?"

"The first is that I have the skills and the knowledge required for me to do a perfect job in protecting Sakura Kujo," The mysterious figure replied politely. "And what is your other question?"

"How come Medea calls you Master?"

That was actually a good question, and one that got a few people frowning at the bizarre guard. It was at this point that Sakura decided to answer the question herself since she knew what was up in that regard.

"That's because Medea is a Servant."

Heads turned and eyes stared at her with a mixture of surprise and confusion.

"A 'Servant'?" Bruno repeated with a perplexed tone. "Is that a term tied to-"

"When I was younger there was a competition about Magi and… the competitors were able to summon heroic spirits from the past to serve as their driving force to win," The girl further explained while looking at Medea, the young woman looking back at her. "Due to some unusual developments, my father was one of the Masters that competed. He summoned a Caster-class Servant, just like Medea."

"A Caster...-class?" Fugo hummed, slowly digesting the words while Narancia looked incredibly excited.

"Wait, you mean to tell me you can summon Heroes from the past and fight with them?"

"Something like that," Medea answered curtly, looking a bit sheepish. "There are a few rules in the regards of the summoning, but yes."

That sprung a lengthier conversation about the Holy Grail War but also added a few elements not even Sakura knew about. Specifically on the notion that people could technically summon Heroes if they so wished with the right ritual, except this practice was forbidden beyond the grounds of the Holy Grail War due to how dangerous such a practice could become if every Magi learned how to use that kind of power to further expand their influence.

It was quite interesting, even more so when it became apparent that the one trying to kidnap her was going as far as to break away from the Association just to get her. And that meant his plans had to be so dangerously important that he was willing to risk it all. This Atrum had summoned a Servant, and was looking specifically for her. It wasn't difficult to imagine what was going to be his plans if he succeeded in capturing her.

Could it be that he is trying to get another Grail War started?

It sounded preposterous, but the more she thought about it, the more Sakura knew it was possible. It was so dreadful to imagine and she knew that the power wielded by the Holy Grail was so immense that it couldn't be left in the hand of someone that horrible. And as she finished thinking that, her attention was suddenly stolen away as the plum-haired girl felt pressure exerted from behind her, right where Arcueid had been left to rest. Arcueid blinked back at her once she looked behind and right at the blonde, Sakura staring straight at her bright red eyes and amused grin. The Princess of the Crimson Moon was awake.

"Hmm~?"

--------d-d-d-d----------

Of all possible developments he could have predicted, Melone didn't expect an alliance with Bucciarati's group would have been one.

Then again, fate was a fickle thing that couldn't be outright predicted in some clashes of ideals. Also, it played right into Risotto's plans to guarantee himself a foundation where his legitimacy can be expanded on. If they really wanted to subvert Diavolo's powerbase, they needed to build one of their own. And while things 'normalized' between the growing alliance between the two groups, Melone was given a new task: Go to Venice, track down where the Boss could be and not lose sight of him.

That sounded like a particularly easy job despite the troublesome target. He was told to not engage him at all, which meant it was going to be a long-range operation. All in all, nothing that Melone was unfamiliar with. Things were meant to be particularly simple since he had a few ideas he knew about the boss. Specifically his hair-color due to his daughter's.

What Trish Una didn't know, and Melone was sure that extended to pretty much the rest of both groups, was that there were details in her biology, appearance-wise of course, which gave hints on dominant traits she inherited from her father since those weren't known to be present in anyone known within the Una family.

The man he had to look for had pink hair. It was an interesting detail that he never expected to rely on, but he knew this was actually a good hint. Mostly because not many men in Italy had pink hair and it was easier to track down this kind of individual through the detail within Venice. A quick search provided him a possible lead, one that went under the name of Donato Capaci (surely a fake name) and was currently staying at one of the local luxury hotels in the Serenissima. So, Melone took it upon himself to find the best spot to spy on the boss.

Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.

The room beside the one taken by Donato was free and easy to take after charming the receptionist at the hotel's entrance to give him that room specifically. And soon he was sitting by the bed, checking on his Stand as he started to write down all points he had to be wary about. After all, he wasn't dealing with the normal 'secretive man'.

The boss was known to be able to track down spies whenever those got too confident with their job. It wasn't something the Stand User planned to ignore, even so why he decided to pick this room in particular. It gave him ample opportunity to make a run for it through the window as he had a special rope set up to get out.

He wasn't sparing any restraint in being prepared to bail from his hot spot, but he was at least going to try and milk as much as he could out of it. He knew his target tended to spend meals in the hotel's restaurant, so it was going to be easy to just disguise himself and sit on a distant table while watching over him. That was his first step… and yet it wasn't enough to prevent the nightmare that soon ensued. Just as he finished writing some of his notes, his ears caught on some noise coming from-

...Was someone in his bathroom?

A frown adorned Melone's face as he slowly made his way to the tiny bathroom, the door still closed. It felt absurd to imagine someone had somehow entered the room without him noticing, even more than this had happened before he had taken this room. This place was clean from any criminal issue, so… what's going on?!

Pulling on the door's handle, the mechanism clicked and allowed Melone inside. His gaze instantly studied the scene. The light-bulb by the ceiling had been turned on and someone was using his shower?

The sight left him perplexed as he could see someone through the thin tent that hid away the identity of the individual that was using the shower. Eyes narrowing, Melone retrieved his handgun as he could tell that whatever was going on was very human and very easy to deal with through lead. That was his expectation.

Until someone reached out from behind him and pulled him in a choke-hold. Panic surged as he managed to get just enough leverage to push forward, reach for the small tent by the shower and pull it aside as he tried to kill off the user. But what he found on the other side wasn't the user.

It was the receptionist- the pretty woman he seduced just an hour or so ago and… and she was very dead and very naked. The last detail was what confused him for a moment, and then he realized what was going by quickly thinking why this woman had to die.

It's a set up to create the perfect murder. Him, a pervert, killed the poor woman after luring her in this room. Then after being a sick bastard, he decided to kill himself because he reached the peak perversion in his mind. How did he kill himself? Hanging himself. That's why the hands choking him were doing it so that he was slowly getting his windpipe crushed. As if his neck was snapped by a noose.

"Have you realized now?" A voice called from the bedroom, and he could see from how he could look behind, a figure sitting by the mattress. "Your existence was forfeited when you tried to get too close to the sun, Melone. You challenged a King, and lost like a worm you really are."

That's where Melone knew it was his death, and that his struggling wasn't giving him a chance to survive. The hands didn't relent from the hold, his neck getting slowly crushed from behind and his Stand could do nothing but stare in horror as its user got its neck snapped before the spirit was cast away. The only alive occupant sighed, shaking his head and giving a tired look at the two corpses.

"I suppose Risotto is really doing his best to hunt me down. I will be more careful then."

As soon as he was done confirming this thought, the figure wandered out of the hotel by the window through the rope Melone had with him, deciding to 'borrow' it from his dead corpse so he could make it out without casting any suspicions on himself.

A few minutes later, a very happy Doppio would be seen checking into a new hotel as his boss had demanded him to, knowing that the previous one had some bug infestations he was going to send someone to deal with.

What a thoughtful boss the man was.

----------d-d-d-d------------d-d-d-d-------

AN

Arcueid is awake, people are worried, and Melone is dead! Dammit Diavolo!!!

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 20: Road to the Serenissima, Part 1

Arcueid Brunestud was not a stupid girl.

She knew better than just being too at ease or too confident within an environment that wasn't just hostile to her, but also filled with individuals that were incredibly dangerous to threaten or engage in combat. But what really had her stay put as she got questioned and drilled into answering questions was the very individual that had beaten her. After all, Kujo Sakura had done more than enough to warrant her (temporary) submission.

Sure, Arcueid didn't like thinking that she lost and that she had to now respect the victory, yet she had already dealt with that hypothesis before that fight. For as much as she thought herself stronger by natural means, she knew that there had always been an abysmal chance of defeat. And she had long been taught to be prepared for the worst whenever it came to her or her allies.

It had been a bitter lesson to teach to her, but one that had sense. Brunestud of the Crimson Moon was expected to win against Zelretch, yet the Type-Moon lost against him. And now things were as they were now. New rules to keep an eye on, new situations- humans were more threatening than before and, perhaps the most dangerous aspect of it all (and most refreshing), the blonde vampire was free to do whatever she wanted until it became problematic to bigger organizations. And right now, Arcueid felt the need to enjoy some intriguing questioning and even more fascinating plotting about a take over for some group.

Still, the interrogation was-

"I don't trust you."

Tedious.

While Sakura was rightfully upset with her and the pinkette called Trish was hesitant but somewhat adoring of her, the 'little nun' known as Caren was behaving in quite the unnerving way. And she knew it. While she could handle the first two girls, this last one had her nerves grating harshly with her comments and crafty remarks which left the blonde… upset.

"Can't we?" Trish inquired, conflicting over this perspective, but quickly shot down by Caren herself.

"This is Arcueid Brunestud, her predecessor was known to be the creator of Vampires and the one that came quite close to conquering the world," The silver-haired girl pointed out. "While I understand that you may found this unimportant to characterize her, let's just say that most vampires-"

"Lack humanity," Sakura concluded for her, still staring at Arcueid and Arcueid staring back at her. "Yet, I think this one does have a degree of that for being that stupid."

Now, that's not nice to say- but it's technically true, I think I could have handled this a bit better.

Still, this landed her on some hot water with the entire circumstance regardless of how 'helpful' that detail was. She was an aggressor and one that was currently at the mercy of those she attacked. And right now, she had nothing to complain about. Imprisonment like this sure felt quite nice, especially with how soft the pillow under her was.

Did humanity really create the softest pillow ever? Impressive.

"So, why did you attack me?" Sakura asked again, this being the fifth time she asked her that. "You've danced around the question for a while now, and I'm losing my patience."

"As I said, because I could and I wanted to," The vampire replied flatly, as if there was nothing wrong with the fairly curt response. "I don't see any reason to be confused about it."

"From someone with a 'great family', you just plotted something as silly as that," Caren harshly accused and Arcueid huffed.

"It's not silly- for me, at least. I was driven by purpose within instinct. I challenged someone I saw in my sleep- someone that could match my power and give me some fun through fighting."

Trish frowned at this rebuttal. "Isn't that a bit too excessive? Fun through hurting?"

"Fighting is fighting and-"

"True Vampires are known to be individuals driven by instinct first and foremost," A new voice piped in, and Arcueid's red eyes trailed off from Sakura and landed on someone that instantly had her tense up.

It wasn't because the man looked or had taken a threatening stance or look, but because she could perceive the immense potential held within this… was this even a human? What was she looking at? It felt close to Zelretch to a degree, but at the same time he wasn't. The mask did a fine job to cover his identity, yet she could feel something else was being hidden by it. Quite the peculiar tool to use when one needs that much secrecy.

"That's… correct."

"Arlecchino," He introduced himself. "And I will be around whenever Sakura requires assistance on a threatening affair."

"You weren't there when I fought her," The blonde argued and the masked figure nodded.

"I had to handle a few intruders seeking to interrupt the fight and use it as a means to capture my ward, Kujo Sakura."

The plum-haired girl's eyes narrowed at this, but she uttered no word. That, to Arcueid, sounded like a topic the fellow girl didn't like to even listen to but had already been discussed about. The vampire could only blink at this and focus on the issue at hand.

"And what do you think of me?"

"… Considering what I know about Zelretch? You are not to worry about, not until provoked."

The sentence stunned the four girls as they all looked confused by the overall confidence displayed by the mysterious man.

Sakura just frowned at this. "Are you sure about this, Arlecchino?"

"Quite certain of it, yes," He remarked. "Of course, Lady Arcueid is known to be quite capricious and will possibly be threatening in the form of greedy remarks and requests."

That's not nice.

But it wasn't wrong. While she didn't like for that to be remarked in any sort of way, Arcueid knew her behavior could get quite abrasive in that regard. Yet, she was the Princess of the Crimson Moon and had reason to accept her claim as someone superior to others.

"Which is why I brought some ice cream to calm down some unease between all of you," He continued with a pleased hum leaving his throat while showing the small tray with cream-filled cups.

Trish quickly snatched one and Sakura followed next while thanking the man and causing the pinkette to apologetically deliver a late 'thank you'. Caren hesitated at this bizarre development, but reached out for one of the cups and left just one for the Vampire Princess. The blonde didn't hesitate for a moment, her belly rumbling in hunger and seeing the sweet treat she grew addicted to only made her wanting it more than normal. And she was soon softened by the little gift which she accepted with a chirpy 'thank you. Yet, she soon learned that there was a catch to this little peace offering effort.

"Although, I would like for you to be a bit more direct, Lady Arcueid. I understand you prefer the intriguing factor of withholding information and to leave through only the basics, but understand your position is far from favorable to play such antics."

...Drat.

The man left shortly after, but these last words drew in her a sense of renewed upset and unease… while also teasing the others to press her about what he meant with that remark. And soon the truth did come out to appease the growing suspicions within the rest of the girls.

"Before awakening, I had visions of fighting someone that used a Shadow to fight. A powerful shadow that is able to match my power and eventually beat me. I knew not your name, but I felt you- I felt your power, the odd darkness in you and sought to fight you."

"Visions?" Trish interjected with a surprised tone. "You mean to tell me you just attacked Sakura because you saw her in some visions?"

"Yes," The blonde admitted dryly.

"That's still- why did you think that fighting her was that important?" Caren pointed out. "Why not just limit yourself to see her from afar or-"

"What's the point of wanting to know someone like that and not fight them to see their true potential?" Arcueid interrupted half-angrily. "I get your irritation at the notion that I, a vampire, can act on primal instinct, but it is a known fact that a true fight brings out the true face of someone. Their motivations, their personalities- anything that normally would be cautiously held back from strangers is set to manifest out of personal desire. We all want to clash to the fullest, hence why fighting Sakura was necessary to have answers to my questions."

"...That sounds stupid," Sakura remarked dryly, getting an annoyed look from the vampire. "What? Do you really think I would just believe it was just that? I can tell you were getting amused by that battle. It wasn't just a 'source for answers', you were craving to fight- you were itching for it, all for amusement. Maybe at first it was like you said, but I saw none of that intellectual excuses mid-combat. You were into it, you just wanted to pick a fight with someone you knew was as strong if not stronger than you."

The vampire's jaw dropped at this. Initially she had been miffed at that accusation, but the more Sakura elaborated, the more the blonde vampire could see how genuinely honest of a view this one was. Yes, she hadn't lied about that being the driving force within that fight, but she had willingly let out the fact it wasn't what pushed her to continue fighting. And Sakura noticed that through the very excuse she advanced to start it. And while part of her wanted to push back at this, her instinct called again as a pretty smile adorned her visage.

"Yep. But so were you?"

At this point, a rebuttal was expected from Sakura, but, much to the surprise of Caren and Trish, the plum-haired girl didn't say a word after that, looking away and leaving the accusation to hang over her head.

Arcueid knew she had hit the right spot and… soon the conversation ended with Arlecchino returning to tell them they were moving out of the building to resume their 'trip' in the north.

---------d-d-d-d-------

"Y-you will never get to the Boss!"

One last meaningful act of resistance… yet it was the same as the rest. Or most.

A tall man of muscular build stood over the fool. He wore a black, hood-like headpiece from which had several tiny, metallic spheres hanging from it, bearing letters that concluded with his name up his name. Risotto. The peculiar hat flawlessly hid his hair, but it did nothing to hide his once black and now white locks that almost reached down to his eyebrows. red-eyed, his scleras were completely black. His chest was partially exposed as he donned a long, black coat with straps crossing his chest in an X style. His pants had thick horizontal stripes of black and white akin to a prisoner's outfit.

Risotto Nero sighed as the scum he just slain crumbled before his gaze, putting an end to the small loyalist faction in Ravenna. Most of the Passione branch in the region was already loyal to him due to the few promises he made towards them. The southern regions were a little more hesitant to comply with his new deal, but they had shown interest and he knew many saw Diavolo as someone that they didn't want to see rule over them for too long. But for now, the best way to get through with that unpleasant case of rebellion, was to kill off the few true obstacles between him and achieve the role of boss.

It was a tedious task, but most of those at the bottom of Passione were willing to betray their Capos if it meant having a safer peninsula to live in. Crime was good, but it couldn't be used to create a tyranny close to the old dictatorship. Italy couldn't stand for it, and thus Risotto had the means to secure a popular powerbase which could debase Diavolo's absolute claim. Not only that, the government had sent positive messages in case of a change of leadership. All for the price of lessening the impositions pushed on the law enforcers for some criminals.

Some people need to be cleansed anyway.

The worst scum couldn't be preserved from justice and the judicial system was going to be his own branch of execution when it came to disgusting aspects of Passione. And as he was done with this affair and got back to the closest base, he got a few messages sent to him. Some were old a couple of minutes before his return and others were just arriving. And the content of those were all the same: Melone was dead, Diavolo was making his move with Bucciarati and Ghiaccio was currently standing by at Santa Lucia as soon as the location of this hint had been reported to them.

If before there was a degree of doubt in the rest of the Squadra due to the known attacks from Bucciarati and his group before this alliance, Risotto saw a small united form made by those few members remaining from the Squadra: Diavolo had to die now that he claimed another of theirs. And Risotto was more than happy to sustain that view. He was closer than Bruno to Venice, so he saw no issue in relocating there and set up a base of his own there. He would wait patiently and silently, allowing Diavolo no means for him to find out Risotto was there too and already plotting his demise.

Melone's passing taught him a lesson through the last reported strategies he wrote down: Diavolo could be made aware of people's presence if those were 'within his reach'. It was a bit too open of an ability, but it still forbade them from pursuing a closer tailing of this individual. The situation was complicated as of now, and he knew Diavolo was going to fight at his best for the sake of survival. After all, a cornered animal had nothing left to lose except its life- and at that point there is little capable of stopping said monster from being in its most vicious behavior.

Regardless of that, time was on their side and Risotto knew his reign was going to be blessed.

----------d-d-d-d--------

AN

All seems to be doing fine in that soon-to-happen assault… but things are bound to happen. After all, Atrium is still on the loose.

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 21: Road to the Serenissima, Part 2

Giorno was nervous and… this frustrated him to an incredible degree.

He had experienced dread and unease before, but right now there was a gut feeling that told him that this operation was going to develop in an ugly manner. Still, it had to be done as it was essential for their current plans. They had received news from the boss on how to reach his current location in Venice through one of the men he assigned for the task. A clean job, some would say.

The message came in two peculiar parts: the first one was a text through the laptop Bucciarati had on himself that he recovered from some informants which he encountered within the area, and the other through a verbal confession and last words delivered by the very old man that had for a time taken care of Trish, Pericolo.

It was surprising to learn of this, but the man had beaten them to Florence to just deliver this sort of coded message meant them. How did they access it? ｢Moody Blues｣. Abbacchio's Stand allowed him to review a setting by 'rewinding' the scene tying to a single individual to roughly several hours. He had to roll back to 15 hours and they discovered the truth from Pericolo.

The key to their destination was to reach one of the sculptures in Venice, one that was identified through a picture that they had the chance to see, and then retrieve the OA-DISC that was stored nearby. Then, much to the shock of many, Trish being the most shaken by the sight, Pericolo shot himself after proclaiming he was glad for the life the boss gave him and that his life was at his mercy now.

While some would see this as a faithful follower's most blessed demise, this felt so wrong on many levels. Especially when Giorno could perceive something was missing from the man's voice and soul. Control. A bountiful life, but at what price? He was almost tempted to bring up how this all felt so forced, but he could tell most already knew, and those that didn't were strained by the sight to be committed to that sort of discussion. Giorno couldn't blame them, that sight had been plain vicious and unpleasant, yet he could tell it was needed to further cement the need to kill the Boss.

If this is what he asked from others, what he was willing to do to 'hide' from the world, then it was only righteous to put a stop to him for good. But when the plan sounded ideal and he was sent with Mista, Arlecchino and Sakura to handle this disc retrieval mission, the young man felt a strange feeling about this detour. The circumstance just didn't sit nicely on Giorno's stomach, as if something about it was planned to be dangerous.

It didn't help that he was the one meant to drive the lone driver for the dispatch, having close to no experience handling these sorts of vehicles in lengthy trips. Yes, he could drive them with ease, but that didn't mean he was as confident to make the Florence to Venice Trip without any potential issues. The rest of the group was using a 'Rental Truck' and was making it to their destination through a slower but potentially safer route.

The idea was that they were generally expected to go either way, but the one Giorno and the rest of his squad was going for was the easier one to reach. If they were to be attacked, they should have been able to provide distraction for the rest of the group. That was the plan and… they weren't prepared for what soon ensued while they were driving through the highway. The first sign of trouble came when Mista's phone started to go off with an unknown number calling. The slightly tired and partially asleep gunslinger picked up the call and went to see who it was.

"Yes?"

…

"What? Slow down… what do you mean with 'ambush'?"

Giorno's eyes widened as he decided to trust his guts and pull the brakes at once. It was just them on the highway, so there was no risk of accidents. Yet, what they did come close to was a large explosion that ripped apart the highway just several meters from where the vehicle stopped. The blast's push easily flipped the car on the side, forcing the occupants to make a quick leave from it. No one was injured, but the lack of a vehicle was going to make a difference in trying to reach their destination.

The development hit Giorno in an odd manner. This was the same attack Passione had used against one of the major judges in Sicily trying to bring them down. Same pattern, same suddenness and… yet something about it was off. Why would Diavolo plan to kill them if he didn't know they were planning to kill him? To Giorno, this felt quite confusing and definitely not the case at all despite how curious the coincidences felt between this event and the one from a decade earlier.

"What happened?" Sakura asked, still quite shocked by the situation.

"An attack," Mista replied angrily. "Ghiaccio called to warn us about spotting a group of 'priests' rushing in our general direction. Some he was dealing with, but he couldn't stop some from leaving."

Just as he finished saying that, a sharp dagger rushed through above and forced Giorno to duck to dodge it. A blink, then his attention shifted to the blade that almost took his life and that was currently stabbed on the ground, ignoring the figure now standing atop the flipped vehicle. The long knife looked similar to the one used by Caren but… she wasn't there. His panic subdued the moment his mind took over it, Giorno's gaze hardening as he finally addressed the figure smiling at them, a woman wearing nun clothes but looking the opposite of one by facial expression alone.

Then, his attention briefly shifted to those approaching the car and trying to reach them from the sides. They weren't friendly, so he had no reason to question. His mind was soon planning a way out of this, seeing that they had come here through vehicles and giving them a chance to leave with those if they either defeated them or distracted them long enough to leave through that.

The highway was unusable, but he had seen in a map he had looked into minutes before leaving that there were small old roads that would give them the chance to make it around and resume the trip with close to no issues. What they needed to do now was to survive the encounter and leave as quickly and safely as possible.

It sounded like a good idea, except there was a lot to still do.

---------d-d-d-d----------

Mr. Dawn was a man with guilt.

Some would say that an Executor of his caliber would have incredible sins that 'had been forgiven due to the ends to his means', but the bespectacled man was not someone that believed much in that. No, what he believed was in common sense and logical moves. Something his partner had outright disregarded in what could be described as a matter of brashness and disrespect. It didn't occur to him that the brat would have been disloyal to the Burial Agency… or maybe too loyal to it. Or else he had no chance of understanding how the brat gained some 'supportive' allies in the form of rogue specialists of the Church.

Gianmaria had been impatient since the very moment they had been working together. He knew that would have caused issues, but the veteran agent of the Burial Agency wasn't exactly expecting this kind of mess. He just could see how it came to this, but he knew he wasn't completely at fault for this. Not when his cautious approach of the Arcueid Brunestud Case had been one driven by common sense rather than fright. And, truth be told, being subdued out of the blue was rather unpleasant for someone his age.

Even more being subjected to some stupid monologue while being kicked by the same little turd that he was meant to mentor for the occasion. Rather upsetting too since it wasn't strong enough to break anything, but genuinely piss him off in the process. Nonetheless, the plan of these 'rogue' elements was to kill him, using his demise as a reason to gain Narbareck's favor and then use that to excuse themselves for 'betraying' the church by assisting a magus that 'hired' them. This plan was, technically, sound. After all, Mr. Dawn wasn't that much of a threat. In proper combat.

That detail mattered a lot when it came to handling his captivity with 'care'. The ropes used were quick to deal with and Gianmaria, the one that was instructed to just wait for his new 'buddies' to conclude the capture of their newest target and then promptly execute him the moment that was done, had been unable to resist him when a Black Key slit his throat. It was one of the flaws within those that were hired to assist him in combat. By Narbareck's order, none of those chosen to support him were mentally and physically prepared to handle these missions. And were far from ever being hired in the Burial Agency.

And while Mr. Dawn hated blood, spilling some for the sake of stopping some nonsense and preventing his own death was nothing short of expected from him. He wasn't that pious as he used to be, with things having changed since the day he forgot his real name. A sigh slumped out of his lips as he regarded the dead body owned by his expected apprentice with a pitying look.

A shame that someone so young would have been so brazen and stupid. His 'hesitation' was no one driven by genuine fear to be killed, but because acting against those harboring Arcueid Brunestud would break not a few rules within the Holy See. Something he had alerted Cardinal Noi about when it came to the entire situation.

Sakura Kujo was, by indirect relation, tied to the Joestar Family. And any attacks to that family was tantamount to risking execution by one of the secret Papal Edicts about this family. This just set things in a more delicate situation that only diplomacy was going to solve. Or was meant to solve before these complete cretins had thrown everything down the drain for some 'easy promotions'. Once he was done with them, things were going to feel less bleak to him but...

Narbareck had to have known this and had definitely coaxed the boy to make the foolish mistake of pushing Mr. Dawn into a bad spot. With a dead apprentice at his feet and a bunch of fools trying to screw things up for the church, the bespectacled man knew it was time to pull off his velvet gloves and start bashing with his iron fists. He wasn't exactly planning to go for a brawl, but he had found car keys to a spare car the traitors had left at this hideout. Turning the engine on, the car rolled fast and started to shift fast through the streets.

He had planned for a peaceful retirement, he had planned to enjoy life in these fleeting years of his life, yet people were genuinely trying to undermine this hope of his. And that wasn't going to do. Mr. Dawn had a bone to pick with a few bastards, and then apologized profusely to someone that was actively sheltering a foe of his.

Truly not a good day to be killing fellow Christians, but it wasn't like he was given a choice about it, right?

---------d-d-d-d-------------

AN

A new twist! Part of the Church is actually corrupted (Surprise!) and has been bribed by Atrum, thus Giorno, Sakura, Arlecchino and Mista face a couple if not a dozen more church agents trying to make a quick buck out of an assassination n' kidnapping attempt.

Meanwhile Mr. Dawn realized that violence is not a choice, it's a question. And the answer is 'Heck Yeah!' against scummy traitors!

P.S. I now have a discord server! Discord .gg/ceBMM2Zz6c

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 22: Road to the Serenissima, Part 3

"Are you upset, Bucciarati?"

Fugo's question shook the chief in charge from his musing, the man looking at the blond while the man paused from 'teaching' Narancia. The truck was mostly silent up to this point, with the former uni student now appearing fairly… annoyed by something. Bruno was no mind-reader, but he knew what was really pissing off Fugo was the fact they were aiming to remove the boss.

The blond was grateful for what Diavolo gave him as a chance to live beyond his own mistakes, he didn't worship him, but he was a staunch supporter of his. And while their cause was just, that didn't mean it was an easy pill to digest. Just as it wasn't easy for Bruno to just accept the notion of betraying the hand that fed them.

Yet, the reasoning was unquestionably fair behind this radical choice. Diavolo was a man that brutally unified Italy's worst criminals into 'behaving', but he too wasn't a moral guardian. Not when drugs were being used to destroy the newer generations. Still, a question had been asked, and a response he provided.

"The circumstances are fairly distressing. I would prefer not place any of the team in peril," Bucciarati answered to Fugo's query. "Still, it's necessary. We need the heat off from us and it's already working from the looks of it."

That last bit drew an annoyed look from a certain silver-haired girl as they had just learned by radio that the other vehicle had been destroyed and the smaller convoy had been attacked.

"That's one way to put it," Leone remarked dryly, Caren sitting beside him as they had just finished discussing her father and his occupation in an effort to distract her from the troubling development happening with the others. After all, there were many questions to ask if a child at her age was already instructed into combat. "And I know for a thing these two by the wheel could make a mess."

Pesci and Prosciutto were driving the truck, accepting the role on the basis that they were faces not many recognized and weren't looking for. They were the furthest thing from the best Stand Users in Passione, but Abbacchio was being a bit too harsh about their general qualities. Pesci was naive, but he was quick on his feet- while Prosciutto was a veteran of the old-style Mafia. He was greedy and corrupt in his own desires, but these flaws didn't come close to rupture the sheer loyalty he had for Risotto. They had been around the most, they had been there to see Passione be born. They had molded it with Diavolo, shaped it into what it represents and… Bruno knew that they could trust them. Prosciutto at least. Pesci was a follower and it was clear he was doing things without asking 'why' some actions were taken.

"They will not," Bruno ultimately remarked, but his words were met with a scoff. "What now?"

"How come we arrived at this point, Bruno?" Fugo asked, an exasperated tone filtering through his throat. "Allying ourselves with traitors, tangling with some mystical groups and- and then having to plan the Boss' death."

"Diavolo has overstepped for a while," Bucciarati replied readily. "You know as much as I do, Fugo, that the organization has been crumbling under its weight for the last two years now."

The young man slammed his fist onto the side of the vehicle. "I-It's just not fair. Why do we have to do all of this? Why does it have to be us?"

"If it isn't us, then it will not happen," Leone pointed out. "The group just needed that push, and we are that. We have a reason. We have Trish, and she was the clue we needed to understand what kind of monster is in charge of our organization."

The pinkette remained quiet, the girl was sitting right at the opposite section in front of the entrance of the cargo section of the truth, closer to Arcueid than to the others. It was an odd sight considering how the situation had been up to this point and… yet it fit just nicely. For some unusual reason, the blonde was bonding just fine with Trish on the basis they loved 'cute food' for different reasons. The fashion-lover favored the appearance, while the 'Crimson Princess' was more of a gluttonous individual. Still, the girl nodded numbly at the topic, still upset with the overall situation but not letting it ruin her mood.

"He took us in! What if he is just… I don't know, being controlled or something?"

"If he was, then the higher-ups would have noticed," Bruno shot back, killing the theory on the spot. "Diavolo's behavior has been the same as usual, and I would even dare to say he got more tame in his ruthlessness."

"It's still stupid. I- He took us in!"

"Why?" Narancia muttered quietly and, despite how low his voice was, he was heard by Fugo.

"Why what?"

"Why did he take us all in?"

"Because he saw our potential-" Fugo attempted to answer, but that wasn't the point of the conversation.

"In being his puppets," The boy pointed out, interrupting his friend. "Fugo, do you think I am dumb enough to not know when someone is lying so horribly to us."

At first glance, Fugo looked ready to go with 'yes', but then he paused. The regret was brief, and the upset was still there but now shifting elsewhere. "I'm- I'm not going to just listen to some crap if-"

"I asked Polpo a year ago," Narancia interjected again. "I… I asked him why someone like me, someone so dumb as you always say, and he told me I had a Stand."

"And-"

"And that's all!" The boy snapped. "I thought there was more to it. That you were wrong, that you were all wrong and… I am dumb. I'm worthy of being there because of ｢Aerosmith｣."

Fugo felt… shaken by this. He had noticed his friend had grown quite upset the more he called him stupid or dumb, but he had chalked this different reaction as his growing up and maturing. The way he found the insult this frustrating could be seen as him being less respectful of older people and more about him wanting some basic respect. But that wasn't all as someone else spoke up on the matter.

"You are not dumb, Narancia. You are ignorant, naive of knowledge, but not stupid in handling snap-decisions," Arcueid quipped, surprisingly enough growing intrigued by the topic. "In fact, from all I'm hearing, this Diavolo is nothing more than just a man that offered the basic rights of a living being to you all and then demanded your soul in return. Like the… Devil."

"He gave us a chance-" Fugo tried to justify, ignoring for the moment the dark humor in that ironic comparison.

"To be normal people. But that should be the basis of being a good samaritan," The blonde vampire hummed in delight. "Yet, from what you are telling to explain your subservience to this man is that he pulled you from the floor, gave you a chance at being alive, and now your soul is his to decide what to do to it. Do you think this is the mindset of a good man?"

As much as the blond wanted to answer that with a 'yes', his brain refused to accept this. At this point his argument was driven by sheer emotional upset, with Fugo just wanting to be right. He was angry, he could feel ｢Purple Haze｣ was moments away from manifesting and… then he wasn't. Narancia's hug felt unnecessary at first, unwarranted even, but something deep down forced him to accept it.

How long has it been since he allowed an embrace like this one to come through? He couldn't remember. And, at this point, he just shut his mouth. He was 'tired'. Not in the sense of needing to sleep, but to keep quiet, to rest his mind by letting the silence preserve him from any potential migraines.

Life is unfair, he admitted, but perhaps… Diavolo's departure from this world wasn't even within their own control at this point.

-------d-d-d-d-------

Arlecchino was a man with many thoughts troubling his mind.

And his Servant was panicking a fair bit as the two remained behind covers as bullets slammed into the car. The attackers may have been dressed as priests, but they were armed with military-grade equipment. A surprise, but it was an armed group budgeted by the Burial Agency.

It didn't seem like a surprise to the Princess of Colchis because of the knowledge she had from the 'Grail' she was connected to. It was still difficult to grasp what acted as a 'Holy Grail' considering the only potential one had been destroyed years ago.

Still, while Medea had nothing to worry about since her body was meant to endure with ease that sort of issue, that didn't make the loud barrage any less frightening due to the noise. Plus, her Master was still killable by lead despite his current powers.

"S-Shouldn't we do something?" The magician inquired, knowing that they had to do something as they weren't the only ones facing this sort of trouble.

But the man remained quiet as he seemed to be waiting for something to happen. Something he knew was going to happen. "They will manage it."

The Caster-class Servant was perplexed by this, but decided to see where this was going as her gaze turned to the trio currently trying to sort this out.

"Giorno, do you have any means to provide me cover?" Mista muttered, reloading his revolver while turning his head to the blond. "I need a distraction."

"I can try," The young man replied, reaching for some small rocks on the side and turning them into snakes to direct them to some of the attackers.

A few seconds later, the firefight faltered as the aggressors shifted their guns to the critters, unaware of the Damage Reflection effect Giorno's creations had. Three priests fell with holes rippling through their chests and heads, the others shifting away from the snakes at the sight, and resuming their attacks on the pinned down group. Except… It was already too late.

Mista had relocated to a cracked section of the road to use as a closer cover, ｢Sex Pistols｣ having a greater view of the situation and providing as much support as possible. Soon the enemies were dying one by one at the precise shots of the gunslinger. Everything was going great… until a couple of them sneaked around and managed to use Black Keys. Mista was hit out of the blue, a blade stabbing onto his arm, right into his muscle and forcing him to drop on his knees and let go of his revolver due to the pain. Another tried to hit Sakura, but ｢One Vision｣ reacted to the attempt and deflected the blade.

They were getting closer and closer, their numbers becoming a problem when, before they two that got to Mista could finish the job, a car speeded into the highway and slammed onto them. Bones were broken, necks were snapped due to the impact, and an old priest emerged from the vehicle, fixing his sunglasses while doing so.

"I think this frustrating rebellion is over," He muttered, his tone serious and… was he a good guy? It was difficult to say on the spot, but Sakura's gut feelings told her that he was trustworthy only for having issues with their current attackers.

"Oh? And what do you intend to do, old man?" One of the foes inquired, sneering at the 'traitor' that had just mowed down two of their allies with the car. "They will never reach Venice, no matter how many wrinkly old fools will try to stop us."

It was getting intense, and while the old priest looked mean, they could all see how he was in no condition to turn the tides in their favor. Yet, Medea caught her Master snorting in amusement, a reaction which easily gained her confusion.

"S-Something wrong, Master?"

A nod. "They made a mistake. A grave one that will kill them."

The Caster was confused. A mistake? She couldn't see anything that would have warranted that comment. Yet, as she was looking around, she spotted something running fast from the same way the old priest's car had come from. It was moving fast and… it was humanoid in shape. Soon a voice ripped into the brief silence, gaining the attention of many as they all looked to see that the approaching thing was actually someone… wearing a full-body armor?

"It's! Not! VENICE!" A loud voice exclaimed as an armored individual came through, smacking one away, punching the blade of the other and slamming a fist right into his guts. "IT'S CALLED VENEZIA, YOU UNCULTURED SWINES!"

The ensuing beating was vicious and quite gruesome. Sakura stared at it with wide eyes together with Giorno, while Mista groaned and muttered about 'perfectionist turd'.

The figure stopped and took a moment to catch onto his breathing. His eyes were wide open in anger but… he was soon calming down. The armor reverted, revealing a short man with light blue hair clinging to his head in a low number of large spirals. He was wearing a pair of thick-rimmed glasses with round hinges marked with a "W". He was donning a blouse buttoned at the side of the chest and a band patterned pants. This was… Ghiaccio. At least, that's what Sakura could understand from the depiction they got when Giorno and her asked about his appearance from Mista. And the response had been a tad bit too colorful in some instances, but overall correct in most parts.

"I'm finally there and- I can see Mista. I suppose you had trouble, you shooter," The bespectacled man said, gaining a scoff from the hat-wearing gunslinger. "So, I suppose we can go and… what about the old guy over there?"

The sunglasses-wearing man tensed up, but Giorno spoke up in this regard. "He is an ally."

Sudden, confusing, even Sakura frowned at this move, but no one spoke against it.

"Y-Yes, the group that attacked you all was a rogue team of rebels bribed into this matter. The church didn't sanction this attack."

The new arrival snorted. "As if. Still, I suppose you are all those that I was meant to escort to base and… well, I think the rest of the cavalry will be arriving soon."

Confusion flashed on the others' faces as soon two trucks came through. Thugs and goons left around and started to clean up and secure the area. Two walked up to Ghiaccio as he relayed orders. As Giorno rushed to help Mista and patch his wounds, the man soon approached the member of La Squadra with a perplexed look.

"I thought we didn't have that sort of support."

Ghiaccio hummed, looking quite calm out of the blue. "Well, we didn't ourselves. Risotto had started to check how many are willing to jump boats and join this faction. Turns out many have a bone to pick with Diavolo and are looking forward to a more progressive leadership."

At this Mista frowned as his mind quickly looked into the matter. If this rebellion was growing this broader, then the chances of surprising Diavolo were going to grow slimmer. He inquired about the steps taken on covering for that sudden increase of manpower, but Ghaccio was quick to dismiss this worry by mentioning some precautions having already been taken.

Still, he decided to focus on contacting Bucciarati through a spare radio while Sakura and Giorno, aided by Arlecchino, checked the mysterious priest that had just decided to join their current operations.

Things sure were getting a bit out of hand but… for now they were all good news. For now.

----------d-d-d-d-----------

AN

The Rebellion grows but, as the old quote goes, an animal is the most vicious when it is put in a corner. But a Monster like Diavolo, will just be even worse than anything imaginable. After all, he is a Mafioso and he knows how to deal with large rebellions.

P.S. I now have a discord server! Discord .gg/ceBMM2Zz6c

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 23: Road to the Serenissima, Part 4

After decades of ruling over Italy, Diavolo knew a thing or two when it came to rebellious thugs to put down.

But where previous revolts against his rule had been limited and scarce, this one was definitely getting out of hand too fast. As much as he despised the situation, his mind had to delve into the intricate mess to see what caused it and how he was supposed to crush it without expending too many resources. The first issue, the most glaring of them all, was allowing La Squadra to survive their first slight against him. He shouldn't have punished just two of them- they all should have been killed. At the time, the pink-haired mob boss thought the group was still useful. Still loyal through fear. A mistaken view as it was slowly becoming apparent due to this rebellion.

Then there was his daughter- the news of his potential heir being a young girl with no connection with the mafia made her an excellent tool to establish a new criminal dynasty. And to do that Diavolo had to be removed. Could he blame Trish? No. He didn't blame her or her mother- Donatella had been an experiment from back many years ago, one that yielded the unexpected result that was Trish. And, due to how dangerous his daughter was through indirect power projection, he knew he would have to kill her once she came here. That was the only chance he had to crush the momentum and erase any traitorous intent within Passione.

With his disguise as Doppio still working and the youthful self of his proving to be as loyal as he could get, there was no reason for him to expect any issues in making a quick escape once Trish was dead. The sewers were ideal and easy to access through his current hideout. That was the best option he had at that.

Or that would have been the case if he hadn't met an issue. An unknown factor which he couldn't handle on his own and that Doppio was forcefully pushed back on the rear of his mind because of. Growling and gritting his teeth at the mysterious robed figure which had nullified ｢King Crimson｣'s powers and was mocking him by merely standing. Gray eyes glowed chillingly under the shadow created by the hooded cloak, the man owning such stare mocking him with a snort.

"Apologies, oh King of the Passion, but this is not the time to bicker. In fact, I come here to grant you the one wish you carry to your heart. The deepest desire that enables your most heinous machinations," The figure proclaimed with enough smugness that made Diavolo hate the man more, but also more intrigued as he could perceive an odd accent. It… reminded him of people he met in his youth, yet not. "The chance to be free, the chance to no longer be assailed by those that seek to remove the bloodied crown from your head. You seek your Passion to be eternal, against those that plan to extinguish it."

Despite the irritating way he introduced himself, despite being exposed, despite being so close to actually panicking at the power suppressing his own… Diavolo took this chance with a scowl.

"How?"

He could see the entity grin and then, within a single blink of an eye, three new robed figures appeared in front of him, two on the left and one by the right side of the ringleader. None held distinguishable details beyond the different heights.

"They will take care of your visitors. They are more difficult to 'please' compared to how you think this will end. And you… will go back to Rome at once."

Diavolo narrowed his eyes at that imperative tone. "And then?"

"Then you will wait for my next command, Diavolo."

The mafia boss held back a snarl at that attitude, but he could tell he was currently outmatched. Without ｢King Crimson｣, his chances of survival were abysmal. He thus left, Doppio soon taking over for him as their newest objective was to get to Rome 'because the boss forgot something important and his most loyal minion had to do this task'.

...

"Do you think he will follow through with your order?" One of the shorter figures inquired about the leader.

"He will. He hates it, but he knows better than to disrespect power. He is an animal, and thus he will listen to those that are superior to him," The man remarked calmly. "And I think it's time I leave you three to handle this business as I had planned."

"We will take care of them, boss," One of them remarked giddily, while the tallest of the trio sighed, gaining the curious look of their mysterious leader.

"Something's upsetting you?"

"...No."

A liar, but a loyal one at that. He decided to let this one slight go just for now. After all, there was a big chance they were going to fail him anyway.

"Good. Then I shall go. Make sure Trish Una is killed. Same for Giorno Giovanna."

The average-sized figure chuckled jovially. "We wouldn't want to forget about family, sir~."

The unknown ringleader smiled before leaving, giving one last glance at his minions and sensing their inner stars glowing with such a sinful glow and desire. Oh yes, not even the intruder was going to matter much against this trio. Not when this was a matter of family.

A meeting he wasn't invited to as he will soon realize.

---------d-d-d-d--------

"M-Master?"

Arlecchino sighed, glancing at Medea as the Caster looked around in panic while a thin layer of violet appeared to form a barrier with them inside. What really made this entire matter worse was that this wasn't a magecraft-made barrier- It was a pure magical one as Medea quickly realized. It's been just a few hours now since they had reunited and the large army of criminals was ready to wage a siege of Venice if it meant destroying Diavolo for good. Risotto couldn't be there because he was taking care of some last-minute issues in Sardinia, but he promised to be there to finalize the take-over. While that sounded reasonable with what he knew of this peculiar dimension, the masked guard knew that there was something wrong with the overall situation.

Especially when, as the barrier completed its materialization, a horde of skeletons formed around the Basilica's external perimeter. Magecraft was being used- a Magus was moving to take care of Diavolo. At first Arlecchino thought it was Atrum, but the man was no expert in this sort of magecraft. No, it had to have been a new issue. Which was never good news as he had learned many times in the past.

"We will need to take care of that."

Some of the thugs were worried about this development, but their chiefs didn't seem to care about it. Arlecchino thought that this could be problematic in the long run due to the implications of exposing so many normal men and women to this matter, but then his attention went back to the barrier. It was somewhat stopping the Root's deterioration within the area. Anything that happened here which would normally speed up the decline of Magic was severely dampened and wasn't going to impact the decline as it should have normally.

Orders were given, guns and weapons were prepared and soon the mass of gangsters slammed onto the lines of skeletal foes. Meanwhile the members of La Squadra and Bucciarati's group advanced forward. Trish was left behind with Arcueid and Narancia much to the annoyance of the trio as they wanted to take part in this whole mess. Still, Arlecchino spoke up, aiming a comment to Bruno.

"Medea and I will take care of the cause of this supernatural issue."

A nod, Bucciarati focusing more on ending this whole mess for good rather than being embroiled in some magical problems like this one. Their combined group blitzed through and eventually stormed the basilica while the rest of the grunts took care of the monsters.

Before going, there was someone else to ask help from. "Mr. Dawn. I think we will need your assistance in disrupting this defense."

The bespectacled man groaned at the potential tedious job, but nodded as he knew that it was within his duty to handle this sort of business. The trio shifted through the lines of foes, rushing to the upper sections of the building so they could check the rooftop and secure any potential issue in that section between archers, mana-users and the source of the skeletons itself. The battle to end Old Passione had started and things were already showing to be quite unpleasant and unpredictable. Sadly for the rebels, the 'king' was no longer in that castle.

Instead, three heirs were there waiting patiently to find and match their worth against their 'missing' brother.

-----------d-d-d-d-----------

Giorno felt his shoulder burn as soon as he entered the building, the same attitude taken by Sakura as the girl instinctively reached for the spot where her birthmark was.

A bad omen for sure, and one that both were ready to see what it was all about. It was him, Sakura and Fugo assigned to check the right side of the basilica, while Mista, Pesci and Ghiaccio looked the left side; finally, Bucciarati, Abbacchio, Caren and Prosciutto looked into the central spot which was the most exposed of them all and would require utmost attention from all. The battle plan looked good, and yet the unease growing within Giorno didn't diminish with that hopefulness.

For the first time in years he felt this challenge was not going to be easy and… it wasn't the boss. No, this one wasn't Diavolo, he could tell this much the more steps they took in the right direction. Someone was waiting for them, someone that they should know about. Someone that Giorno felt a connection to and yet couldn't think who it could be. Soon an answer came in the form of a closure to that odd feeling as his blue-eyed gaze was matched by a same-shaded look. The young man looked to be of his same age, his blond hair kept short. He had long sideburns which pointed toward his mouth and blunt bangs that covered his entire forehead.

The youth was wearing a choker necklace that has a spiral pattern in the center, while also sporting a deep V-neck long-sleeved shirt matching with some unique-styled pants. The front and sides of his shirt and pants had an excessive amount of thick loops and his shoulder straps went through three front loops on his shirt, as well as two more straps from his belt which traveled downward through the front loops on his pants.

It wasn't just their appearance- something else bound them within fate's own might. It was the same burning star branded in their soul, except his one glowed with malicious intent. An evil being… Was he?

"I couldn't believe it when I was told that fate would have all reunited us. The children of a man that is no longer here but aspired to be greater than the [World] itself," The young man muttered, a cordial smile on his face. "It's a pity that we are facing each other in this battle, but destiny so demanded, Giorno."

"Who are you?" The blond asked back, a nod being granted as a prelude to an opening.

"My name, brother, is Donatello Versus. You and I may have been conceived by two different mothers, but our father is one and the same."

"Why are you here and… do you work for Diavolo?" Sakura pressed, and yet something odd happened as Donatello glared with incredible hatred at the girl.

"You think you have any right to question me, Joestar?"

"Sakura is family," Giorno rebuked.

"Joestars are not our family."

"We all are Joestars. We have the birthmarks-"

"But Dio is the mind behind our conception, you fool. Blood or not, Dio is in us more than what that feeble fool that was once Jonathan Joestar could have used to make us," The man rebuked. "Which is why now I shall deal with you three and make sure that my savior is given just reward for helping me out of my spiral of dread."

Just as he said that, a pillar of red light emerged from him, causing the rest of the room's occupants to take a guarded stance. A Stand User? No, that wasn't the case. As the light faltered and dispelled, Donatello stood with a new outfit. An armored setup which was silvery in its main theme, but with red details that culminated in the notion of a hellish knight with horns sprouting by the side of his helmet. In his grip was the hilt of a sword that crackled with energy.

"I hope you are ready, Giorno. Your rebellion against our father's wishes is now… over."

The ferocious knight rushed in to begin the fight and while Giorno knew that this was his foe, something was resonating from within his heart and it urged him to seek… Donatello? No, it was something else. Something struggled and gnawed within his foe. Something that didn't want to obey to him, to allow a rebellion to falter and die- someone, Giorno accepted, that perhaps understood him.

For it was a mistake of Donatello to pit a rebellious son against another.

----------d-d-d-d----------

AN

The main villain makes an appearance. If Donatello is here, then the two other sons of Dio have to be here and… has he been honest? Is this Dio's will to have his heirs clash for something like this. So many secrets, so many truths… and so many lies. Too many lies…

P.S. I now have a discord server! Discord .gg/ceBMM2Zz6c

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 24: Brawl o' Brothers, Part 1

Bucciarati could tell their current foe was not Diavolo when the first thing they faced was a large monstrosity made of blue rocks and metal pieces patched together.

The entity grumbled angrily as it rushed to attack them. And despite its menacing appearance… It was actually simple to dispatch. The beast was clumsy, quick to trip down and then destroy through ｢Sticky Fingers｣'s ability to detach parts of a body by zipping them away.

Their current foe was not fighting directly and Bucciarati knew this was not Diavolo's power. The man wouldn't have handled things with this sort of ability, and he knew for a fact this attack was enduring an ambush of sorts. The way this monster attacked them right as they split- there was a high chance the others were facing something similar to that. Maybe worse.

The real issue started to fully manifest when a new development came through: the Golem they just killed? It was one of many. The familiar grumbling came back in numbers as several of these monsters rushed from the various halls connected to the large room they were in. The group moved fast to dodge the extremely clumsy attacks, however their numbers didn't seem keen to lessen. The plan was to overwhelm them and… Bruno wasn't planning to let this happen. They needed someone to scour the area fast and find the origin of these attackers.

"Caren, look for someone in the area. Kill him if necessary."

Abbacchio didn't look pleased, an expression that was reflected differently on the girl's face as the teen rushed around at high speed with a grin on her face. Despite what the former police officer could have said about this, Bucciarati could only ask her since she was the most nimble of the group and could easily outpace any golem. Had it been someone else, the chances of being caught mid-search would have been higher.

Plus, Caren was capable enough to handle herself and, if their current enemy is hiding behind so many powerful monsters, then it meant the guy couldn't handle direct combat. And, as they would all see, the assumption proved to be correct. Just as the strenuous task of keeping the golems at bay started to get incredibly rough on them, a yelp signaled the end of the fighting as the mindless behemoths all stopped at once before instantly collapsing.

"He is here!" Caren's voice called, the whimpering further confirming she got the cause of that ambush in a tight spot.

And that was the case as the shivering mess that was the bizarre gold-masked man they had just captured. His entire outfit was flamboyant in nature and reminded Bucciarati of a fairly 'insane' version of what a renaissance man would wear. The blue outfit with golden lines matched the armored pieces on the man's face, arms and legs- the thing that caught their attention the most was the unusual 'knives-like' stilts the foe had been standing on. How did someone just manage that sort of balance was beyond anyone's capacity of understanding.

Still, this 'armored form' faltered as soon as Bucciarati told him to reveal himself. Blinking away in a flash of light, the outfit the teen they had fought against vanished and was replaced by an entirely different appearance. He was soon staring at a young, decently built man with a long face. He had dark-purplish hair which was styled into several dreadlocks. He now wore a sleeveless and hooded bodysuit patterned after the hide of a stereotypical cow with an opening on his chest. He also donned an assortment of arm warmers with the same cow hide pattern.

He introduced himself as Rikiel and… he spilled the beans faster than anyone could have imagined. A quick look at Prosciutto and Caren confirmed that both would have preferred to interrogate him rather than having to endure a fully-compliant informant. Rikiel let out a whimper, begging for mercy as he stood on his knees while Bucciarati studied the peculiar item which he had been given. It looked simple and common...

"A card?"

It was clear that this was the result of 'Magecraft', but how did that work and why it provided this Rikiel with an ability like that? To summon Golem so easily and then use them against him. There was definitely going to be a lengthy conversation with this idiot. And Prosciutto and Caren looked quite happy to deal with this, possibly to catch up with the lost chance for interrogations.

Still, what was quickly addressed was nothing short of concerning. Rikiel's boss had allowed Diavolo to escape, and had set up two other 'brothers' to end their attempt. Sadly for them, with one down and the two others possibly struggling, there wasn't much for them to do.

"O-Our boss- he also told us that this is where we would all be reunited. The children of the greatest monster."

"Monster?" Abbachio inquired with confusion dripping from his voice, and Rikiel offered a shaky grin.

"G-Giorno Giovanna. He is our half-brother! The heirs of DIO are all here today!"

Oh my, isn't it the most unsavory way to meet the extended family?

--------d-d-d-d-------

Donatello Versus felt invincible.

And why shouldn't he? The power bestowed to him by the Servant Card his savior had given him just offered the kind of might he had always looked for. The strength, the absolute control over the battlefield and the circumstance which allowed him to persist and overcome the current foes he was facing.

Fugo Pannacotta? He was familiar with his Stand's power and his cleverness. While he tried to set up traps by carefully using his Stand to weaken him, the knight-like figure just shifted too fast for the poison to reach him.

Sakura Matou? Her power was most troublesome, and despite her determination, she was still a child and one that had little experience in combat. Years of reinforced battle-related experience surging from the magical card allowed him to masterfully out-balance her before she could rely on her strongest skill.

But the one that gave him the most trouble was perhaps the one he had wanted to beat the most out of the trio. Giorno Giovanna was holding flawlessly against his enhanced body. Which made no sense. Clarent burned red between Mana Burst and actually heating up due to the numerous clashing between the sword and the furious fists owned by ｢Gold Experience｣. What really frustrated Donatello wasn't much the fact Giorno was faring this well. He was their brother, of course he would stand beside them in terms of power due to their destiny- no, the issue was the battle cry of his Stand which drilled senselessly on his skull something that he thought impossible.

"MUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDA!"

It was the same Battle Cry once belonging to ｢The World｣. Their father's Stand- it lived through ｢Gold Experience｣ for some unknown reason. And his voice, his determination and his pride- it just made Donatello snap in a frenzy during that close fight. Giorno was ruthless himself despite how 'innocent' he appeared. There was something that made him the worst pair-up possible as he was keeping up with Mordred.

Not only that, part of the anger rising from within wasn't his. It was the Heroic Spirit's, and she was displeased with Donatello, not Giorno. Why? The answer came through almost instantly. Mordred felt she was fighting someone that was more compatible with her. Donatello was indeed trying to break from the mold his father meant to have him and his brothers tie to, but he didn't have him. His father had nothing to do with the many injustices he faced in the last few years. He was told that.

And that just pissed Mordred even more. There was something in Giorno's open rebellion against their father that clicked nicely with the Knight of Treachery, and soon that manifested in the form of his strength waning. Mordred's support was forfeited as the Servant easily took over his actions. His steps were slower and his reaction time non-existent as he finally got hit by Sakura's ｢One Vision｣ and its unusual power which stopped him for a few seconds. He barely got away from ｢Purple Haze｣'s poison and… got right in position to get hit by a strong punch from ｢Gold Experience｣ which landed straight on his face.

He tried to muster Clarent for its ultimate ability and crash the party for good, but as he tried to channel the needed energy, he saw his sword shattering before his own eyes.

My sword.

Mordred's voice was now more prominently heard in his head, showing no more compromising to their bargain and finalizing what he refused to accept. The armor broke before his eyes as all pieces reformed in a single tiny card that soared and landed onto Giorno's open palm.

"Th-This is not fair!" Donatello exclaimed, but he knew he couldn't do much as Giorno clutched the card tightly and away from his reach.

He was beaten, and, worst of all, he had been rejected by the power that had been granted to him. It was supposed to be his- his chance to be great and-

"Why you!? What makes you better than us?! Why did you get a Stand this early and- be able to get so close to what HE was?"

"...I didn't ask for this power, nor I seek to relinquish it despite how it came to be," Giorno replied flatly. "My father- No, our father was a monster. No matter what this 'savior' of yours told me. I too had one, he too was quite horrible in his own ways, but he was a man of honor, of respect and he believed his own action could have fixed the world. I refuse to accept his sacrifice to go in vain not for some hero-worship, but because he showed me a path that is worthy of following my own rules."

"Y-You-"

"My name is Giorno Giovanna, and my dream is to become a Gang-Star," The blond replied strongly. "I refuse Dio Brando, and I refuse any of his acolytes and believers. I am my own person, and I shall pierce the heavens only to help the people, not to control them!"

That was the last thing Donatello could remember before Fugo slammed a fist on the back of his head and forced him to fall unconscious. With a silent thud, the villain was ultimately defeated and the others could now try to reconnect with the others. There was no way that this attack was just aimed at them, not when Donatello mentioned something about 'brothers'. And as the group resumed their goal, the young blond felt something tapping at the back of his head as he pocketed the card he just retrieved.

Gang-Star?

He blinked in surprise at the feminine voice that he knew came through the card. Giorno could hear her grin.

That sounds cool!

A smile landed on his face, a determined look which was befitting for a beloved son crashing the part caused by those that sought to fight for a monster, their father. Giorno may have not personally met Dio Brando in person, but he could only hate him as they all advanced to face the next half-brother along the way.

Unknown to them, the group led by Mista was facing a different kind of issue as the remaining sibling, despite his young age, held a mind that only a few could understand. That cruelty, that malicious glance-

Giorno was soon to find out the full extent of Dio's darkness through the actions of the boy that inherited his madness the most.

------------d-d-d-d-------------

AN

Man, I happened to erase 300 words while writing and had to rewrite an entire scene for that. I guess that's on me for being this earnest to relocate paragraphs left and right…

Still, this clash of siblings will be the prelude for the final fight. Also, Rikiel was wrong about something: Not all heirs of Dio are here.

After all, one of them is currently in Tokyo, training to unleash Dio's plan and… conquer the heavens in the name of a different cause by Dio's own will and Pucci's own support.

But more on that note by the third and last installment of this trilogy.

P.S. I now have a discord server! Discord .gg/ceBMM2Zz6c

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 25: Brawl o' Brothers, Part 2

Life can be miserable.

Such a phrase a young man had muttered many times. Under his breath, in his mind, within his soul and even in furious exclamation. Yes, the dreadful nature of existence had always plagued the soul bearing the name 'Ungalo', and none and nothing came close to bringing him joy in his 'being alive'.

Ungalo had an average build and height, possessing an unusually flat face which gained him derision and disgusted faces, small but piercing eyes with "U"-shaped mark under the left eye that warranted jabs and insults, and big visible sharp teeth that, easily, horrified anyone that was bestowed with a smile of his. The twisted youth wore a shirt with multiple randomly placed dots connected with each other by lines, and a knit cap.

Or, that was the case until he was given a book. A most unusual book, and yet one that gave him worth. It gave him power, it gave him means- it made him valuable to himself and others. When Ungalo was given a chance, he didn't believe much in it, but the book- this wonderful book in his possession… it made the offer so worthy of the price. A loyal servant, but a free one within his own playground.

The small room he had been assigned to with the plan to ambush the worthless maggots trying to ruin their boss' plan would work just fine with his current powers. In fact, just as the trio entered the room, he felt a crazy grin form on his deformed features while his new 'power' triggered. The world was no longer confined within the walls of this room and the host of fools that intruded in his 'domain' were quick to realize it.

No longer in a building in Venice, but an endless forest that left nothing but nameless people in it. Yet, much to his surprise… none seemed affected by the effects of this unusual location. It was easy to see through the camera-birds he created through the book's assistance and… it left him perplexed. He thought it would have been much easier, and yet they outlasted this effect of the setting. Curious and somewhat frustrating, but nothing that made him stop going through the rest of his plan.

The forest was just a cage after all, and the monster it held was something none of these idiots were prepared to face. A most infamous creature was soon fully recreated from the mind and perversions of childish fantasy, an entity previously meant to be a tool of narrative meant to frighten the child before grand threats to one's life and that now was being used to not only terrorize, but maul and kill those that were his foes.

Ungalo grinned as he got a full sight of a red giant that resembled a powerful golem with rock-like wings. Yellow-gold lines formed a grid over its chest, arms and even his face, giving it eyes and a silent mouth. It was… perfect. And the main contender of this battle!

The only thing he needed to set up as the beast rushed to claim first blood was the 'helpers' for this entity. The Jabberwocky was powerful, yes, but it wasn't within its own limitations. Flaws which could be easily fixed by enlisting the help of other fantasy creatures, all twisted and driven by the same maliciousness which made him feel alive.

Peter Pan and Tinkerbell, the three fairies from the Sleeping Beauty, the living furniture from the Beauty and the Beast- yes, all small 'helpers' from these stories turned into the worst kind of threat for this group. And once all was done, Ungalo sat back and watched the ensuing massacre.

Two of the foes had guns, while the third one wore something like an armor which allowed him to handle some hits from the Jabberwocky before forcing him to retreat. The gunners tried to shoot at the beast, but they quickly realized it was resilient to bullets. Their shock was delicious and yet it wasn't as filling as he had wanted. Not when they didn't lingered for long enough to allow the monster the chance to claw at them.

Yes, bullets didn't work on it in terms of landing damage, but Ungalo growled when he realized the one shooting the most, the hat-wearing bastard, was actually doing something by hitting precise spots of the beast. It was there that the deadly young man noticed that the Jabberwocky's legs weren't as protected as his head, torso and arms. Its feet were thinner and its tendons were not as reinforced as he thought those to be. The beast roared as rocks were chipping away, limiting its capacity to move.

And while this was happening, the faeries were struggling to damage the pests themselves. Some were getting through, burning one of the men's shoes, shredding onto the shirt of another, but ultimately getting squashed by the armored jerk. All was going to crap quite quickly, and thus Ungalo created more monsters. The Beast without its Beauty, the Big Bad Wolf from Red Riding Hood!

"It's not right."

A scowl shifted through his grin, leaving him unamused about what he just heard from the silly book.

"Life isn't fucking right, Alice. That doesn't mean I have to play nice about this shit. These are our foes, and we have to fucking win."

As childishly as the previous time, the book rebuked with the same words, "It is still not right."

While the opposition was fairly meek, something about its resolute tone just instigated Ungalo to snap at it. It was the way it was delivered, the derisive expression it held- Something that Ungalo had heard so many times- the scorn, the hate. He wouldn't be accepting turning the cheek at this kind of shit ever again.

"Well, you don't have a choice, don't you? You are mine! Your power is mine!" He said, grasping tightly at the book and pulling one of the pages' edge from it. The response was immediate as 'Alice' yelped in true pain, making his bloodthirst tingle with pleasure. Ah yes, the first innocent blood spilled before these fools would experience true pain.

The battle went on for a while, and it was becoming clear that no tricks could get through his defense. Well, most weren't as Ungalo was soon ducking when he spotted something sharp coming his way. He crouched, a hook passing over his head and yanking at the tree's trunk behind him. Shock filled him, same for anger.

"How?!"

One of those idiots' powers. He had to be more careful about this, but now he knew they were desperate if they threw this weapon at him without even knowing where he was. A grin squeezed into his face as he knew they were slowly losing, and that their demise was soon to happen before his eager attention. But just as he waited, the entire forest shook, this time not for the Jabberwocky's might. No, it was something else entirely.

Something cut into it, a red energy sword which cleaved a section of it and caused reality to bleed inside. Ungalo's eyes were filled with shock and horror, but also fury and irritation.

"W-Who- WHO IS INVADING MY WORLD!?"

His eyes narrowed a familiar figure with blond hair and blue eyes, wearing a set of armor- it wasn't Donatello. He finally growled with renewed anger and challenge, quickly deploying monsters to assault the invaders. His brothers had seemingly failed. It was expected, but it made his life somewhat more tedious.

And that, Ungalo knew, was unacceptable.

-----------d-d-d-d-------

"They are coming in numbers!" Fugo announced, ｢Purple Haze｣ groaning in mindless irritation as he was deployed partially by its user. "Giorno, I hope that card will help us."

The unease was not without merit. The sheer number of fantasy-born entities coming at them was nothing short of jarring. An army, and one that he doubted they would have been able to normally survive its assault. Normally… not when he was being assisted by someone else in this brawl.

They will be easy to mince, Giorno!

The jovial female exclaimed from within his mind, the existence which introduced herself as Mordred delighted by the chance of a 'real fight'. Giorno saw no point in opposing this view, slightly euphoric due to the might displayed by this 'Heroic Spirit' and how her power had aided them

Then lend me your strength, Mordred.

Of course!

"I'll handle the most. You take care of our main enemy."

"Got it!" Sakura confirmed while Fugo nodded, rushing in advance as the girl followed shortly behind him.

Readying his sword, the 'Red Saber' steadied its stance before pushing forward. Clarent burned with energy, a mixture of mana and what ｢Gold Experience｣ was boosting through its own energy. Somehow, the power of life fueled Clarent to a new height of intensity, providing it with exceptional improvements.

It wasn't a blade born from revenge at first. I guess it's just finding a means to expand its own capacity through its old concept.

I thought it was just a ceremonial blade-

A ceremonial blade to provide 'new life' to those that warranted it. From mere soldiers, to knights.

Giorno nodded, his focus fully aimed at the foes as he struck against the first rows of fantastical monsters. Small and big, animals and supernatural entities, nothing was spared as Clarent cleaved through them with ease. It felt like he was holding a hot knife, and his foes were made of butter. Truly devastating, and yet quite frustrating as this horde was slowing him down.

Sakura and Fugo had gotten close enough to start attacking the cause of this bizarre circumstance, but their combined efforts yielded no success with how quickly the grinning bastard was moving and how many new monsters he was creating. A quick glance on the situation provided him some insight on where its powers lay, which was the curious fairy tale book he was holding. Roughly two minutes into the melee and Giorno had cleaned up the mess of monsters, finally moving on to see how Sakura and Fugo were doing.

The latter was crouching down, an arrow stabbing into his leg while another had pierced his shoulder. He was bleeding a lot and he looked unable to stand up and properly fight. Sakura was faring better, but he was slightly bruised as he finished off a lion.

Giorno advanced, and his approach was noticed by the man behind this whole mess.

"You will not succeed, brother. This is my world, Ungalo's world! Not yours, you will never succeed! Jabberwocky, end him!"

The proclamation stunned Giorno, but he didn't hesitate to advance despite the mention of this 'Jabberwocky'. He knew it was a monster from Alice in Wonderland, but he couldn't see it. Just as he got close enough to strike Ungalo down, his posture froze when he noticed a fairly large shadow expanding upon him. Glancing up, he saw a monstrous behemoth descending from the sky and roaring against him.

The blond jumped back, allowing for the beast to land without injuring him. The creature roared in challenge, claws burning with mana as he started to swipe those at him. Giorno backed away as much as he could, Clarent matching but just barely with the consecutive hits, and his chance to strike lessened due to how intense the offensive of this monster was.

Yet, despite how hideous this circumstance was turning, that didn't mean Giorno was without tricks under his sleeves. Reinforcing clarent with more of his inner strength, the blade managed to smack one of the approaching claws away and offered him an opening into the beast's chest.

The blade cut into its resilient skin, yet, despite the intensity of power within the sword, the wound looked superficial and it was healing up. It could regenerate and his current attacks weren't doing enough to kill it off.

It seems like this big guy is quite strong. I don't think you can do it, nor that I can beat it myself.

So?

Giorno inquired back, keeping an inner calm at this manner as he heard Mordred speak to him.

Perhaps we can try something different. I am no Magic expert, but I noticed how Clarent is reacting to our combo.

And?

And maybe we can do something about it! You know, its full power- maybe we can boost it to a greater output if we hit the bastard 'right'.

Just as she said that, the monster, perhaps annoyed or driven by Ungalo's growing irritation at its lack of success, tried to slam its muscular fists down to try and catch Giorno in a deadly move. This was where Giorno saw an opportunity to strike once more, swiftly stabbing Clarent into the behemoth's neck and piercing its throat. It wasn't a killing hit, but the wound it caused managed to stun it before it could strike at him.

The Jabberwocky recoiled, but showed no hesitation in resuming its onslaught. Yet, as it approached Giorno, its steps faltered as he perceived the large focus of magical energy within the sword. Clarent activated, its characteristic red flame, known through Mordred's own wrath being unleashed, was burning brightly through its blade. But where the incantation would muster on the anger of one, this time it attained a new meaning through a second detail within the revenge it represented.

"Clarent Blood- ARTHUR/DIO!"

The red flame flickered as a golden hue echoed in it, doubling its size as the might of the Noble Phantasm resonated with twice the power of revenge. The ensuing beam enveloped the Jabberwocky, the beast roaring as its skin failed to hold the blast back as it got consumed by it. Together with it, a large portion of the forest behind it was scorched into ashes and cinders due to the intensity of the attack.

The destruction of the Jabberwocky led to a peculiar event. The ensuing explosion shocked Ungalo as the push coming from that blast had him trip on the ground, with his book flying off his arms and forward. Giorno saw this, and using Mordred's speed rushed to catch the tome. Yet, as he managed to take hold of the item, he paused as he felt he wasn't holding the shaped object, but something more… human.

"Are you a prince?" A child asked with a dreamy voice.

Giorno looked down and he was met with a pair of dark-pink eyes and a mane of white hair with pink edges. The child was wearing a goth-lolita outfit with a black-themed dress and hat with dark-pink details such as the legwear which extended under her black boots,

This was quite the awkward reaction for a foe to be captured but-

She doesn't seem to be into this mess. She was definitely forced.

Giorno nodded at that assessment, yet their battle was far from over.

Ungalo stood, glaring at him as he looked ready to escape but…. Sakura pushed forth, Ungalo's widening eyes confirming her suspicions- he had no defenses without the book.

Or that was what she thought before she spotted him yanking a pocket knife from his pants, looking ready to strike her with it. ｢One Vision｣ sprung in action, a punch drilling into his stomach and causing him to spit some blood… a small respite before a most vicious barrage.

"ORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORA!"

The beating left Ungalo heavily bruised and wounded, yet not beaten for the time being.

"I-I guess I didn't stand a chance. Y-You lied to me, you lied to- to us, you fucking shit!" The crumbling foe muttered angrily, yet too weakly to loudly proclaim so as he fell on his knees. "I will hate you forever…

Solomon."

-------------d-d-d-d------------

"I should have known it was you from the very beginning. But I guess I was blinded too much by the absurdity of your presence in this specific timeline," Arlecchino muttered as he stared right at the source of all this trouble.

Medea shredded the skeleton opponents while Mr. Dawn assisted by purifying the bones and thus preventing those from resuming their previous roles as minions of the mastermind behind this mess. Here it stood, grinning viciously as he battled against Arlecchino.

The masked man didn't relent against the powerful magic at hand, his own abilities pushing away with ease the mana rushing at him. Yet it would be a lie to say he was succeeding in stopping the smiling demon in front of him, something preventing him from using his Stand against him.

"I suppose you can say I just found it through the very thing you are trying to save. Such a shame that you will not succeed in this goal."

"Tough words from someone that is on the verge of defeat."

Goetia smiled at his most troublesome opponent, a portal opening behind him as he retreated with a serene look on his face. "Worry not, I will claim my prize regardless of my win or loss here, you absolute fool."

The last threat was now revealed, a battle beyond the normal bizarre had just begun.

----------d-d-d-d--------------

AN

The ultimate foe has been revealed, an entity that saw a chance to return by using Atrum's ambitions and Dio's children to achieve the power yielded by two Holy Grails at once.

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 26: Brawl o' Brothers, Part 3

Was it a victory or a loss?

This was the question that currently perplexed the large group of rebels from Passione as they waited for their leader to finally arrive. Venice and most of Northern Italy and the Islands have been taken over by them, and the battle for the Serenissima had successfully removed Diavolo's influence from the area. Yet, the ruthless mob leader had run away and left them to handle the broken pieces left behind by the intense skirmish.

Some called it a 'fair win', others saw it as a potential mistake since Diavolo was known to be a 'difficult monster to put down'. Memories- no, tales from the older members which remarked how the mobster had decimated the old mafia groups in the span of a couple of years resonated deep in them as they waited for a proper response to this matter.

Sakura could understand why they would feel so upset about this entire ordeal, but, at the same time, she herself was struggling to understand the details of what had happened in the 'background'. And she wasn't the only one having many questions on the man that had allowed Diavolo to escape but... was also behind the arrival of Giorno's half-brothers.

The blond was still recoiling by this matter, shocked that Dio had actually created other children beyond him and... the results were nothing short of jarring. They were all secured and guarded, with their 'Cards/Servants' having been split: the Golem-Maker's card was to be sheltered away from anyone's reach due to its unusual might, while the two others were currently 'owned' by Giorno.

The plum-haired girl sighed heavily at the sight of her cousin struggling to keep both 'Alice' and Mordred from bickering and... it was indeed a sight. Alice was what one would expect from a gothic-dressed young girl with pale-white hair and violet eyes. She was all in black with her petite dress and hat, clinging on Giorno as an overbearing sister would.

In a way, it reminded Sakura of Illya when it came to Shirou. Mordred was an entirely different individual. Some may not have seen it, but she was quite similar to Giorno in some core aspects. Both were blonde, both had blue eyes, but, what really stood out the most through their personalities was how they were wired into a rebellious but righteous mindset. Wearing a white sleeveless shirt and a pair of mini-jeans, Mordred didn't seem to care enough for Trish's disapproving comments over her 'poor fashion choices'. What really got a reaction out of her was when Giorno lamented how 'clunky' her armor was.

"I-It's not that clunky!" She defended, confirming that her priority wasn't the same as many girls had.

Something that Sakura respected considering she too didn't care much about having an overly-feminine style. Still, she was quite sure she would have been cast aside with Narancia, Trish, Caren and Arcueid by the time Risotto arrived at their current base, but Sakura was surprised when she was asked to be there by Risotto's own orders.

At first, she thought it was because she could provide some insight, yet the truth was that she had to be around her guard since he was meant to tell them what he knew of the situation. After all, he had faced the cause of this whole mess and... it wasn't anything to smile at from the way he put it down in his narration.

Risotto carried himself with incredible politeness and calm, yet he looked fairly uneasy when it was mentioned the name Goetia and Mr. Dawn muttered some not-so comforting words in that regard. Sakura had never heard this name before... but she felt like she did. It was an odd feeling, like a tug coming from within her chest as that name was uttered. It was an odd sensation, but nothing that really stunned her as she felt this wasn't the first time she had this sort of reaction. And it became a bit clearer to her why this information was known to her. Or rather, the relation it carried through with it.

"So, this Goetia- what's his final goal?" Risotto finally inquired, quite absorbed in the explanation but focusing on the big issue at hand: Why was this happening? And from there, how do we stop this?

"Humanity's destruction as imperfection on a perfect world," Arlecchino explained flatly, dropping such a truth bomb without a genuine hint of concern. "Goetia's purpose was initially to guard the 72 Pillar Demons. Ever since King Solomon left this world, his last creation turned on his original purpose, gaining interest in erasing humanity because of the taint they represented on Earth."

"That's a fairly strong view on humanity as a whole," Prosciutto commented dryly, while Risotto merely nodded in agreement.

"How does he seek to achieve this? How would Diavolo fit within this equation?"

"Diavolo's Stand- right now its power allows him to alter small sections of reality to his whim, shifting through it as a defensive mechanism and relocating to advantageous positions," Arlecchino answered. "Just that was powerful, yet what Goetia may be after is the Requiem Arrow."

"The... Requiem Arrow?" Bruno inquired with a hint of confusion. "Is this like a normal Stand Arrow or-"

"The Requiem Arrow, to my own understanding, is unique to this world. While other Arrows exist with the purpose of generally creating Stands, this one allows Stand User to unleash an even stronger Stand whose abilities would be greater than their original selves. If Diavolo gets his hands on it, then his Evolved Stand could potentially get the power to alter reality as he wishes."

"...It's not the only thing you can tell us, right? This isn't the end goal for Goetia."

"It's one of the last steps. The moment Diavolo obtains this power, he can use this to allow Atrum Galliasta to gain my ward and use her unique wishcraft innate potential together with a pseudo-Holy Grail to enable an absolute reality-bending control over this dimension... and beyond."

"T-This is absurd," One of the lesser subordinates argued. "Boss, this- this is plain insanity. Reality-bending? Multiple dimensions? This sounds like-"

"Possible within the reality of things," Risotto confirmed dryly, eyeing the naysayer with a dull look, causing the man to go quiet. "I was familiar with some unique arrows, I had heard of rumors of someone that had stolen it from Passione years ago. I am not familiar with its whereabouts, but this thief is still around, so we have to get to him. At once."

Many nodded, while Arlecchino stunned all of them with a single response.

"That will not be necessary," He remarked calmly as he turned to the only door within the meeting room. "Because I've been in contact with the 'thief' and I had safely led him to Venice before we reached this revelation."

"You-" Bruno started to say, yet his voice failed to finish that sentence as someone knocked at the door.

"Yes?" Risotto asked, one of the guards outside opening the door with an awkward look.

"Sir, there's someone that says he had been invited to this meeting but-"

"Let him in."

The guard nodded, letting the new arrival inside the room. And that's where Sakura felt her eyes widened in recognition since she had seen this face before.

The man had long white hair that was shaped to stand up vertically, a blue eye, his left one, staring around with wariness while the other, ruined, now hidden by a transparent eyepatch. He was wearing a blue sleeveless shirt with golden covers around his shoulders and... Sakura felt her face paling as she saw how his lower body was fully bandaged with his legs now replaced by crude metal-made prosthetics.

"This man is an old friend of mine. He went missing a while ago, but I know he is still alive and doing well. I know he was sent to Italy to investigate some disturbances but... since he has been quiet for a while, I guess he is just wasting a few years having fun," Jotaro had said back when he was describing her the 'Stardust Crusaders', tapping at the picture of the same man she was looking at, but faring better than now. "Good grief-"

"...Polnareff?"

The man that her father had been so worried about, someone that had been as close to a brother to him and that now was... well, heavily hurt by what seemed to have been the worst fight possible. Sure, her father did mention that some fights can be rough, she had seen him getting heavily injured a couple of times already, but not... to this level. Not this horribly.

Dad- dad isn't going to be happy about this...

Sakura's surprised gasp was not missed by anyone, but the aforementioned Jean Pierre Polnareff looked surprised at being addressed with his name so suddenly. He turned his attention to the girl and... his only working eye widened. "You- So he was right, the guy on the phone said..."

He wheeled closer to Sakura stopping right in front of where she was sitting and... smiled. "Kujo Sakura, daughter of Jotaro. How's your father?"

"G-Good," The girl gulped nervously. "W-What happened to you?"

His smile grew a bit sadder. "Diavolo. But... I am alive, and that's all that matters."

"Polnareff, that's your name," Risotto commented. "Apologies for interrupting this reunion, but I think there's an urgent matter to discuss before we can rest."

The Frenchman nodded in agreement. "Yes. It's... I am sorry for the little emotional moment. I believe you all are interested in this."

A small rectangular box was dropped on the small table within the room. The item inside, once revealed, gained the shock of everyone inside. All in there were Stand Users, and they could all feel it, a powerful energy hidden within the seemingly 'known' Arrow tool used to unlock Stands. It was different, they could all tell at first glance.

"I am afraid to say that despite its inner power, the Arrow will not work with everyone," Polnareff admitted. "I tried to use it, but it seems that anyone using it when they are not 'worthy' will just lose control of their Stands."

"So, what you are saying is that only those that have reached a specific unknown requirement can use it?"

He nodded and Risotto grimaced at his own assumption.


"Well, there's only one thing left to do then," The boss of the Nuova Passione commented, looking at the rest of his loyal subordinates. "We shall march south and kill Diavolo once and for all. Rome shall be his grave and there shall not be any intervention from these 'magical' evildoers. I suppose you can take care of it...Sakura Kujo."

Sakura's eyes widened at that. "W-What?"

"T-That sounds too much, sir," Prosciutto argued. "Sakura is strong, yes, but she is not-"

"I consider her part of my group, and a valiant member of it," Bruno interjected, nodding at Risotto. "But I believe you also wish for her to not be the only one fighting."

"I am a firm believer of those with value, but I will not send her alone, no. She will assemble a team and take care of this 'Goetia' issue before he can help Diavolo escape again. It's imperative this man is killed or any result of this last skirmish may see the collapse of something more than just Italy. Destiny is calling us to make a choice, and I choose to put my trust in Sakura Kujo in handling this mess."

...

"Why?" Sakura asked, still confused by this decision. "And why do you sound like you know about me?"

"That's because I do, signorina," Risotto remarked calmly, offering a smile before thinking of the past. "A few years ago, I met this individual which helped me find my way despite the evilness of this organization. Someone that held wisdom beyond our time and that spoke fondly of you."

That didn't help much with her guessing game, but something about the mention of wisdom and 'helping others find their ways' clicked with a single individual. Someone that was known to have made trips all over the world in an effort to find her inner peace once more and gain more insight on the modern world.

"I believe her name is... Sanzang."

-------d-d-d-d--------------d-d-d-d-------------

Atrum growled as the pain was not subsiding.

He had gone over and over how this process was ruining him to a degree as expressed by the shivers and disgust of some of the women attracted to his natural beauty... now gone. It wasn't his fault he had to sacrifice something for power, but he could at least say he was going to match the mongrel that had beaten him a while back. The circuits he implanted over his nerves were burning onto his skin, sizzling even, but providing him with enough input to match up with an individual like that stiff and upsetting Lorelei


Ugly scars ran around his arms, legs and parts of his face. He looked older, wrinkler, with his air having lost its golden shade now taking a more platinum touch which made him appear a dying old man. Yet he wasn't. He was still young, handsome and- ambitious. Yes, his ambitions were the strongest at the moment.

He was strong, mightily so and he had the means to now secure his claimed target. Goetia promised he was going to get it, but the inclusion of a non-magus as the primary winner of this alliance sat horribly on his lap. He was rightfully meant to do this sort of thing, to be the main and leading force behind the acquisition of Matou Heiress and of this 'Requiem Arrow', not some thuggish mutt.

Yes, he was going to show them for good and then- then he was going to rule over the world! The ensuing cackling further stirred dread in the hearts of those women staring at their master's descent into insanity, well-aware that he had forsaken his sanity to ensure his plans succeeded. Supposedly so.

Meanwhile, staring at this scene from his 'office' through a special mirror connected to Atrum's workshop, Goetia smiled over the amusing display of arrogance and envy displayed by one of his pawns. Once again proving how humans were unfit for this world and how their taint had to be removed from existence to preserve reality itself. Once the Requiem Arrow was in their hands, and Sakura was used as the filter needed to access other dimensions, then his capacity to overcome Solomon's curses was going to be assured and his plan to erase humanity in all timelines and worlds would be complete.

This time, his creator was not going to be there to ruin his plans as this world- this unique and bizarre dimension, was fertile ground to show him off for daring to limit his powers as he did centuries ago.

This time, Goetia knew, he was going to succeed. Interdimensional intruder or not.

--------d-d-d-d----------

AN

Two Arcs are left, 'Esecuzione' and 'Requiem'. After that... the end of this trilogy, the last piece of the puzzle to complete the bizarre tale of Sakura and her true enemy all along. Stay tuned because the next four-five chapters will be quite... shocking to say the least.

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 27: Esecuzione, Part 1

"So, you really don't want to use my powers?"

Giorno wasn't sure why it felt so odd for Nursery Rhyme to understand this point. It had come to his attention how she had been exploited for her peculiar skills by one of his brothers, and how this was something she didn't appreciate. It felt rightful for him to let her be in that regard as he saw no point in relying on her beyond some supportive regards.

"In this battle, I see no point in endangering you," The young man replied. "From my understanding, your powers don't allow you to be on a prolonged offensive, hence why I see no point in putting you in danger's way."

The Caster Servant nodded slowly at this, sitting beside Giorno as the car they were boarding silently drove through the path that would lead them south, straight to Rome where Diavolo was expected to go. Any other plans of the former boss of Passione were thwarted in advance through the deployment of numerous government-led blocks in the south and general naval 'exercises' in the Tyrrhenian Sea.

The Boss was finally caged in a single location and they were going to put an end to him and this 'Goetia'. This name felt familiar since his mother had given him a bible to read once and it had references to the Ars Goetia. Still, to imagine that this entity was a real thing and not the fruit of some religious monks felt like an unpleasant awakening to a world bigger and more tedious than he expected to deal with.

There's never a time to stop and learn how messed up this world really is.

Despite his best efforts to keep his attention on the main goal of this little offensive to destroy Diavolo, there were a couple of issues stemming from his current situation. Specifically how Nursery Rhyme was behaving at being told by Giorno that he wasn't planning to order her around for some warring. The girl was quiet, and yet her silence felt burdening through the connection they had established. Something that the other individuals in the rear seats of the car noticed and called out.

"You sure are odd," Arcueid remarked flatly. "What sort of minion would lament being spared from the trouble of warfare?"

"S-Servants are expected to take part in conflicts," Medea quipped from the awkward position of sitting on Arlecchino's lap due to how there was no seat left for her. "Nursery Rhyme is perhaps expecting to have a role in this situation despite how limited her capacity is in this situation."

"Is that so?" Trish inquired. "I mean, I am not entirely aware of this Servant's situation but... is it really fine for a little girl to be sent to fight?"

"We are technically little girls too, Trish," Caren reminded the pinkette. "Also, Nursery Rhymes' real appearance is not one of a little girl. She possibly took it from a figure in her book. Maybe Alice in the Wonderland?"

"Something like that," The tiny white-haired Caster admitted.

"Giorno," Sakura muttered, the blond turning to look at his cousin. "Servants seek to have purpose out of the notion that they are individuals that are brought back to the real world for a reason. Since Nursery Rhyme never appeared there before, maybe she just seeks to merely exist within purpose. A purpose you have to give her."

He frowned. "It's... what kind of purpose should I give her? Her powers would leave her in the open for any attackers and-"

"Then give her a purpose beyond the battle, Mr. Giovanna," Arlecchino lamented flatly. "If you seek to not endanger her in this battle, then provide her with the hope that, once this debacle is solved, she will be able to have a role in the world you wish to change."

These words struck Giorno harsher than anything he had to listen up to this point. Not because of the tone used, but of the cruel truth behind it- he had used the right words to collapse his excuse to not bother with the topic. It wasn't like he didn't care for it, but he didn't know what to think of it.

Nursery Rhyme was a child- or looked like one, but it didn't make Giorno any less upset with the notion that he would have to employ someone that was, by all means, close to be considered a child, in mind and body. Despite that, the cogs in his head had started to act up, with a few legitimate suggestions prompting him to be less upset by the topic and more intrigued by what he could do to help others while also providing Nursery with a purpose she could appreciate.

"What if she assists me in helping the children of Italy? Those affected by the drugs?" The blond thought out loud, causing many eyes to be aimed

"I-I can do it! Helping children- this is something I can and will do!"

Ohi, you know that he smells like ya?

Smell?

Giorno was confused by what Mordred had just mentioned. Smell? In what sense would smell be a feasible option for her to perceive in her limited form? But before he could ask more about it, a blinding light came and suddenly shone through the car before shifting him out of the vehicle. He felt his body turning and twisting, with Nursery Rhyme instantly latching onto him as the world around them 'collapsed' and then reformed.

He would have screamed in surprise, but Giorno's mind was too busy feeling the abnormality 'accepting' him as Mordred's card manifested and coated his body in her knightly armor. As he 'landed' on the ground, the tiny Caster Servant let out a tiny 'eep'. It was just them standing on the roof of a small building.

They soon started to look around in the effort of seeing where the others were, but ultimately realizing that they were alone now, and in Rome. But... it wasn't normal Rome. a mixture of old and new, of Roman and Modern- the entire city was fragmenting before their eyes.

"What?" Giorno's mind failed to comprehend what was going on, with Mordred unable to provide an answer herself as her shock came through their current connection.

"It's-" Nursery Rhyme muttered, eyes wide open in surprise. "It's like a Holy Grail War. But... worse."

...What?!

--------d-d-d-d--------

A Few Minutes Earlier...

"Sir, there are some issues," One of the grunts in his car muttered, offering him his phone. "Rome- the city is currently undergoing a lock-down from the government."

"What?" Prosciutto asked with a perplexed look, while Pesci looked surprised at the news.

A frown adorned Risotto's face as he picked the phone and verified the situation himself. His eyes widened considerably by the time she was done with that distressed call, with men in the area reporting issues related to the landscape. Things were changing- people and buildings and animals. It was a massive disaster and the government had just gone nuts and evacuated the city to rush to Florence and then Milan.

At first Risotto couldn't believe it, but then as he tried to get more details, something odd happened. The world twisted around them, fracturing as they were all forcefully pulled away from their car, he shielded his face as shards of metal were flung at him, tearing into his sleeves and pants but dealing no major damage.

It was a brief 'flight', but one that landed them in a place Risotto was familiar with. The head of La Squadra grimaced as he could tell that Goetia had gotten enough time to set things up for a trap against them. This was the Quirinale, the current Presidential palace that once served to host the Royal Family. Its original flags were now replaced with Passione's symbols, dark and violet as a new 'king' took over. How ironic, and yet this didn't leave an amused hint in his face. Not when his squad was quite injured because of that violent warp.

"Prosciutto," He muttered and the man stood up, holding his injured arm while Pesci helped him patch it up, with the younger thug's wounds being abysmal at best. Ghiaccio was gritting his teeth, the annoyed bespectacled man having manifested his Stand a second too late as his leg was partly shredded by this whole mess. "Ghiaccio. You will stay here and stand guard."

"B-Boss?" Pesci blurted in shock, but Prosciutto held him from speaking further.

"It sha-shall be done, boss," The older gangster remarked, with Ghiaccio merely nodding, too frustrated in his current agony to genuinely muster a proper response to that order.

Without hesitation, the future boss of Passione wandered through the cold halls of the 'castle', knowing he was soon going to be met with the last hurdle before salvation. The culprit of this madness was 'calling' for him, he could feel it in his bones. And soon he was there, watching as he witnessed the boss in his true appearance sitting in what resembled a decadent throne made of chairs and bones and other chilling materials.

Diavolo had long pink hair, leopard-patterned with various spots, parted in a zig-zagging manner. The bangs of that are propped and parted slightly to the side. The rest of his hair is cut straight across at his shoulders. His shirt was made of complex mesh-wiring: it covered his shoulders and torso but down his back and abdomen are linked circles that are tucked under his belt.

The room itself, grand and majestic in its sizes, offered plenty of space to placate Risotto's inherent mobility and make this fight feasible for him to win in a 1v1 contest. And Risotto planned to exploit this opportunity to put an end to this madness before the deplorable plans of Diavolo and Goetia came to fruition.

"Risotto Nero," Diavolo muttered, sitting on his 'throne' and glaring down with his inhuman green eyes at him. "How does it feel to be alone before your king?"

"Flattering I suppose," The professional assassin remarked. "In fact, I believe this is a fitting place for a delusional fool to meet his demise."

Diavolo snorted with an unamused tone, and yet said nothing as someone else entered the room. If before Risotto felt a bit intimidated, now he felt outright scared. It was immediate, almost commanding in its arrival, and yet his red eyes peered with horror as the armored behemoth walked forth. Her armor was sharp, sturdy, made of dark-violet alloy, and her helmet looked like one owned by a dragon with a gray mane. Vicious, unforgiving, she strolled towards Risotto, her dark and white lance with rubies-like sharp barbs manifested and displayed energy.

"Your words matter not, Risotto. This isn't going to be a battle, this is going to be your execution as I was given the chance to put you, the greatest of traitors, down for good," The pink-haired threat remarked. "And now, King Arthur, end this mongrel for good."

The King- no, this was a Tyrant- she merely nodded, uttering no words as she steadied her weapon and rushed forth. Risotto gritted his teeth, backing away and allowing his Stand to disappear from sight.

A battle between an Executioner and its king has started. Revolution or Reaction, that was the strife of a true Passion.

-------d-d-d-d-------

"M-Master, this- this energy-"

The Servant shrieked as both her and her Master were suddenly torn from their previous seat and forced to arch in a manner that allowed them to land without any damage to worry about.

"What just happened?!" Mr. Dawn demanded, sounding frustrated by this sudden development as he facelanded beside them.

"Goetia is trying to do something bad," Arlecchino muttered, holding tight on Medea as they both landed near a mostly-rebuilt Coliseum. He had perceived the shift just mere moments before it happened "A Singularity- he is using his 'batteries' already."

"A-A Singularity?" The Caster repeated in shock. "This- I'm sorry, but I don't know what this means-"

"Goetia is using Miyu and her mother as pseudo-Holy Grails. He can't achieve an immediate shift in reality, but he is coming close to collapsing everything around, with Rome and most of central Italy already consumed by this whole mess," The masked figure muttered. "Track down the source of the massive energy output. We need to stop this mess."

"Dear Lord," The bespectacled priest muttered.

"W-What about the others?" Medea inquired, but complied with the order.

"They will have to manage," He gloomly admitted. "As much as it pains me to admit, we will have to disregard their survival. Reality is on the brink of a full-fledged erasure if we don't get this done quickly."

The Princess of Colchis nodded nervously, her full focus now aimed on the task at hand. It took her a while, but she found a source of energy that could aid a potential Holy Grail War. The trio rushed forth, avoiding any potential confrontations against potential controlled legionnaires, skeletons, and other monstrosities littering the Italian Capital. Their destination proved to be in the Vatican. The Basilica of Saint Peter had been taken over by a large number of monsters, forcing the small group to start fighting their way into the large building.

Medea blasted some of the enemies with magical blasts, while also keeping an eye on healing any wounds on Mr. Dawn as he assisted as much as he could. In the meantime, Arlecchino ruthlessly mowed down opponents without a care or holding back. Anyone watching could see a figure faintly aiding his assault, punching left and right and doubling the brutality shown by the masked figure. The tedious advance eventually ended as there were no foes inside the basilica itself. No, what was inside was a pile of women's bodies.

"Someone killed them, they were with Atrum," Medea commented, holding her staff tightly. "Master, I think-"

"YOU ARE FINALLY HERE!" A monstrous entity roared, blond hair forming a hideous monster that hardly looked human as he descended from the ceiling. A tendril erupted from its left hand, with numerous bulbous red eyes appearing on it as they tried to stab Arlecchino's head. The masked figure backed away, but some damage was done... to his mask. Part of its upper section was torn off, revealing blond hair and a single orange eye through that opening to his face. Arlecchino gritted his teeth, frustrated by the development and taking this little attack personally.

"Atrum. I suppose you really lost your marbles for this occasion," He coldly greeted. "A shame, I would have preferred to kill you a Magus rather than a monster."

"Monster?! I AM STILL HANDSOME!"

His horrible form was filled with an insane amount of prana. But since his circuits couldn't handle this for long, his life was numbered... in mere hours. Minutes if they were lucky.

"N-Not really!" Medea rebuked nervously and frightened, unable to stare at the abomination that once summoned her. "You're repugnant!"

"SHUT UP! YOU STUPID LITTLE- GAH!"

Numerous black keys stabbed onto the beast's back, forcing it to back away and snarl at the one he had ignored. Mr. Dawn merely scoffed.

"A Magus going overboard with his ambitions? Not a novelty."

"I WILL END YOU. I WILL END YOU ALL!"

Arlecchino snorted, grasping his mask and removing it for good, seeing no point in holding back his identity. Mr. Dawn's jaw hit the floor as he got a full view of the bizarre man's face, recognition flashing on his face as he was shocked by the discovery. Before a most foolish and monstrous Atrum, a tall figure stood with piercing orange eyes and well-combed blond hair. A spotless face, and a single amused smile flashing delight at having nothing holding him back.

"No, Atrum," The CEO of Made in Heaven Inc, Lord Dio Joestar, muttered with a smile. "I will end you."

----------d-d-d-d-------------d-d-d-d--------------

AN

REVELATION! But yes, the same protagonist of Absolute Divinity is indeed one of the three 'heroes' which will fix this mess. There are three goals for each group to deal with. We saw Diavolo and Artoria Alter Lancer, we saw Atrum, but next time will open up to what happened to the rest of the group as the main protagonists will face the biggest threat at the moment.

Sakura's fate is at stake and her future will be dictated by her fortitude and by her friends. May the heavens guide the newest addition to the Joestar family into pure salvation.

Lastly, if this isn't clear at the moment, this Dio will not steal the scene. He is a man with a side mission in this plot and one that will be soon accomplished. No asspulls, no extended assistance, the rest is up to the other characters to solve. I am aware of how risky a move this one is, but trust me when I say I have a clear plan in mind and it will give all a chance to find this a good plot.

P.S. I now have a discord server! Discord .gg/ceBMM2Zz6c

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 28: Esecuzione, Part 2

The world was still spinning when Sakura stood up from the ground.

It unfolded so suddenly- to be yanked out from the car, that her body was still recoiling at the sudden development. Teeth gritting intensely, her blue eyes narrowed at the few creatures forming around and blocking their path to... the coliseum? There was a pillar of light coming through it and, if things were as stupidly easy as she expected these to be, then their current goal was to get there and beat up the cause of this issue.

Around her were Arcueid, Narancia, Caren and Trish. It was just the four of them... where were the others?

"It would seem like we are alone for now," Arcueid muttered, with Caren nodding.

They couldn't see anyone else, and a grim thought entered Sakura's mind. They have been split, purposely so- the entity behind such a reality shift- the chaos that was troubling existence itself around them, was the same individual they were currently hunting down. Goetia.

"We need to get going then. We... Have a job to do."

At this point, the drill was clear to everyone. With Narancia's ｢Aerosmith｣ taking off and providing assistance against the few aerial foes in front of them, while Arcueid and Sakura acted against the main front. Caren protected Trish as the pinkette used ｢Spice Girl｣ to throw back any projectile attack thrown at them. Fast, they had to get this warpath going without ever faltering.

But as they started to advance and tore through the army of small Imps, skeleton knights and even a few low-tier demons, the situation started to get more complicated. Something was happening to everyone but Arcueid. Caren perceived this first, feeling a degree of nausea as they advanced. It was something in the air, like a form of pollution which was influencing their breathing- no, their minds.

"S-Something is tainting the air against normal humans," Caren muttered. "We need- We have to stop this before we all fall to this."

Sakura nodded nervously, knowing that something more was unfolding inside her. If for the others it was nausea and a sense of weakness, within the plum-haired girl a strange and raw rage was slowly unraveling and taking over her violent assault over the foes in front of them. She felt the need to smile, to laugh, to enjoy the carnage and to make it her 'mark' on the world. No one saw it, not even Arcueid as the vampire was busy shredding into the other monsters and couldn't pay attention to Sakura's own plight.

Sakura held out, she knew she had it in her as ｢One Vision｣ never once lost focus of their current task. Trish was the first to 'fall'. The girl stumbled, losing consciousness as Narancia rushed to get her and carry her in his back as they got closer to their destination. Caren looked tired too and while he was trying to hide it, even Narancia was growing more sluggish in his pace.

Eventually they made it, entering the large monument through one of the open entrances and closing it behind them with ｢Aerosmith｣ shooting down some pieces of the ceiling onto the entrance. They paused for a moment, with Narancia falling on his knees and allowing Caren to get Trish off his back before he collapsed, with the pinkette still unconscious.

"We can't... go on," Caren mumbled, sitting down and cradling Trish close. "Sakura... I am sorry."

"D-Don't be," Sakura replied, nodding. "We will stop him. Just... hold on tight."

Caren offered a tiny smile as Arcueid and Sakura left... and then growled when she stared at the blood coming from the wounds on her legs and arms which had been hidden by her robes. Her cursed nature allowed the pollution to hurt her the most and... she was going to make it.

I believe in Sakura and she will... save me.

Meanwhile Sakura was feeling uneasy. This whole situation was getting out of hand really fast as they tried to reach the main arena. The pollution hadn't stopped, and she was on a losing battle as she could feel her own consciousness faltering. She held strong, but she knew she wasn't going to last for long. Their path ultimately led them to the source of all trouble.

Goetia stood in front of the pillar of light, various artifacts on display behind such a phenomenon as he was waiting for something- no, someone. He turned around, the 'old priest king' appearance twisted in a demonic fashion. With his eyes now a bloody red with dark sclera, his mouth extending beyond his lips' limits and his body twitching in clear inhuman fashion- Goetia stood out from his creature due to its unusual existence. And he soon stared at them approaching.

"Matou Sakura- no, Kujo Sakura and Arcueid Brunestud. Many would say that your existence is flawed, Sakura, but I define you for what you truly are- an anomaly," Goetia muttered. "A mere child you may seem to be, yet your mere circumstance is indeed unexpected for the Will of the Planet. Your fated damnation, your tainting- even though your destiny was prevented in 1994, now you shall be part of something greater. The Holy Grail, you shall be a piece of this glorious plan to erase humanity as a whole."

Sakura scowled, starting to walk towards him despite how grim the situation was, with Arcueid following her example. The action wasn't lost to Goetia, which hummed and then mused.

"Oh? So you seek to approach me. Despite how miserable your chances are, you still seek to fight me and bring my defeat upon this world."

"I can't beat you up if I am not close enough," She admitted stiffly, unwilling to give up just because the bad guy asked.

"Not everyone can be some disgusting monster that can't handle a real fight," Arcueid added dryly, causing Goetia to frown at them.

"Truly? You both think you will succeed? Quite a pathetic feeling, and I suppose this is indeed humanity's finest flaw. Let's see what you two have to offer then."

At first, the two girls thought it would have been a tough but feasible fight. Goetia was still killable in that stage and they did deal a lot of damage to him early on as they tore into his efforts to stop them. But the more time passed, the more the situation shifted against them. The first issue was when Goetia's attempt to summon some of the Demon Pillars turned out to be successful, with three massive pillars with eyes manifested and forced Arcueid to shift her focus on them while Sakura kept on assaulting Goetia.

The more demonic power surged and the more reality twisted, the easier it was for Goetia to ultimately unleash his true form. From a somewhat killable Demon on par with a Magus of the Age of God, the greatest creation of Solomon mustered a form befitting of the king of demons, his figure now towering over Sakura with his massive frame and muscular shape. Atop his head, ethereal golden horns emerged like antlers with gold leaves sprouting from its many tips. A twisted regal entity.

And Sakura was also losing her focus. The pollution had effectively deprived her of much of her control over her actions and most of her fighting was done by pure instinct alone. Without a plan or good reactions to some attack, the girl felt pressured into a corner before being eventually slammed onto one of the walls, his great right hand wrapped tightly around her neck.

"You shall concede to me, child. For I am the one that holds this whole dimension hostage. There is no winning, there is no losing- there is just you following my orders and, perhaps, you will find peace through death."

"I-I refuse," Sakura growled furiously. "I will- I will not surrender. Not to someone like you."

Goetia was frowning hard on her, disappointed in this stubbornness, yet quickly picking up that her unyielding morale was not the only thing rising up to the challenge. Something else within her was, and it was growing over the rage, feasting on it and using it as fuel to extend its influence over Sakura's body. She felt it burn through what was left of her self-control and her eyes glowed in pure hatred, stunning Goetia for a moment too long for him to see how things were soon going to change for him.

"｢One Vision｣:" She proclaimed angrily. "Absolute!"

Anger fueled a transformation that tainted the original purpose of her Stand. From mere copycat, ｢One Vision｣ shuddered as its coat turned from white into pitch black, its blue elements turning red. It wasn't the only thing that changed as Sakura's hair turned white with its edges a dark-blood red. Her eyes were a deep violet which felt like a never-ending abyss. The corruption got to her, but not in the way that Goetia would have expected. As Sakura shifted up, standing from the floor, Goetia unconsciously backed away. It was sudden, unexpected and... something about this genuinely frightened him.

"W-What are you?"

No, he knew already. Something about her power- her vicious smile - it all made sense to him. Too much sense, in fact. The pillars surrounding the large arena shuddered, a sense of familiarity striking them as Sakura glared deviously at Goetia. No, this was no longer Sakura. This was more, so much more. It took him a moment, then it all clicked as he felt his Divine form faltering before hers. Something hit him and it was strong enough to overrun his own magical might. It was absolute, it was intense... it felt like his Nega-Summon skill.

It could only mean one thing.

"You became a Beast... that's why I wasn't stopped before, it was expected- your rise was... expected!" He called out, horror dawning upon his fake face as Sakura's grin turned predatorial.

"Yep~."

It was the only warning Goetia got as Sakura blurred forward and, with a single punch, tore his left arm off. It was sudden, it was intense and he felt something malicious starting to stab into his wounds and 'closing them'. It wasn't a proper healing, no, it was something more horrible. His body was getting devoured from the inside by such an entity and...

HE COULDN'T ACCEPT THIS DISAPPOINTING DEFEAT!

He jumped away, rushing to his brothers and draining on their essence to fix the damage. It worked, if only just barely as he felt his new limb was still hurting from what Sakura did. Snarling at the injury, he could only glare defiantly at the smiling demoness he had created. The taint on reality itself through her was much worse than anything he had ever perceived.

This was a novelty he would have enjoyed to study more through, but said novelty was the key to his success and said key was putting on a fight way more intense than anything he would have predicted. He was frustrated, quite so, but Goetia was not going to let this development stop him and his goals.

He was too damn close for this, and he wasn't going to be stopped by a foolish little child-turned-Beast!

---------d-d-d-d---------

Bruno hummed dryly, the car they just hijacked was working just fine, but the city was a mess.

Rome had indeed fallen, and it was clear that their current targets, Diavolo and Goetia, were behind this. Their group has been severely weakened as Narancia and the girls plus Arlecchino, Medea and the priest were no longer within reach. Luckily for them, Polnareff was with them and he was fine. He still held the Requiem Arrow's box with him, the item having been left untouched.

Still, they had to move and get to deal with one of those dangerous threats at once. The Coliseum was the easiest destination to see, but it was also the furthest from where they were. Hence why Mista was not driving them there, but rather taking a detour to reach the Quirinale Palace. When inquired on why this was the place for them to go, Bucciarati admitted hearing the boss mention that such a place would have been fitting for the leader of Passione. With Diavolo's mind declining as of recently, it wouldn't be too absurd to believe he had gone out and conquered the place for himself.

And he was given confirmation of this when they could find some corpses of former thugs working for Passione and then catching up with Pesci and Prosciutto as they were fending off some skeletons on their own. Prosciutto had some bandages on him but he was fine enough to join the fights from a distance. Once the area was cleared, the group tagged along and they made their way to reach where Risotto had left for. It's been awhile since the two had seen the new Boss, but they were hopeful he would be fine even now while killing Diavolo.

What anyone couldn't have expected was the sight that they found in the 'throne room'. It was clear that a big fight had ensued. Most of the place was broken, with the floor cracked, the chandeliers on the ground destroyed, the few tables shattered and...

Giorno stood between the bloodied form of Risotto and a now-standing Diavolo, the man glaring at the blond as the knighted form he showed was now standing before him - his Servant - and taking a stance towards a dark-armored knight that was using a twisted lance. The child, Nursery Rhyme, was trying to heal Risotto, but the damage he suffered was extensive and was going to take more than some limited magical power to fix that. The situation was indeed grim, but he could see that Risotto was still alive.

The standoff persisted even as they moved forward, with Abbacchio crouching to assist Nursery Rhyme and Bruno walking up to stand between Giorno and the armored Servant. Diavolo turned his green-eyed gaze to him.

"Bruno Bucciarati. Of all loyal members of this group, I was the most shocked to hear about your betrayal. Why did you seek to break from the very group that saved you from being tossed in jail?"

"The very reason that drove me to join this group was to help people to not experience the same experiences I had as a child," He flatly replied. "You think this is a betrayal, Diavolo. You chose to continue with these deplorable activities that harmed kids. There is no justification that can be employed, you grew rotten and greedy."

"Fuh, if this is what you have to say for yourself, then I believe you are truly gone and beyond saving," The former boss remarked. "Lancer, let us cease this rebellion for good."

The tall 'black knight' nodded, while the other one tightened the hold over her sword.

"Come forth then, father. So I shall show you how horrible you truly have become!"

Bruno wasn't completely sure what they were dealing with but-

"We will deal with them," Giorno muttered, confusing his chief for a few moments. "We got this."

"Giorno-"

"Trust... him..." Risotto muttered weakly, catching Bucciarati's attention.

"And bring him to safety, he needs to be taken care of by an expert."

Bruno didn't want to go. This was a risky situation and quantity may be the key to success, but Risotto's confidence was absolute and the man showed no hints of backing away from such order. There was little for them to do, but someone decided to leave something behind. Giorno looked surprised when he was offered a very familiar box, but Polnareff merely patted his back.

"You may have a shitty father, but you are worthy of this. Good kid you are, I hope to see you succeed today."

"P-Polnareff!" Diavolo angrily greeted. "I thought you perished!"

"You failed, Diavolo," The crippled Stardust Crusader muttered mirthfully. "To kill me and to end this world. Face the price of your actions, for this shall be a day of judgment for you."

Giorno didn't say a word, his focus aimed at the box as he retrieved the Arrow inside.

As they were leaving with a barely-alive Risotto, Bruno felt three energies erupting together with the bright lights behind them. He didn't turn to see, ordering the other men to follow through with their plan and bring the future Boss to safety so he could be healed properly. He wanted to stay, he wanted to help but... the more he thought about it, the more he realized that something convinced Risotto into believing in Giorno.

If a realist such as the leader of La Squadra was willing to concede the right to face Diavolo to an idealist such as Giorno, then Risotto saw something that made the blond worthy of such honor.

And Bucciarati knew, just like the rest of those that had been close to Giorno for a while, that this- this was perhaps the turning tide they had been waiting for. The end of an Era of Blood for the sake of an Era of Peace.

---------d-d-d-d------------

AN

Next time we will go through a bit of a 'flashback' on what happened during that fight between Risotto, Artoria Alter Lancer and Diavolo, how Giorno arrived and got Risotto's trust and... we will see how Dio is faring.

Also, I have to explain a few things for those that are not familiar with Beasts. Sakura is not a complete Beast, but she is 'fitting' certain requirements which would allow her to become one if she allowed the transformation to fully happen. Right now she is one shoe in to become what I would classify as 'Beast III/S', or the 'Beast of Disbelief'. The Sin in question is her mind forfeiting any form of belief within existence which may or may not be true. Without belief, there's only absolute despair. And right now, Sakura seeks to bring this to Goetia by shredding any chances he has to hurt those she cares for. And that's where the 'half-Beast' bit comes through: Sakura has not fully embraced the Sin she is supposed to represent.

Hence why, despite her current advantage over Goetia... She isn't much stronger than him. She is advantaged by the Sin her form embodies, with Goetia's purpose born from personal belief over others. Without belief, Goetia's purpose falls apart and thus his power, his will of fighting, perishes with it.

P.S. I now have a discord server! Discord .gg/ceBMM2Zz6c

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 29: Esecuzione, Part 3

Fast.

Risotto growled as his pace was being disrupted by the intense attitude taken by the armored Servant. He knew that he was fighting a powerful entity, but his Stand was nothing to scoff at when it came to aggressive assassinations. ｢Metallica｣ was quick to coat his whole frame in iron particles, reflecting the light and blending his appearance into the location, thus depriving his current opponent of the chance to strike him down when she could.

The armored knight was quick to understand it was invisibility, but her approach to it was cautious and slow, a mistaken take on how to handle his Stand's ability. ｢Metallica｣'s capacity to manipulate Iron came handy into understanding the scale of the danger he was facing. The knight's armor had some iron, but the particles couldn't be influenced for some reason. Magic, maybe, or something within the alloy that wasn't recognized by his Stand as Iron. So, rather than try to squish her to a quick death, Risotto shifted his focus on weakening her.

The knight's slow-paced resolve was quickly put to test when she suddenly was forced to lift her helmet to spat some paper clips that had formed in her throat. That should have put everyone to a pause, but she swiftly expelled the iron-made items, and jumped away from Risotto's proximity. That was not a reaction he wanted his target to have. Not when his maximum reach was ten meters and she was well away from that.

Approaching was also unfeasible with Diavolo acting as some sort of eagle over the field, keeping an eye on noises and using his power to predict his pattern. A tricky situation, but not one he couldn't shift to his opportunity. Diavolo was bound to that throne, arrogantly thinking he was safe from any issue, but looking quite surprised when the iron his Servant ejected was turned into daggers that soared towards him.

｢King Crimson｣ manifested and dealt with the attack, creating a mistaken location to where he was and gaining the Lancer's attention. The woman struck the ground near her pool of blood, thinking that disrupting the blood would spare any other troubles. She didn't know how wrong she was.

Right as she dispersed the liquid, her body froze as she was forced to eject more of it from her mouth, this time it was stapler pins. But rather than fully deal with it, the Servant struggled and found the chances to force the pins out of her throat much more difficult than it had been with the clips. And this was his chance to strike. The closer he was, the more control he had over iron. And with just a few steps towards the Servants, Risotto had all he needed to secure himself a win.

"He's behind you, two meters!"

Too little, too late. No amount of tattling would assist the Servant as, while the woman shifted to hit him with her lance, her body froze as ｢Metallica｣ took over and shredded bones in her limbs. It was not enough to break them, but it paralyzed her with pain. It gave him the edge to rush and shatter her skull with it and... that didn't happen.

The lance suddenly activated, a powerful pulse of energy came and formed a barrier that slammed onto Risotto and pushed him onto some broken chairs' pieces. The wood stabbed into his body, but only his left leg and arm were maimed the worst. The wounds aren't healing fast enough to make a difference, and, while Diavolo looked hardly in good shape, he was still alive and well on the path of recovery.

Which was quite negative for his planning. Coughing a bit more blood, but shifting the iron around the spilled red to get back in his body and temporarily seal his damaged self, Risotto wasn't ready to give up just yet. It wasn't a permanent fix, but it was enough to give him a chance to kill them for good.

Or it would have been a good way to secure a chance if not for a situation he didn't expect. The armored knight stood straight just as he did, and it felt odd how her body was just... moving flawlessly. There was no sign of limping or of hunching with her steps. It was like she had completely healed from that much damage. Which would have been terrifying had this been a normal human being- but this was a Servant. And one that instantly shattered his hopes when another pulse, this one stronger than the previous one, broke him up once more, rupturing his makeshift fix for his injury and leaving Risotto in a close-to-death situation.

He was reaching a critical situation and the Lancer was slowly approaching when something smashed through the rooftop and landed right near Diavolo. It took a moment for the dust to clear out, but soon the sight of a familiar blond was now clear.

"Giorno Giovanna," Diavolo greeted. "Your presence here is... most unnecessary. Even so, I have to say... I was surprised when I found out that your father was the very man that bought most of the Arrows for himself."

"I am not DIO, Diavolo," His knightly form dematerializing as another individual manifested. One that was quickly staring angrily at the fellow knight.

"Father!"

"Mordred."

Father and son, heh?

"How dare you summon my Father in such hideous form! I will not forgive you, pink bastard!"

Diavolo scoffed at the insult, but he seemed more interested in Giorno.

"I could give you so much if you allowed these mongrels to die. You are young, so is Narancia and Fugo- you three can survive given that lapses of youth are something I am quite familiar with."

"This rebellion- no, this revolution, Diavolo, is not one that you can stop with bribes," Giorno rebuffed his chance, something many his age would have taken. "The stakes are too high, and I refuse to let more children be hurt by the drugs you bring here in this country. This ends now!"

Risotto coughed weakly, trying to keep up and provide assistance, but he was struggling to even listen as a tiny figure in the form of Nursery Rhyme rushed forth to help him. He could see it in the child's eyes- there was no hope for her to heal him. He was too far gone. He wanted to be angry at this- the chances of his conquest of Passion dashed away by a situation well beyond any planning. He wanted to be frustrated- he wanted to scream at fate for its unfairness but... he couldn't

Risotto just stood there, weakly dying as he knew that, even as Bucciarati came to his rescue, his odds of survival were grim at best. Yet, he trusted Giorno. Something about his resolve and his chances made him believe- plus, something about this fit right into what he had hoped to see.

The old broken by the new, a new generation of criminals that followed the patriotic view of some of the early brigands. To protect their land and people rather than for the riches and the control of everything. And Giorno was going to lead it- him and those of the same mindset. And it all reminded Risotto of something he once heard from Xuanzang back when he first met her.

His skepticism was ruptured by a wisdom that went beyond her youthful appearance and that brought into him a sense of newfound doubt and self-thought. He always defined himself unworthy of the crown, willing to take it because there was no choice. But when he rejected the notion of doing it because he was a hero, especially since he regretted none of the deeds he was responsible for which deprived lives, old and young, the monk didn't seem upset by this genuine self-evaluation.

Her ensuing words were what now gave him one last wish to pray on.

You know, that's what Sun Wukong told me. "How can I be a hero even after what I did to so many people? I don't regret it, you know?" You know what I told him, Risotto? I started with "It's quite simple. If you can't be a hero, then help one become it."

If Risotto couldn't take that crown, then someone with a brighter future would. The bloody legacy of Diavolo was not one a man that lived and served him for so long could really entertain. Not without being corrupted by it. Giorno was young, yes, but Bruno was going to stand beside him. And while Bucciarati was no king, he could easily become a king-maker through his advice and guidance.

Yes, Risotto knew it. A new age was in front of them and his passing, together with Diavolo was going to give it the might it needed to happen. Gone were the old monsters, for new heroes were now here to cleave the taint out of the Italian territory...

------------d-d-d-d--------

AN

So, today I was quite busy being outside for RL stuff. I am literally cooked because the heat is atrocious here and the UV Index is quite worrying. I had initially planned to just delay the writing of the full chapter to after lunch, but even as I got myself a power-nap, my body just refused to put itself into the production of a proper one.

Heck, writing this small one took a few hours of planning, battling tiredness and drinking a questionable amount of cold tea and... it gives me an opportunity to expand the last few chapters without delving too much in the flashback. What I can say right now is that next time will have a proper chapter. And since this one was not planned, let's add an extra chapter to the finale's count.

P.S. I now have a discord server! Discord .gg/ceBMM2Zz6c

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 30: Requiem, Part 1

Sakura was in pain. And yet she couldn't help but smile.

It was an odd feeling- to be subjected to agony and yet pull through despite it. It was not something unusual, not when her life was so unusual. Bizarre and yet, in the past, horrible. Despair was no novelty to her, and this form of self-burning just rekindled in her a sense of vengeance that transcended what she had felt as a child.

She remembered it all. Zouken, the worms- it was all crawling within her together with sins that she became bearer of. Sakura's anger was eternal, and matching Goetia's lust for power. Two wrathful entity, one driven by construction and one shaped by pain and then cast by familial kindness.

A puppet against a puppet. A monster against a monster.

But while that should equate to matching powers, Sakura's advantage was not absolute as her current stand. The way ｢One Vision: Absolute｣ worked was weakened by the inner transformation that was turning her into the truest Calamity, akin to Goetia himself. Yet, the Stand prevented her full transformation by protecting the inner core of her emotions. The purest form of her soul was not surrendering to the Beast growing from within.

Her amusement skyrocketed just as she was slammed once more by one of the walls of the Roman arena, her teeth and lips stained in her own blood as she roused from her own seemingly frail position and regained momentum against her current Enemy. Between the two, Goetia was the one that had a short-term advantage. He was the strongest of the two, yet he was also the least prepared for fighting.

Sakura was experienced, albeit just barely more than the Solomon-built entity. She knew how to fight, and her current limited power, her Curse of Disbelief, was slowly eroding Goetia's own capacity to rely with his own power. Without his Beliefs, Goetia would be unable to rely on his inner strenght. There would be no Morale, there would be no drive. Only sorrow within his newfound incapacity to understand his current madness.

YOU ARE WEAK!​

But the more Sakura fought, the more she felt her body faltering and her spirit fleeting as the malicious intent bubbling within her mind was taking over her weakened self. It was a like a massive worm swallowing her whole. Her despair souring, her smile losing personality as it was replaced by the input of something else and then, right as she managed to punch Goetia's ribs once again and compress his chest until he was unable to do much for a while, her eyes blinked closed as something else took over her.

MINE MINE MINE​

She tried to fight off, to reclaim something that was hers to have, but that feeling was lost to her. She was drowned into the depths of her own unease and nervousness, the shock driving her deeper with no visible chance of remerging from that familiar dark mud that took her individual self from the equation.

REST, FOR THIS IS MY TIME TO SHINE!​

The need to sleep increased, Sakura's mind persisting but close to falter entirely to the demand. She had failed to see the issue until it was too late... or maybe not. A moment, then, as reality continued to fracture, she felt her lulled body taken to something that wasn't familiar to her. She felt carelessly dropped onto a cold ground... yet her head rested on something soft.

Legs?

"Good grief, Sakura."

She would have gone rigid at that as she recognized that voice.

Dad...

She wanted to tell him she was sorry. How this all came to explode into something she wasn't prepared for. That, even at her best, she was struggling and that her best wasn't enough. She felt embarrassed as her father told her how being too bold would risk her so much. Sakura felt chided by life in a way that she should have already learned. The beating, the pain, the sorrow- it was all like when she was a little girl. How frail she was, how she had to be taken away by those that were old enough to be strong and face the monster that was hurting her.

Sakura grew up, and yet her admiration for her father never stopped- it grew into something of an obsession: she wanted to be as strong as he was- in mind, in soul, and in body. She trained, she read, she tried to pull the same stoic faces as he would do, but, even with that, she was not strong enough. She failed and it was the whole world paying for it. Sakura felt tears forming faster as the familiar large palm owned by Jotaro caressed her face, pulling away a few locks resting on her forehead as his thumb calmly rubbed there in comfort.

"You didn't fail."

She did. She let the monster take over, she allowed her pain to lead her into her own damnation and-

"Yet you still survive," Jotaro muttered within that dream. "You are alive."

She was but... why?

"Why not? Why are you giving up?"

I failed-

"Did you? Are you going to accept defeat even now that you live? Don't you remember what I told you many times? You may not be related to blood to me, but you are my daughter," Jotaro remarked. "You are someone I took in my family wanting nothing more but one thing. For you to survive, endure, and be better than anyone. Even me."

Dad, I-

"You have failed no one. You didn't fail me, your mother, your sister- not even those others in our family and those friends of ours and yours. You live, Sakura, and right now you need to make a choice. Will you make that step you know you need to take- to grow up from that shadow of mine you cast over yourself, or will you give up because you can't grow up?"

Her sobbing didn't stop, she felt completely upset by this- she felt deprived, rightfully so, of the choice. It wasn't fair... but life was never fair. And she stumbled on this mess in the first place. Had she been more careful- had she remained out of this mess... maybe this wouldn't have happened. Maybe. Yet she still walked this path because it was... right. It was bad how things unfolded, but she wasn't done yet.

Kujo Sakura was still alive and strong, and unwilling to give up to Goetia and, worse, her own darkness. It was still taunting her, calling her weak and frail. Yet, the more she wondered about her current strength, she felt something tapping her out of despair itself: hope. Hope to make things right- hope to not become the monster that Zouken wanted her to turn into- hope to give the world another chance at all costs.

It felt like a surge of energy, the darkness vanishing and Jotaro no longer here. No, he was never here. It was a shadow that lurked by her side, reminding to her how it was time to make that big step. And how this was going to change everything. As much as it pained her to do this, she was ready. She felt ready and thus... she emerged from her own darkness.

It all happened so suddenly. The malicious influence trying to fight her off, but Sakura showing no hesitation in tearing everything down with the help of the very thing that stuck to her to the very end. The manifestation of her fighting spirit, her Stand, her ｢One Vision: Absolute｣- With its mighty 'ORAs', the humanoid shredded into the attempts to keep her down.

No more she would let her own fear and anger dictate her decisions. The world of darkness collapsed as she soon found herself in a different situation. Drained, yet her body was still working just as Goetia's. The King of Demons was faltering, yet he seemed to slowly recover as the Beast of Disbelief abandoned the field and left behind a very driven Kujo Sakura.

"You fool! You allowed that power to leave you and now I shall-"

He didn't get to finish that sentence. A villain so dramatic and dangerous didn't deserve as much. He didn't notice how immediate her Stand could move, nor that he was already struck with a fist. The punch slammed, but Goetia didn't recoil because he felt his world fixed within reality itself as a single point. Confusion emerged and then, as if his soul vanished, his body started to falter in dark mist. Confusion, panic, he tried to hold onto the knowledge that the rest of the Demon-Pillars survived, but all those around him perished. An immediate erasure of concept, Sakura had wanted them to disappear and for Reality to slowly repair.

Goetia realized only as the process was underway- Sakura's plan was to use the Demon-Pillars as batteries for Gaia and Alaya to work on fixing the damage. They have been found, they have been marked and their capacity to outpace the Will of the Planet and of Mankind was no longer there to protect them. The King of Demons tried to throw one last insult, but he knew that his existence was now over as his world collapsed around him. Goetia roared, but it was a feeble noise against a quiet reckoning within Sakura's heart.

She smiled, the cracks patching themselves as the world started to fix itself for good as the damage caused by Goetia was properly mending itself back to an original status quo. Her relief was brief, the girl noticing two elements within the vast capacity of her euphoric Stand which shook her to the core. First was Giorno, he was winning with a golden shine that went beyond her expectation and then... she felt him. And he noticed her back.

Sudden and yet he was now out of her sight right as the input reached back to her. Recognition, familiariaty and... confusion.

...Dio is here?

---------d-d-d-d------

Giorno wasn't sure how the Arrow was meant to work, but he didn't hesitate to use it on his Stand. He craved not the power it offered, but rather wanted to have everything that was within reach that could break Diavolo for good.

He was tired- too tired to accept the madness of the former boss of Passione as forgivable with a 'dull' punishment. Death was too kind, not because he felt enticed to be an executioner, but because Diavolo's greatest crime was now causing the potential end of the world. And there was nothing more horrid than imagining innocents being dragged into this shift of power. The way he clung to the insanity that was the rupture of reality as a whole... Giorno had no choice, Diavolo had to die.

And when he felt ｢Gold Experience｣ shift from its previous form and into something new. He spared it a glance, and he felt it- His Stand maturing into the perfect representation of hiw will upon the world itself. Diavolo noticed, and moved to a speed Giorno was sure ｢Gold Experience｣ would have not matched in its normal state of self. This version of his Stand, easily smacked the approaching punches away and drove a fist right onto ｢King Crimson｣'s stomach.

Diavolo felt the painful hit slam into his belly, forcing him to bend slightly forward.



｢Gold Experience Requiem｣ had many similar features like the original stand, including the ladybugs on its hands and the oblong grooves across its body. Its head now extended into pointed tips with the back of the head hollow, giving it the appearance of a crown or a flower that's grown up and bloomed. Its eyes were peculiar as its 'eyeballs' were embedded in cross-like structure within slanted sockets, showing a degree of autonomous thinking superior to its original self. It also had an extended ridge collar on the back of its neck and several indentations and various other patterns covering its body.

And his Stand wasn't the only thing that 'evolved' through that interaction with the Arrow.

Mordred had experienced changes too as her armor was now thicker, and her Clarent had turned into a spiral lance akin to the one used by her father, the energy coming from it purer and clearer. The Goddess-Tyrant grunted as her enemy suddenly showed a degree of power that either matched or overwhelmed her current capacity, frustrated by the sight yet showing hints of pride at the sight of her child now bearing the truest appearance of a king.

"Father, it's time for you to go back to the Throne of Heroes."

"I will not yield so easily, Mordred," Artoria promised, shifting her lance and rushing forward, expecting to be met with a clash.

What she found was, however, more one-sided than she expected. Especially when a sphere of pink mana slammed onto her armor and shattered part of the piece around her free hand. She paused, confusion roused by the unexpected attack, yet her eyes narrowing at the cause of it all.

Nursery Rhyme had 'grown', with her appearance mostly unchanged, but now no longer a child as she stood close in height to Giorno and her expression no longer holding innocence towards her current foe, but anger.

"A King, you are not. Alice can see how frantic you are right now, how fragile your ego is. But alas, the reason why I have to disappoint the fair King Mordred is not because of disrespect," The Caster hummed politely, noticing Mordred's irritated look at having her interrupt. "Children are going to die if she is not defeated. That, as my duty as shielder of the childhood, can't be set aside. Apologies, Mordred, but I will take part to this war of yours in the name of goodness and truth."

Disappointing for Mordred, but bearable within the reasoning she was given. Artoria was shocked by this, and while part of her wanted to protest, she didn't have a chance to. Mordred blurred with her pace, zeroing the distance between their distance, cleanly slamming her Rhongomyniad onto her shoulder and successfully detaching the arm connected to her weapon.

Sudden and so powerful, but not as powerful as the barrage of magic that further devoured at her armor. It was brutal and none of this felt like a duel. And why would it? The thought was motivated by the reality she was trying to protect, the twisted desire not even in her worst day she could have imagined. As dreadful this conduct was from her own span, Artoria recognized the need to make it less of a duel and more of a war. And one that Mordred was winning with ease.

That's when she saw him, her Master, moving through the curious power of his in an effort to try and save her by attacking Mordred. Futile as she was already too weak to make a stand, but he could see his point. His previous opponent was to strong to engage and Diavolo was trying to thin the numbers of his current disadvantage by sneaking a quick attack on the strongest beside their Master.

But, to their surprise, that didn't happen. Not when Mordred moved through the fragment of time being manipulated by Diavolo, with her lance effortlessly cutting Diavolo in two, severing his lower body from the upper one. The pink-haired criminal looked shocked, the pain having yet to reach his brain but... it was already too late.

Giorno as right behind him and in a nigh-impossible to see high-paced assault led by hundreds if not thousands of Mudas, sent Diavolo's bruised and battered body onto the wall to perish at once. And as she saw her Master's defeat, Artoria felt death upon her through the magic that poured through her helmet and earnestly destroyed what it was trying to protect. Headless, the Tyrant fell and her body vanished into golden mist.

Giorno stared at the scene with muted relief, expecting for something else to happen but perceiving that reality was mending through an external force. Another Stand- Sakura? He hoped so, but as he tried to ease down his uneasy posture, something else reached his perception as something was bending Reality to a degree.

He turned to stare at a direction in particular as they perceived the same thing through the bond they had with him, his eyes narrowing as he could tell someone was opening small and stable holes through the fabric of reality. Saying nothing to his Servants, Giorno jumped up to the closest window with the help of his Stand and rushed to see who was causing this new mess, Saber and Caster trailing shortly behind him as the victorious rush was soon to be completed.

And as the world was saved for good, a single individual was finishing his real job and bracing for the final revelation over this lengthy adventure.

---------d-d-d-d--------

AN

The finale is around the corner and then... an Epilogue!

P.S. I now have a discord server! Discord .gg/ceBMM2Zz6c