Golden Wind: Fate of Zephyr

Chapter 5: Ten Billion Lire

Giorno slept soundly for his first night back in the past. He forgot how strangely soft and comfortable his small dorm bed was and found how fast he fell asleep that night quite surprising; the bed that he spent ten years sleeping in as the Former Don of Passione couldn’t compare despite its more massive size and higher quality linen. Then again, given how little he slept due to the events that just happened in Florida, he was grateful for any sleep he could get anywhere. He had many memories of being in the dormitories and how he relished being away from his home life under the pretense of caring more for academics. The years spent studying as a student at the school were uneventful, although it marked the time when he began to receive better treatment from the other children thanks to his childhood hero. He had friends but mostly kept to himself if he could; the issue of trust among his newly-friendly peers was still there. The other students and faculty would describe him as a meek boy, occasionally admired by his female contemporaries, who kept his head down and was always willing to help others when he could. His act of denying aid yesterday was an anomaly that caused a few female students to visit him that morning and check if he was okay. 

Giorno reassured the concerned students that woke him up with their gentle knocking that he was dealing with family and personal problems— therefore, he wasn’t in the right headspace to care for others like he usually did. All of the students that visited him accepted the answer and a few offered some breakfast snacks that they smuggled from the dining hall after it closed. Giorno didn’t realize he overslept, something he rarely did before his mafioso days, and was grateful when one student told him all the classes were canceled out of respect for the deceased janitor that died last night. When asked if he would attend the memorial service, the Former Don simply said he would try to make it; family issues, he claimed again, were on his mind at the moment. 

Giorno decided to kill some time before going to visit Aglio. The last thing he wanted was for the Team Leader to be suspicious about his early arrival. He wasn’t sure if Aglio would notice that he came way before the supposed 24-hour time period. He also wasn’t sure if Polpo did something malicious last-minute after leaving the crying fat man in the prison. While waiting for the right moment to leave, he decided to re-familiarize himself with his surroundings and get to know his new self better.

Technology and customs can change within ten years. His phone, which was left in his room years ago before he headed to meet Bruno and his team, was still there and looked different from the Motorola Krzr K3 he currently has in his pockets. Due to how different the hardware was and possibly with what he could only describe as a “time travel and dimension-hopping mix situation” he experienced, he was unable to receive or send anything from his newer phone and resigned to his old reliable Nokia 8210; switching out the SIM card didn’t work either. His newer phone couldn’t also be charged fully with his only available charger and its battery was very low when he checked on it. Relieved that his Nokia was still charging where he left it and fully powered, he tucked his Motorola into his desk and resigned to use the old reliable; he can still remember the original phone number he used to use on it. Giorno debated on destroying his new phone for the sake of security but worried that the chance of getting a proper charger was still there as well as the memories of his Consiglieri remained as photos. He reminded himself he needed to find his old friends again. 

Giorno then went to his closet and rummaged through his clothes. His closet mirror confirmed what he saw in glass reflections and what people have said about his youthful appearance; he really looked like his fifteen-year-old self and even his voice and hairstyle were changed back. The black-and-green suit and long hairstyle he wore for the past ten years as the Don of Passione were completely replaced by his old purple outfit and shorter hair tied up like before. While he was back to his teenage physique and clothes with no explanation, the Former Don decided to try creating a new outfit that would fit his current age while not appearing as awkward; he didn’t want to walk out and buy clothes to both save his money and to minimize the risk of a potential attack while he shopped. He took his time to try different shirts, pants, and suits, and even considered just wearing his old clothes again, debating on whether he should try sewing, cutting, or combining pieces with his limited skill set in clothing design. While deciding on his outfits, he adjusted his posture so that he could appear bigger and more mature, and even tried talking deeper to match what his voice should sound like. For now, Giorno concluded, he can just play with the appearance of being a baby-faced young adult with long golden hair and keep telling everyone that he was twenty-five years old. He finally settled on a look from his closet and decided to focus on his Stand next. 

「Golden Experience」requiem powers were truly no more. He could still provide life as he did with Aglio’s tooth, the sapling, and Koichi's compact mirror that belonged to Yukako. He could replace or readjust body parts on himself after injury; the observations were enough to confirm that he could use his Stand to heal himself and others if necessary. Like how he healed Mista before, the effects are painful but still do the necessary job. Giorno managed to heal much of his injuries from yesterday’s fights and the dulling pain was dissipating quickly. 

 Eventually, after some debate on clothing and occasional eavesdropping from students passing by his closed door, he tried to call Aglio through his old cellphone he had left in his dorm years ago. He dialed the number that was on the paper and waited for someone on the other side to pick up. An unknown woman’s voice was on the line after the third ring. 

“Gregaste Hostel,” she greeted him. “My name is Carla Ragione. Whom am I speaking with? How may I be of assistance?”

“Ciao, Carla,” Giorno replied as friendly as he could. “My name is Giogio. Is Signore Nero there? I need to speak with him privately.”

“Mi dispiace,” the lady was friendly but Giorno noticed she slightly changed the tone of her voice to indicate something that caught her attention while she continued to speak. “Signore Nero just left the establishment in a hurry several minutes ago and I do not know where he went or when he will return. I can leave a message and call you back… Can you please hold a moment? ...Benvenuti all'Ostello Gregaste. I will be with you in one minute as I… what are you doing? Who are you?”

The Former Don could hear another unknown voice threatening the lady about something he wasn’t able to catch. He only caught some words related to money but wasn’t able to figure out a complete sentence to understand what it was about. Giorno found how she managed to maintain her composure as she talked was impressive but he could tell she was terrified; her fearful voice confirmed his thoughts when he heard her begging to be spared. He kept trying to ask her if she was alright before the phone was then cut off by a horrific scream and then disconnected abruptly. Even though he planned on going to the location later, Giorno realized he needed to find Aglio right away and assumed the worst would happen to him otherwise. “I thought we could maybe get Passione back within a week,” he spoke to his Stand as he gathered his items hastily. “But, it looks like we have more trouble on our hands. Let’s find Aglio quickly.”

If Giorno stayed in place, the people who attacked the employee on the phone could track him at school and harm innocent students or faculty members as a result. While he was expecting a comfortable stroll to the headquarters, he decided to act as unaware of the situation at hand yet remain as attentive to his surroundings as possible to avoid any interaction against the unknown enemies at hand. He gave a quick greeting to the construction workers that were still cleaning up the arson work last night and made his way back onto the streets of Naples without issue. The way between his school’s campus and the supposed headquarters he was told to come back to seemed to be straightforward; Giorno correctly guessed that he was going to be walking through both backstreets and more crowded public areas and recognized a few areas of interest as he walked briskly to his destination. He kept his guard up, wondering what is to become the poor receptionist and whether Aglio knew she was going to die when he left. As he watched amateur pickpockets steal from naive tourists and cops being bribed from left to right, he pretended to look the other way at each activity he walked into.

When he stopped at one crosswalk to wait for cars to pass by, he noticed a particular white-hair police officer across the street on the opposite corner. The Former Don instantly recognized the man that bore a striking resemblance to a mafioso he knew years ago; he debated on approaching who he once knew as Leone Abbacchio before noticing the latter being handed a wad of cash by a random man discreetly; that man proceeded to try breaking into a parked car nearby while the officer turned away. Giorno debated on how to address catching this new version of Abbacchio acting like the corrupt cop he was so against and whether someone like him was a good person to try creating an alliance with. As he crossed the street with a few other pedestrians, memories of his former team reminiscing about their past filled his mind, and flashbacks about Abbacchio’s occasional wine-drunken rant about how he fell from law enforcement’s good grace at the cost of his partner’s death were interrupted when Giorno narrowly got run over by a speeding car. 

The car itself ran the red light and also almost ran over the people who were crossing with the Former Don as well. A middle-aged man within that pedestrian group threw expletives and other nearby police officers immediately ran inside the nearest building they could to look like they didn’t see the whole thing at all; the new Abbacchio also disappeared. Giorno found himself on the ground, having fallen as a reaction to the car almost hitting him, and the remaining pedestrians that stopped to avoid getting hit resumed their walk across after seeing no other cars trailing behind or approaching. A kind Nonna asked if he was alright and the Former Don reassured the old woman he was fine before getting up and helping her cross. She was coincidentally crossing with him and he had instinctively pushed her behind him without realizing it; the act ended up looking rather heroic and he instantly recognized her as the friend of Signora Menini, the elderly woman that confronted Bruno about their grandson’s drug problem. Thankfully, Giorno saw that this version of the petite Nonna had no bruises on her face and her sober-looking grandson was right across the street thanking the Former Don for his action. Had he noticed the inside of the car, Giorno would have recognized two familiar-looking mafiosos he encountered with Bruno’s team during their trip to Capri.

“Eyes on the road, you fucking cazzo. You almost hit that stupid blond kid trying to cross the street with the old lady.”

The car swerved again to narrowly dodge another elderly woman trying to cross the next street. Team Leader Greggio Zucchero wasn’t the best, most attentive driver— as far as anyone was concerned— and he didn’t intend on being a good one at all. His partner and passenger Fioredi Sale had known that for years, but could only complain and nothing more. “You seriously need to pay attention to the road more often,” the mafioso added to his previous statement. “I’m not bailing you out of a traffic ticket again if we get pulled over.”

“You’re talking like I can’t fucking see,” Greggio replied. 

“Well, you’re driving like you're more blind than Ogio Engio himself.”

“Who are you calling blind?” More honks and another swerve. 

Despite the two living vastly different lives before meeting each other and being two different personalities with different views on life, one would wonder how they managed to get along well enough to be where they are now. They somehow managed to not only work cohesively but gain enough respect and privilege in Passione to not only find their own team but gain favor with Ogio Engio within months of their arrival into the syndicate. The rest of Passione know them for being one of the few people who were seen favorably by his puppet Polpo; there was supposedly a mafioso who shared a similar privilege but not even the two of them knew. The way Fioredi had played politics in the syndicate, with the help of his partner-in-crime Greggio, since both their initiations made their newly found Hitman Team #88 gain a reputation for being as ambitious and lucrative as they are deadly. It is why they took on another name in addition to their number: The Rising 88.

Greggio’s phone rang from his pocket before he dug it out while still eying the road. Fioredi tried to snatch it away to take the call, allowing the other to have free hands and better concentration on the road, but Greggio swatted his hands away before it could happen. He pressed the call button unusually hard to express the frustration he had for the latter’s need to care about his safety. “Pronto,” Greggio answered after he rolled his eyes when Fioredi insisted he gives the phone to him again. “We’re using the speaker, Kusunoki. What’s going on?”

Fioredi’s interest was piqued when he heard who was on the other line. He wasn’t expecting a call from that team member out of the rest of The Rising 88 unless it was an extreme emergency. The voice on the other line, which belonged to one of their subordinates called Kusunoki, replied to his co-leader in a monotone voice. 

“I’m currently at Gregaste Hostel,” he explained that he had just killed the receptionist with his Stand. “I don’t see Aglio or his men anywhere, so I assume they’re hiding somewhere and know about Polpo’s death already too. Those cowards are probably trying to wait out the fighting that will entail. Word is already spreading about Polpo’s suicide and Father Diavolo is planning on making an official statement about it soon. We killed his guards in the prison earlier before getting here and it was hell trying to recover the stuff in that fat man’s cell. The whole place smelled like shit!”

“You killed the guards,” Fioredi tried to remain calm after hearing that. “Who gave you the order to authorize that?”

“It was technically an act of self-defense,” Kusunoki defended himself but his tone implied it was Greggio’s idea to kill them. “They shot at us first and every one of them seemed tight-lipped about Ogio Engio’s rumored ten billion Lire treasure when we asked. I thought if we can find those assets, you and Greggio can use them to pay for the position of Caporegime instead of having it given away. Killing the guards wouldn’t matter once we have the title we deserve; he’s dead already.”

“Those guards were useless anyways,” Greggio confirmed to Fioredi that he permitted them to kill the guards despite the consequences; the latter proceeded to slap the former in response. Greggio only hissed in pain as he asked his subordinate to keep talking but shrugged when Fioredi attempted to grill him more about why he did it without any consultation. “This is how we get money fast. Continue, Kusunoki.”

“I’m all for fast money,” Fioredi sighed. “But not to spend on bitches and drugs like you do! What happened to our plan on rising in the ranks? Strategy? Politics?”

“We will rise in the ranks,” Greggio rebutted his reasoning. “Why can’t we enjoy the ride while we’re at it? Kusunoki, I said continue. What happened at the prison that’s causing you to call us?”

“I saw one of the guards was in the middle of calling someone when we killed her,” the mafioso added that little detail after the off-tangent conversation ended. “I think her name was Ivette or something. The call on the other line was disconnected but we traced it to Gregaste Hostel, which is where Hitman Team #47’s headquarters are. That's why we came to the hostel in the first place and they’re not there at all. Do you think those sons of bitches know anything about the treasure Ogio Engio is hiding?”

“They probably know as much about the treasure as I know about astrophysics,” a left turn caused Greggio to briefly hit and drive on the curb. Even more, yelling was heard soon after— all of which were ignored. “Like your reason for being at the hostel states,” Greggio added, “they’re probably trying to wait out the in-fighting somewhere and nothing more. Just leave them alone. They already have enough shit going on alongside Team #99 because of that thing that happened two years ago. Even if they end up being Caporegime in any way, there’s no way Father Diavolo would let them take the title so easily.” 

“Just because a whole team is disgraced doesn’t mean everyone in it is on the same boat,” Fioredi refuted. “I heard one of the members of Team #47 is Ogio Engio’s true Favorite who personally helped hide the treasure. Aglio doesn't even know who this person may be nor do his other men. Speaking about Aglio, I also heard he got a fresh face to join him according to last night’s announcement from Polpo. So, Team #47 is either still favored more than we thought or someone on that team is reaping the benefits of being a puttaniere for Ogio Engio. Therefore, one or all of them are still in the running to find the treasure. Imagine spreading your asscheeks for a man like that… I would if I was that desperate.”

Fioredi’s phone began to buzz in his pocket as well, and he picked up the phone without much thought. It was a call from another team member but he didn’t put it on speaker like the co-leader did with Kusunoki. Greggio asked him who was on the other line but was met by Fioredi’s finger pointed at him to not interrupt. A gray cat on the road scampered away fast enough to not be run over by the car and the voice of a man yelling on the street was left unheard in response to the near hit. Greggio muttered “rude” to his partner before resuming the call with Kusunoki about where the assets and Team #47 could be. Fioredi turned his attention to his new call instead, looking out the passenger window while he did. Right now, Kusunoki was talking about his theory of the assets being in Capri somewhere and brought up theories like how long it would take to get a regular boat there and it being a rather unusual place to go to for something important like Ogio Engio’s treasure. Greggio could only guess through the one-sided conversation what the conversation was about. 

“Yes,” Fioredi began, “Polpo’s funeral will be tomorrow afternoon and attendance is necessary. I’ll pass that on to… you just saw Aglio and his men? Why are they walking to Porto Napoli? …You heard that they’re going to rent a boat? I don’t recall them having a budget to go on some sort of vacation… We don’t even have that budget to splurge at the moment… Where are they heading?”

Greggio had an idea— a gutsy one that might require another team member of The Rising 88 he knew was free to take on a task at the moment. He whispered to Kusunoki to bring to him that particular person to meet him at the port as soon as possible without question.

Fioredi finished the call on his phone and rubbed his temples. “I don’t know why he commented on that team’s vacation plans but that’s something…” When he turned to face the driver again, he realized that he had vanished into thin air. The phone with Kusunoki on the line was dropped onto the seat and the car began swerving; Kusunoki himself was trying to speak back on the other line and wondering why he wasn’t hearing Greggio’s voice. Had Fioredi not taken control of the wheel, he would have crashed into an oncoming truck then and there. 

“Greggio! YOU PIECE OF—”

“That blond kid a couple of hundred meters behind us looks sketchy.”

“Capito. You called dibs on the first blow, then?”

“On Cass’s cue. I just notified him and he’s now letting the other boys know while he’s walking with Aglio. Keep it subtle. We don’t want Aglio to know what’s going on.” 

“Looks like the boys also got the message. I’m ready when you are.”

Those were what the fingers silently motioned among the trio of women behind Aglio. Only a person well-familiar with Passione’s Hitman Teams would know that all three of them worked for him and the two other men walking just a few steps ahead were too. The formation was rather simple but gave the general goal of making the large group of seven appear like small groups unrelated to each other. Whenever Team #47 went out on any excursion that required them to stick together, no one walked in a large group but tried to remain as close to each other as possible; some even took the street across to be as distant yet as close as possible. Everyone is always spaced out in a way to look as if the apparent cliques were not associated with one another and the groupings varied on who wanted to spend time with who. It was on this particular day that the girls and the boys were separate, with Aglio walking closest to a blond-haired mafioso between the Team Leader and the rest of the group. 

Aglio organized this approach to deter enemies other than members of Passione who already knew the members well; given the recent news received and at two of his particular subordinates’ advice, he wanted to be extra careful. Everyone in his group had been accustomed to this formation of sorts and sometimes the mafiosos have fun pretending to be strangers or having made-up conversations among themselves. What he didn’t organize was the use of sign language among his subordinates behind his back; it was a variation of Lingua dei Segni Italiana that could be done as subtly as possible but can easily translate itself to actual Lingua dei Segni Italiana when needed. Right away, a few of his members spotted Giorno turning the corner from a distance and one of them in particular had a gut feeling that something was off about him. The intimidating and cold aura that the group had now that they were on high alert didn’t stop their person of interest from approaching so willingly. It was a prime example of Stand Users having an unknown capability of attracting their contemporaries. 

“Aglio,” Giorno had to call out the Team Leader’s name once he saw the white tuft of hair peeking out of the group of walking people from a distance; he just needed to cross the current street and walk straight ahead to the other side to meet with the latter. The only thing the Former Don felt was relief from seeing the mafioso still okay and letting his emotions get the best of him. He had gotten a bit lost after the near-accident left him slightly frazzled and wasn’t in the right mind of thought given the previous phone call. While he had a more formal introduction with Bruno’s old team, he expected a similarly cooled yet possibly comical first impression. Believing that Aglio was walking alone, Giorno immediately started sprinting towards the mafioso with open arms.  

He didn’t think much of the group of women behind Aglio, assuming they were normal citizens that were doing their business and coincidentally walking the same way as the mafioso without having any association with the latter, and didn’t realize they intentionally got out of his way to begin their defense. One of the women immediately ran up to Aglio before Giorno had reached the group, taking the blond man’s place as if to pretend to engage in a new discussion with Aglio. The Team Leader had yet to hear his name when it was called again and Giorno was too ecstatic to realize he barely tripped over an uneven patch of pavement on the sidewalk. 

The blond man that initially walked with Aglio immediately stood between Giorno suddenly. Before Giorno could react and stop himself from running, the man proceeded to push teep the Former Don without warning. Giorno expected the sudden movement to knock the wind out of him upon contact and tried to react accordingly; running into a sudden kick is more than enough to send anyone backward. However, Giorno caught a glimpse of the mafioso’s foot briefly transforming into what looked like a white tiger’s paw upon contact and realized Aglio wasn’t walking alone or with normal civilians. He shouldn’t have approached the Team Leader in such a way if there was another stranger who would have seen the Former Don’s friendliness as a threat.

He had no time to process further as he suddenly felt himself walk backward. Initially, he thought it was caused by the force of the front kick given to him that was causing him to move away but he then realized that he wasn’t able to stop himself from walking backward; something was forcing him to reverse the moves he had made since trying to approach Aglio. Giorno felt himself taking the same steps back but in reverse, even tripping over a slightly uneven part of the sidewalk that initially caused him to fall slightly forward while he sprinted, and now felt him going through the same motions once more but backward. As he felt his body fall back and wondered when he would stop going in the other direction, he felt a different person grab him by the side and throw him onto the road almost like a body slam. He realized a different person did the maneuver and, once put in an armbar, he felt sharp nails digging unusually deep into his arm. “Who the fuck do you think you are,” the voice indicated to him that it was a woman that did a suplex on him; she was supposed to be subtle about it but her loud voice and moves caused Aglio to finally turn around and see what had happened. 

Giorno had no choice but to summon「Golden Experience 」while he was incapacitated and asked his Stand to help diffuse the situation; he didn’t want to get into another fight in front of Aglio if the person who attacked him were allies that simply got defensive. Murmurs erupted when it appeared trying to speak to the crowd and a few unrelated non-Stand-welding civilians hastily ran off to the nearest building or street upon seeing someone manhandle the Former Don. From the Stand’s perspective,「Golden Experience 」could see that Aglio had a total of six other people with him ready to pounce: the blond man that kicked him earlier, a green-haired man slightly cowering behind another with the orange hair that had some furry creature on the latter’s shoulder screeching as the both of them ran across, one woman extinguishing her cigarette to prepare for battle, the woman that was failing to distract Aglio away from the situation, and the woman who is currently incapacitating Giorno on the ground.「Golden Experience 」could see that all of them had what appeared to be parts of the Stands out; it was enough to confirm they were all Stand Users but not enough to know their abilities. Aglio immediately stepped in between his men and the Stand. All the men and women of the group looked at him for further instructions but were caught off guard by what he said next. 

“Stand down,” the Team Leader calmed his subordinate to relax before turning his attention to the person still holding the Former Don down. “Let him go.”

“I promise I’ll make this quick,” the woman would not let go, ignoring Giorno’s hiss in pain when she pulled his arm back further; the other members didn’t listen to his orders either as they began inching closer to help cause further harm. “This bastardo could be dangerous and needs to be killed—”

“Stand down, Rey! I won’t say it again. All of you need to put your Stands away now.”

Begrudging murmurs responded and the tension in the air lessened once the arm was let go. Giorno felt relief wash over him as he hastily got up while brushing himself off the dirt he accumulated from the tussle. Upon further inspection, he wondered why some of it looked like a fine white powder that immediately disappeared right after but then focused on trying to help the woman, now concluded to be a mafioso, that incapacitated him earlier. 

He initially had his hand out to help her up but his eyes immediately met the woman’s before he could; the female mafioso was a few centimeters shorter yet stared at him as if she knew she was much bigger and stronger. He could barely tell what she looked like with the hood over her head but saw that the sunlight shimmered where small diamond crystals embedded in her body like freckles. The blond mafioso earlier put a soft hand on her shoulders as she adjusted her hood to reveal wispy blue bangs; Giorno noticed her nails were diamond-like claws that could retract like a cat but didn’t comment on the bizarre phenomenon that happened so quickly.

“Azzura acted accordingly, Signore Aglio,” the blond man who was also another mafioso defended her. “This man shouldn’t have approached you in such a way and, while it caused a scene, she followed your protocol exactly and shouldn’t be accosted for doing so.”

“She’s not at fault at all,” Aglio acknowledged her actions were justified and went on to explain why he had them stand down. “However, this man is not a threat but a new member of Team #47. I initially planned to let you all know that we have a new member joining us but this last-minute excursion threw a wrench into things. I should have told you all that he may be joining us beforehand.”

The group of mafiosos watched in confusion as Aglio suddenly embraced the Former Don as if they were very close. Giorno didn’t expect it either, only reciprocating back to avoid awkwardness, but realized the Team Leader wasn’t just hugging him as an act of friendship; he was using it to whisper into the other man’s ear. 

“Were you behind what happened last night to Polpo,” Aglio’s voice was low when he asked. “How did you manage to pass the test in a short amount of time?”

He felt Giorno’s body tense up but saw the Former Don look more confused than guilty. The Team Leader had a theory that foul play on Giorno’s part was involved in the death of Polpo. No one, unless they knew exactly when the Former Don took his test, would think it was too early for him to pass it but everyone knew the test should have been done within at least 24 hours of the start time; the only way it was cut short is when they received a Stand and therefore quickly inducted once the Stand Arrow’s effects came into place. There was a possibility that Giorno got lucky with the Stand Arrow and managed to pretend he became a Stand User and there was still a chance that Polpo’s death was completely unrelated. When Giorno asked him what he meant about his cryptic question again, Aglio simply said he would tell everyone when the timing was right and continued to appear amicable when the Team Leader pulled away. Deciding to leave it at that, he turned his attention to the rest of the group.

“We shall have a more formal introduction and induction ceremony once we are done with our task at hand,” Aglio announced to them. “In the meantime, I want you all to welcome our new member with open arms and show him the ropes as quickly as possible. This is Giogio and this is his Stand「Golden Experience 」. He can explain his abilities later, but his role in the team will be no different than everyone else’s.”

「Golden Experience 」waved to the group and Giorno bowed to be as respectful as possible. As Giorno expressed his gratitude for joining, he noted the people around him having varying degrees of reaction to the news. He got a better view of the group and tried to read their expressions. 

The blond mafioso that kicked him had wispy mullet hair that looked like a more intentionally messier version of Giorno’s hair without his signature rolls. What set the mafioso apart from the rest of the group was the insane amount of black-and-white shaded tattoos that covered his entire arms, chest, and up to his neck. The tattoos consisted of various images regarding death, time, and eyes; his sleeves were translucent enough to show how some of the shapes extended his upper arm to his wrists. He was currently signing to the mafioso he defended earlier behind Aglio’s back; more adjustment on the latter’s white hood revealed to the Former Don that her hair was a bright jewel-toned blue hidden underneath. 

The only person who seemed genuinely interested and excited about the new arrival was the orange-haired mafioso that managed to get closer to Giorno. His energy reminded him of Mista, although his appearance contrasted with a fringe leather jacket that had its sleeves unevenly cut and fitted shorts that revealed strong legs any soccer player would kill to have. The mafioso extended his arm to shake Giorno and a furry creature crawled from the former’s shoulder to his hand to perch there instead. Comedically, the animal-based Stand extended its arm to try shaking Giorno’s hand first; the Former Don concluded it was a Stand that resembled a colorful capuchin monkey and seemed to behave in such a way as well.

“Andreas Arancini,” the mafioso tried to introduce himself while the monkey Stand was impatiently chattering as if to demand that Giorno shake his little paw right now; the Former Don took note and extended his finger to the creature before shaking the Stand User’s hand. The monkey Stand smiled widely as he looked to its owner and Giorno could hear Andreas cooing about it in response.

“Why are you bringing a child into this,” an annoyed female voice caught Giorno’s attention and he realized one of the other two looked the most annoyed with the situation. “The Father is not against having young adults in his syndicate but this one looks too young to be with us— not to mention immature for approaching you in such a way.” A look of disdain was written all over her face as she asked him his age.

“I’m twenty-five.”

The look of shock washed over the female mafioso’s face yet was replaced with annoyance once more; Giorno watched her throw what looked like a translucent green embroidered shawl over her shoulders when she huffed, covering a floral-patterned suit she wore underneath. She didn’t look youthful herself given how much she was scowling and how her long wavy bob hair reminded him of a homemaker of the mid-century. The breeze that came by brought a waft of a new cigarette she began smoking. 

“What do you know,” Andreas piped up after chuckling. “He’s older than you. You’re only twenty-four, Zafferana.”

“Don’t remind me,” Zafferana took another hit from her cigarette. “This kid looks around the same age as Scilla though. Maybe a bit older. What do you think, Stella?”

“Sheila,” Giorno thought he heard the name correctly. “Sheila E.?”

“Scilla is my sister,” the woman who tried to distract Aglio earlier named Stella corrected him. Giorno saw that she looked like she could be related to Sheila E.; the introduced mafioso was strikingly similar to a photo of Sheila E.’s sister Clara Capezzuto that he saw a few times in the past, and her outfit consisting of baggy fabrics with geometric designs reminded him of Sheila E.’s current attire before he left Italy. Unlike the original Clara, the mafioso’s hair was braided into six long black plaits, she had colorful patches of skin due to vitiligo, and a prominent scar slashed through her right eye. He could only imagine how that scar came to be given how painful yet healed it looked. “She’s not here,” the mafioso unknowingly answered Giorno’s next question regarding her sister before he could speak, “but you might see her after whatever Aglio has gotten us into.”

“So,” Zafferana concluded, “this new member is the same age as Rovescio. Andreas is still the oldest out of all of us. After Giogio is me, then Aglio, then Stella, then Azzura, and finally Tae.” Upon hearing that he was still the oldest, Andreas beamed and began proclaiming how he was going to be a cool brother of sorts to the Former Don. “Don’t worry, kiddo,” he grabbed Giorno by the shoulder and pulled him close when Aglio told everyone to continue moving towards the docks. “I’ll teach you everything you need to know!”

Everyone fell back into a similar walking formation, albeit closer to each other, with Giorno joining Andreas and the shy mafioso he suspected was called Tae. The younger man was the thinnest and most timid mafioso out of all the men in Team #47, with his green bangs barely covering his eyes as he kept his head down for the most part. The white cotton shirt he wore that had imagery of intricate wheels all over was revealed to be backless when he turned around for a second; Giorno guessed the young man was no older than eighteen. Compared to the others, the mafioso looked the most physically similar to him and would have been mistaken as related if their hair looked the same. 

Zaffera and Stella were talking, with Tae choosing to join them instead of remaining with Andreas; Rovescio walked closer to Aglio as well as Azzura, leaving the Former Don with the most talkative member. The monkey Stand perched itself back onto Andreas’ shoulder as they talked and Andreas began giving a rundown on each member. Based on the team’s general appearance and Aglio being related to Risotto Nero, Giorno came to the conclusion that the people on the team were related or associated with La Squadra Esecuzioni in some way. Some seemed to share physical features while others looked completely different. He didn’t remember any female members of that team that he encountered or recognized any of them from his tenure as Passione’s Don, but the possibility of the men in La Squadra Esecuzioni influenced any woman’s life wasn’t low; he knew about how a socialite was used to create Melone’s homunculus entity, how Illuso was responsible for the murder of Sheila E.’s sister, and there may be some situations that were never recorded but just as horrific. He didn’t want to ask questions that could imply that he knew their trauma or caused more bad blood. 

“I’m glad you joined Team #47,” Andreas began, “we can use a new face after everything that’s happened until now. We might have not gotten off to a good start, but you’ll find that we are quite a welcoming and supportive group. Just stay away from Zafferana until she warms up to you; apparently she claims to have claircognizance but I will prove her wrong one day.” Giorno apologized for his behavior earlier, justifying it as just excitement not letting him think rationally. The mafioso ignored it to begin explaining who each member was. “I should probably give you their names and what they do here to start,” he spoke in a softer voice so that no other prying ears could hear but still loud enough for the Former Don to understand. 

“You’ve met Aglio already,” he motioned to the Team Leader first. “Those two that attacked you earlier— they’re the most senior members of the group. Azzura Diamante is his second-in-command while Rovescio Montagna is his third-in-command.” Giorno could hear murmurs of a conversation among the three but wasn’t sure what was being said; it seemed rather calm between Azzura and Rovescio but the way their hands motioned implied otherwise. Aglio seemed to not have noticed due to his second and third-in-command signing behind his back silently. 

“I thought you were going to be our youngest,” Andreas began introducing Giorno to the mafioso named Tae, which took Giorno’s attention back to the conversation they were having. “Tae Pescatore was our newest member before you joined. We don’t know much about him besides what Rovescio has said— he’s been tight-lipped about that honestly. Now that I think about it, Rovescio and Tae can pass as brothers if they want to. That’s because they’re so close to each other.”

“Hey, slowpokes,” Giorno nearly jumped when he heard someone’s voice inches away from his ear. He and Andreas turned around and realized that Zafferana and Stella were right behind them. “Can’t you see Aglio is already way ahead,” Zafferana added as she pointed at the trio that managed to cross two streets before them. “You should catch up before Azzura gives you hell for making us fall behind.”

Andreas immediately moved out of the way, seeing that Zafferana wanted to walk ahead, but Giorno didn’t notice the cue until he was rudely shoved by her shoulder. Stella looked apologetic and tried to excuse herself and Tae followed suit. The Former Don noticed Andreas was rather playful with the way he responded. “It can’t be helped,” Andreas shrugged. “To this day I don’t know what’s going on in Zafferana Korma’s mind. She usually works behind the scenes with our finances and administration but she’s got the most impressive Stand I’ve ever seen. It’s the scariest thing honestly— stay away from her when she brings it out.”

A few passing locals openly greeted Aglio and his men but the majority of the people who encounter the team during the walk seemed to whisper among themselves and avoided the group; it seemed to the Former Don that Aglio, unlike Bruno, had a more divided reputation. Andreas and the rest of the team seem to ignore this as if they were already used to having such a reputation, but it made Giorno feel uneasy. He began to wonder whether it was the right choice to align himself with Team #47 and whether he should have listened to Aglio earlier about joining the team. “Almost forgot,” Andreas introduced the last person. “Last but not least is Chiara Capezzu— sorry. Her codename is Stella Pera. Don’t tell her I told you her real name. She has a younger sister named Scilla Capezzuto, who’s currently on an overnight field trip for school. You’ll probably meet Scilla eventually; she likes to hang out at our headquarters.”

Of all the names Giorno heard, Scillia was the one he recognized the most. When he first met her as Sheila E. in his past timeline, the young girl told him about how she used to have an older sister named Clara Capezzuto and how the younger mafioso's real name was Priscilla Capezzuto; she went by Scilla to keep it simple and the name Sheila was chosen because of how similar it sounded. Her reasoning behind joining Passione was to seek vengeance against her sister’s murderer, who is revealed to be the original La Squadra Esecuzioni member Illuso, but learned that he already died at the hands of Giorno and Fugo at Pompeii by the time she was ready to take revenge. Why the original Clara was killed by Illuso was unknown; no one knew but that mafioso that caused her death and Giorno wasn’t able to find any documents that detailed the death. However, it seemed like the timeline switched to let Clara live as Stella and the new Sheila E. sounded like she was now a regular student with no connection to the crime world. The noticeable scar on Stella’s right eye seemed to hold some truth to what happened to her; it mirrored Sheila E.’s left eye scar in his old life. He would have to ask the woman about it when the timing is right.

By the time he learned everyone’s names, the large group finally made it to the boat rental service on the docks. The owner didn't greet Aglio as warmly as Giorno remembered Bruno was greeted in the past but he did offer a boat with a broken communication panel for the team to be used for free; the mafioso would have to personally check themselves in at the port upon arrival instead. 

“Hey, new kid,” Zafferana called out to Giorno once they headed outside, “Stella wants a photo of us taken for some reason. You’re our cameraman now.”

Andreas and Stella were in the middle bickering with each other on what music to play while Tae was having a mental breakdown from struggling to carry the snacks the two bought earlier. Rovescio was trying to calm him down while Azzura had to be pulled back by Aglio while arguing with the owner for giving them such an old boat. The team eventually made their way out of the store and towards the boat labeled Barca IV for the photo. Giorno tried to feed into his desire for nostalgia by looking at the row of boats and how this was where his bizarre adventure began

The team hastily positioned themselves in front of the Former Don for a picture and Giorno took two Polaroids for good measure. Tae finally noticed Giorno and quickly introduced himself before going on a little tangent about the seabirds flying around. It wasn't that Giorno himself didn't want to hear about how the birds were a species called Herring Gulls and how they were native to Italy but rather he noticed a weird puncture wound on the bow of the boat as team members began to board it. When he tried to call Azzura about the matter when she was about to get up, the puncture was no longer there and Giorno decided to just board without any other thought once he heard Zafferana threatening to leave him behind.

The boat painstakingly made its way out of the docks at a slow pace; Aglio’s unfamiliar and less-than-mediocre abilities differ from Bruno’s natural talent of maneuvering ships yet the leader insisted on giving it a go for the first several minutes. Zafferana seemed to be near the steering wheel area to help Aglio navigate and use the mechanics of the boat while everyone else began getting into other groups to talk among themselves on the deck. For the next thirty minutes, the ship struggled to get out of the docks before Zafferana finally relented and took over sailing the boat. Giorno overheard the mafioso mention that Barca IV moved quite slowly compared to newer, better-maintained boats she experienced sailing in the past; the boat the owner gave them looked rather worn and aged compared to the nicer ones at the docks, but Aglio didn't mind the choice. The Team Leader said he just wanted a boat that could get them from point A to be without issues and with the budget that they had. 

Andreas, Stella, and Tae seemed to get into their conversation regarding the snacks and playthings they brought with them on the trip. Loud music was being played from a boombox Andreas also bought from the store and brought onto the boat. The music nearly drowned the sound of waves crashing in the ocean. Andreas had asked Giorno if he wanted to join the three of them but Giorno politely declined so he could observe the rest of the group before approaching any of them. Squawks of seabirds flying in the air could be heard in the distance against the waves crashing against the ship. The Former Don noted how pink their legs were; the tips of their wings were black and he immediately recalled the black-tailed gulls he heard during his trip to Capri in 2001. Surprisingly, there were no black-tailed gulls around that he could see on the ship or in the sky. He couldn’t hear their distinct mewling sounds; Tae briefly impersonated it before the boat sailed but he didn’t pay much attention to it at all. 

The Former Don found himself sitting away from the trio to also reminisce about his past, unaware that he was sitting alone in the stern area until Rovescio approached him with Azzura. “I see Andreas got you familiar with the rest of the group,” the third-in-command spoke up first. “Your name is Giogio, was it?”

“Yes,” Giorno replied. “You can use that as my code name.”

“No last name,” Azzura asked. “It’s not necessary but many of us have one as part of our aliases.” Giorno didn't really think of that part. He debated on whether to use Giovanna or Shiobana or even Joestar, but he simply told them he just wanted to be known as Giogio for now. “I rather not use a last name,” he reassured them. “Giogio was a nickname I had growing up.” 

The two mafiosos simply shrugged and accepted his answer. Giorno wasn’t sure if Aglio had told them about his plans to retake Passione but decided to only play by ear and bring it up if Aglio gave some direct approval to do so. He still needed to know more about the team regardless. “So,” he tried to begin a conversation, “you two are in charge after Aglio? Andreas called you his second and third-in-command.”

“In a way,” Azzura explained. “Not all teams function like us, but this is how Team #47 works. We only got those titles due to seniority and it was given rather than made by us. There is no official structure in this team but for documentation and ease, we let the team consider us as his next in the line of command.”

“We should probably teach him some manners and protocols to follow,” Rovescio mentioned how Passione had customs to follow. “Our team is a bit casual compared to others but there’s a whole thing about how to address people within La Famiglia’s hierarchy and we don’t want him to commit any faux pas that could land us in trouble for not managing subordinates well.” The sound of seabirds flying around continued to fill the air along with the music still blasting near Andreas and the rest of the mafioso. 

Giorno had a feeling that, of all the members of the team, those two would have to be the ones he needed to impress after Aglio. He didn’t remember a hierarchy in Bruno’s team that was similar but never stated; Fugo was his main right-hand man until his brief abandonment and Abbacchio was rather close to Bruno as well. He could be seeing the same thing happen between Rovescio and Azzura. The only question now is how things will play out when the possible event of Aglio telling everyone to betray Passione comes up when, or even if, it happens. “Please help me adjust to your team dynamic as best as you can,” he requested before bowing at the two. “Do what you think is right and I shall follow.”

“Dio mio,” Andreas was observing from afar and overheard Giorno’s voice. The music was about to transition to the next song, allowing him to catch bits and pieces of the conversation and the Former Don’s actions made him snicker. “He’s even more of a newbie than when Tae joined our team. What a goodie little two-sho—” 

A lemon-flavored soda that Stella was holding seemed to “accidentally” spill onto the loud boombox near them before saying a sarcastic “oops”. It was similar to how Mista once poured soda on Narancia’s boombox before to silence his songs, although the woman who did that intentionally had Andreas watch her do it. She stuck out her tongue to tease him; the mafioso began to argue with Stella while Tae tried to stop them from escalating further. The poor boombox stopped playing the loud music from before almost once the carbonated drink seeped into it. The monkey Stand that was sitting nearby began to whimper in sadness at the loss of its obnoxious toy. The seabirds above sounded like they were also making fun of the situation with Stella. 

Rovescio went over to quiet Tae and told the other two to settle their conflict quickly. Azzura caught Zafferana’s eyes and both seemed to be holding in a laugh, indicating to Giorno that this wasn’t an unusual but comedic situation. Aglio simply looked done and moved from the steering wheel to the deck, which caught everyone’s attention. Giorno made his way to the deck as well and the bickering between Andreas and Stella stopped. Zafferana trailed behind, with Azzura rushing over to take her hand so she could walk down the steps, and she made her way to Stand next to Stella. Rovescio and Tae separated so the latter ended up sitting by himself closer to the bow where Narancia used to be while the former would be with Azzura. 

“So,” Stella loudly asked Aglio, “is there a reason why we’re on a last-minute boat ride in the middle of the week? I’m sure we’re not just here for a random vacation that Zafferana is funding.” Andreas also agreed, mentioning it has been over an hour since they left Naples and the boat is far enough from shore while not seeing any other boat in sight. Aglio glanced at Rovescio and Azzura before he finally replied. “We’re far enough to speak openly about this,” the Team Leader agreed with Andreas. 

With a sigh, as if he was mentally preparing himself to be the bearer of bad news, Aglio finally told everyone the truth bluntly.

“His Grace Polpo Ripieni has committed suicide this morning.”

The shock came to almost everyone, but especially Giorno. He knew he unintentionally killed Ogio Engio and purposely didn’t kill Polpo this time around. He wondered how it was possible, not hearing Aglio mentioning that the fat man self-inflicted a bullet wound to his head and met his end in the same way he did in 2001; the only difference is that it wasn't orchestrated by the Former Don but all by Polpo's own accord. He assumed this is what Aglio meant earlier when he whispered the cryptic question in his ear during their embrace. 

“We received news about this before it can be officially stated to all of La Familgia,” he began to explain. “But the reason why I brought you all here relates to something very important regarding our future in Passione…”

Giorno noticed how Rovescio and Azzura continued to look at each other, signing a completely different conversation, as Aglio announced the news and continued to talk about it. No one else noticed the two interacting in such a way and he wondered if they knew something everyone else— possibly not even Aglio— knows about. 

Now that he thought about it, the Former Don noticed how they were the least surprised at the news when it was announced. Giorno could only guess they planned this whole activity or at least had a major role in it without Aglio’s knowledge but he didn't want to ask directly. He finally got out of his shock in time to hear the Team Leader talk about a bunch of assets valued to be over ten billion Lire hidden by a rumored Favorite. “We are going to help Polpo’s Favorite find the treasure,” Aglio explained how they were going to retrieve the assets to help this Favorite become the next Caporegime and therefore fulfill Polpo’s supposed final wish. “This Favorite had secretly reached out to us this morning and is in hiding, but Rovescio has been in correspondence with them for years. The Favorite knows where this treasure is hidden in Capri and wants us to retrieve this treasure so they could rightfully payout the position of Caporegime and succeed Polpo. In exchange for aiding this person, we will be given a more secure and better position in the Roma-Naples division as their personal guards.” The mention of money got everyone going from shock about the news to excitement; a Hitman team of neutral standing, especially if they are promoted to be a Caporegime’s personal group of bodyguards could only imagine getting half that amount of money through a lifetime collectively.

“But why is everyone here,” Zafferana’s question halted the celebrations from escalating at first. “I understand you taking Rovescio, Azzura, or maybe going by yourself just to bring some of the money for this unknown person. This seems like more of a two-person or even solo mission but you insisted that everyone from the team come— including me and the new kid. This doesn’t seem like a high-risk mission overall, to be honest.” Andreas murmured that she had a point and his monkey Stand also nodded. Tae tried to understand why Zafferana questioned Aglio but eventually understood when Stella reiterated in a simplified way what was going on. 

“We’re not the only ones who know about the ten billion Lire treasure Polpo left behind,” Aglio warned. “And we aren't the only ones who first heard of this news. Team #88 has gotten wind of the situation before we did and they are trying to find the treasure for their personal use. They plan on becoming Caporegime and undermining His Grace’s last wishes of having his Favorite ascend the position.” 

Mentioning that particular team’s number made a few people in the group grimace; it was less about The Rising 88 being terrible monsters and more about how annoying and power-hungry the members of that team were. Some Hitman team mafiosos that had to encounter them claim each Stand User was capable of their abilities, often willing to kill before asking, but that their bark is worse than their bite nonetheless. Aglio continued to explain his reasoning for bringing everyone together rather than leaving a few people behind. Giorno wondered if this was related to the mafiosos Mario Zucchero and Sale; after all, they were the ones that ended up attacking Bruno and the rest of the team in 2001 last time. 

“Team #88 has their entire team engaged,” Aglio continued. “They’re actively pursuing the treasure and have already started killing whoever could be the Favorite of Polpo. We just got reports that they killed his personal guards despite neither of them having any clue of the treasure and our Roma-Naples’ unspoken rule about killing them.”

“And the Father isn’t doing anything about this,” Stella asked to point something out. 

“He might have orchestrated this to kill some Hitman team mafiosos off,” Aglio shook his head but didn’t want to speculate further. “But, what we know is that we have a target on our backs regardless of what we do. If I had left you all at Gregaste Hostel, they would have killed you all without question. I don’t want anyone to leave anyone behind and unknowingly get slaughtered while only a few or only one of us is away— that’s why I brought you all along to find this treasure together instead.”

The Former Don recalled how the hotel receptionist was killed over the phone and understood what Aglio meant. He watched everyone’s face change from happiness to varying degrees of sadness when Aglio said his last sentence. Giorno noted that the implied mention of possibly losing a team member affected the group as a whole and guessed that it had to do with Sorbetto’s death; he still needed to know what that entailed besides what he can only guess from documents he read years ago. 

It would make sense that Aglio would try to have everyone in the same place to prevent further loss and gain a better advantage if a fight broke out. The Former Don remembered how dangerous the original mission of getting Polpo’s treasure was before. Even when there were no casualties in the end, the two mafiosos Giorno and his old team faced on the boat were dangerous in their way and led to Mista injuring himself badly in the end. Who knew if he was facing the same mafiosos again, more people than before, or a Stand User that is even more deadly. The somber feeling felt through the group, however, only lasted for a few moments before it was then replaced with optimism once more. 

“Team #88 doesn’t have a chance,” Andreas reassured everyone. His monkey Stand chatted in agreement as well, climbing itself onto its Stand User and lifting its little fists. Despite hesitant looks in response, their mind changed as he continued to motivate everyone. “We are the best Stand Users around who can handle anything,” the mafioso added. “What do those amateurs know? Finding this treasure and giving it to the Favorite will be a piece of cake if we work together! I heard lots of great things about this guy or gal; surely, we will be rewarded if we work hard!”

“Aglio,” Stella’s eyes began to light up, “we must work hard to help this Favorite get his position! So much potential in our lives getting better if we help him or her succeed!” The other team members, aside from Rovescio and Azzura, started to chatter more in excitement. Giorno could hear various words thrown around, ranging from “finally getting what we deserved” to “everything worked out after all”. Even the annoyed Zafferana seemed to have a faint smile on her face, laughing back at Andreas when he said they no longer would need her to financially support them anymore once the assets are found. It was the same optimism and joy he saw with Bruno and his former teammates all those years ago when they were going to find the treasure for themselves. Aglio tried to quiet the group down to tame the excitement, reminding everyone that there was the actual task of finding the treasure at hand and being vigilant. Everyone agreed on his orders regarding any kind of discussion related to the plan once they set foot on the island. 

Based on how Aglio had talked about the assets, however, Giorno noticed that the mafioso didn’t know where this treasure was at all beyond it being in Capri; he assumed that possibly Rovescio and Azzura, who were constantly in a private side-conversation during it all, had some idea and the Team Leader was simply following their guidance more than giving it. The Former Don barely paid any attention to what Aglio had said when he explained his other instructions. Giorno hoped that the trip went smoothly and no one like Mario Zucchero had managed to sneak onto the boat a while ago to try and sabotage them.

“Tae,” Aglio looked up at the sky as a small group of seagulls flew above him; he was starting to feel optimistic himself and sighed in relief that everything seemed to go as planned. While looking up, the mafioso was also trying to figure out the best place to have him be the team's lookout. His eyes landed at the top of the mast. “I need you to be our eyes up there so we can make sure no one is following—” 

When he looked down, he noticed there was one less member than before. Tae was just sitting during the announcement and was the farthest from everyone else on the deck. Everyone took notice of Aglio’s silence and turned to witness his body appearing to be falling overboard. By the time Stella. ran to him, she noticed only his pair of shoes fell off and a few large black feathers were left behind; Giorno didn’t know where the feathers came from but its sheer size indicated that it wasn’t from any bird. There was no sound of splashing beside the waves that were already hitting the boat. Andreas and Azzura began to walk near the edge of the boat to look for any bodies in the water and both took opposite sides starting at the bow. None of them saw anything out of the ordinary as both made their way to the stern. Zafferana rushed to the steering wheel and turned the engine off before lowering the anchor to stop the boat from moving. Still, no sign of Tae was found. 

“C’mon Tae,” Andreas was calling out his name with Azzura. Giorno tried to ask Zafferana about the black feathers but she ignored him to stand next to a very concerned Stella. Aglio turned to Rovescio to ask if the latter had any idea where the missing mafioso went. “He’s not flying for sure,” Rovescio looked up and as far as he could; hearing about flight made the Former Don speculate the feathers were Tae’s and possibly related to his hidden Stand. “Tae is not someone who would run off unless something terrified him, and there was no way talking about the ten billion Lire assets would set him off.”

“This isn’t time for fun and games,” Andreas continued as he got further down the boat’s back end, grabbing an orange lifebuoy near him as he made his way further back. He still hoped that Tae was simply fooling around in the ocean but the older mafioso was prepared to jump into the water to rescue him if he was in danger. Everyone else was too busy to hear Andreas’ little spiel about the other member as they were also trying to find the same man and Azzura turned away to begin making her way back to the bow. “I swear,” Andreas was starting to annoy the second-in-command, “he always takes an opportunity to dunk himself in any kind of water and he managed to stay dry until now—”

Azzura was about to tell Andreas to pipe down when she felt the orange lifebuoy hit her leg. Turning around, she realized it had rolled to her and whoever was carrying it had vanished. The sound of monkey noises that were heard during the whole search disappeared. “Aglio,” she notified the Team Leader. “Where’s Andreas?”

Aglio was confused but saw that the mafioso in question had gone as well. He watched as Azzura turned around to reveal a shocked face. Giorno remembered how this all played out and realized what was going to happen next. He didn’t have time to say anything as he noticed a green, armor-covered arm with a short rapier sword attached to it pulled up from behind Azzura and stabbed the weapon right through her neck. The newly-appeared Stand created the familiar puncture wound the Former Don remembered belonged to「Soft Machine 」and Azzura’s body disappeared quickly before anyone could react. No one who didn’t know the Stand ability could see where she went and what happened.  

Giorno had seen how Narancia was taken similar to how Tae, possibly Andreas, and now Azzura left without an apparent trace. He didn’t exactly know how it was possible or where he and his former teammates went in the past, but he knew it was an enemy Stand User who simply wanted to keep them hostage as a means of finding the treasure. He recalled the same puncture wound that briefly appeared on the boat and realized the enemy Stand User got in the way before they left the docks. Although Azzura was in a spot where the remaining mafioso could have seen her, the way the boat was designed and where she was standing sort of hid her body enough that no one else could see it was being dragged into the floor. 

The team as a whole knew they were now missing three mafiosos that had somehow vanished into thin air. Giorno thought of making his way to where the second-in-command was standing, only to be shoved away by Zafferana rushing to the area with Rovescio and Aglio behind. following behind. Out of the mafiosos, Zafferana was the most frantic and she desperately called out Azzura’s name. Stella had to calm the mafioso down and brought her back to the deck area with the others. 

“What do you think is going on,” Stella asked Aglio, who could only say he didn’t have a clue either. The two of them noticed the cabin door near them was slightly open and they hesitantly opened the door wide. No one from Team #47 went in the cabin and throughout the whole trip but it appeared the interior was used in some way. Despite the mafiosos knowing the communication panel was broken, there were signs of it trying to be used; drawers and other storage compartments were open and sheets of paper containing instructions were strewn on the floor. What should have been a red landline phone on the wall was now missing the handset and cord. 

The two of them rushed out and were slightly relieved that the other mafioso that hadn't been taken was still there for now. “We’re under attack,” Stella told the findings to the rest of the group. “Someone hitched a ride with us somehow and who knows what they plan on doing to us.”

“We need to stay together,” Giorno advised the team. “Whatever is causing this is trying to keep us as hostages to find Polpo’s treasure and keep us ransom until they have the answers they need. I think I know how—”

“Hostages,” Zafferana interjected. It was clear that she was still in hysterics that were gradually getting worse but now amplified with Giorno’s specific claim and attempt to take action. “Porca miseria, that doesn’t make any sense! Whoever is on this boat is trying to kill us all— not keep us alive to hold us as hostages! Where is this ransom idea coming from? How do you know they’re doing this to get Polpo’s treasure and not just some random  cazzos  trying to mess with us? Why are you so specific?”

He realized he shouldn’t have revealed too much of his past knowledge. Zafferana took Giorno’s brief silence as possible guilt and began accusing him further. 

“We’ve only seen your Stand once but never how it works,” she added, “and you tried to attack us earlier before acting all friendly with Aglio back there too. You know, you’re also acting like you know a lot about who we’re dealing with and what’s going on too much. Maybe, you’re the one causing all of this and trying to get away with it!”

“Annada,” Rovescio didn’t realize he used her real name to try calming her down; despite her accusations, she had a point to expose how Giorno seemed to know what was going on a lot more than everyone else. Still, he needed the remaining to be calm to properly assess the situation first and determine the right plan of action. “Pointing fingers isn’t going to get us anywhere,” he reasoned with her before turning to the Former Don. “How do you know Tae and the others are being held hostage, Giogio?” 

Giorno pointed at a fly that was buzzing around and began to explain his Stand abilities. Aglio instantly recognized the fly trick from before. “「Golden Experience」can use life to track things,” he showed how the insect was lingering where Tae was standing. “I assumed those black feathers belonged to him, so I transformed one into a fly and theoretically it would return to its owner once it finds it. If Tae was dead, the fly wouldn’t be flying around at all— it would just turn back into a feather. Therefore, the Stand User is causing everyone to disappear by hiding them somewhere in this boat. When we were at the docks, I saw a puncture—”

“Right,” Zafferana wasn’t convinced. “Given how hot today is and the fact that Andreas brought a bunch of smelly cheap snacks doesn’t mean a random fly managed to hop onto this boat and is looking for food. That thing is just hovering over Tae’s old bag of potato chips and nothing more!”

The interaction was interjected with the sound of Stella yelping in pain once she felt a sharp stab in her shoulder. Everyone turned to her and saw the same mysterious hand begin pulling her down. Both GIorno and Zafferana called out to the mafioso and attempted to reach out to grab her. The rapier was fast enough to stab both of them almost at the same time and pull them down with her; all Aglio and Rovescio could do were watch in shock. Giorno didn't remember the Stand having that many appendages and felt his body being condensed into something thinner. At the last moment before his hand became unusable, he took his ladybug clipping from his jacket to transform into a familiar seabird with black tips and yellow legs. 

“Aglio,” he called out before finally disappearing. “Use this to track us!” The final three victims sank to the floor before disappearing right in front of the two remaining members of the ship. The newly-created bird was frantically waddling around the same area Giorno and the other two mafiosos disappeared from, similar to the fly that was still hovering around Tae’s previous area, and it was now squawking like a crazy cat. The seabird was also pecking between the floorboards but neither man could see exactly why or what was in the crevice while also making loud noises indicating it was frustrated. Its actions weren't enough to garner interest from the other seabirds flying around despite how noticeable it was. Aglio and Rovescio were now standing back to back.

“Giogio may be right,” Rovescio refuted Zafferana’s previous claims. “Someone did sneak onto this boat and is trying to hold everyone hostage. I thought we were going to have an easy trip to Capri today. We should have planned better.”

“Now is not the time to think about what we could have done, Cass,” Aglio reassured the other man as he gently gripped his shoulder to calm him. The Team Leader brought out「Black and White」and began twirling it in his hand as a means to calm his nerves but also prepare to get into combat with his third-in-command. “We need to get our whole team out alive and confirm whether or not whoever is attacking us is related to The Rising 88. Do you think「Polyphia」can help us?”

One mention of Rovescio’s Stand was enough to summon it. A large two-headed white tiger appeared in front of them. Its pair of golden wings expanded to stretch itself and clouds of smoke circled the Stand’s body before it dissipated. Both heads roared to indicate that they were ready to work, baring sharp teeth, before turning its attention to the Stand User. 

Rovescio cracked his knuckles. “Let’s jam.”

Translations:

1. Ciao: hello. It’s an informal way of saying hello or goodbye. 
   
   
2. Signore: a title or form of address used of or to an Italian-speaking man, corresponding to Mr. or sir.
   
   
3. Mi dispiace: I am sorry. This version of apologizing is more used to apologize for something not within one's control.
   
   
4. Benvenuti all'Ostello Gregaste: Welcome to Gregaste Hostel.
   
   
5. Nonna: grandmother. It is used as a term to describe an elderly woman who may or may not be a grandmother.
   
   
6. Signora: a title or form of address used of or to an Italian-speaking married woman, corresponding to Mrs. or madam. 
   
   
7. Cazzo: dick.
   
   
8. Puttaniere: man-whore.
   
   
9. Porto Napoli: The Port of Naples.
   
   
10. Capito: understood. It is usually used to indicate an agreement to do something.
    
    
11. Lingua dei Segni Italiana: Italian Sign Language.  
    
    
12. Bastardo: bastard.
    
    
13. La Squadra Esecuzioni: The Execution Team. This is the Italian name often used to refer to The Hitman Team in the English dub version of Vento Aureo.
    
    
14. Barca IV: Boat IV
    
    
15. La Famiglia: The family. In the English dub of Vento Aureo, characters often refer to Passione as "La Familgia" and the phrase can be used to refer to a mafia clan or mafia family. In Passione’s case, it is used in reference to the syndicate as a whole.
    
    
16. Dio mio: my God.
    
    
17. Porca miseria: for God's sake. It's a relatively mild way of expressing anger or incredulity. Porca miseria literally translates to "'pork poverty".
    
    

Name Meanings:

• Kusunoki
  
  • Kusunoki: Japanese surname meaning "camphor tree". In reference to Japanese R&B artist and former comedian Joji (ジョージ・楠木・ミラー).  
• Andreas Arancini
  • Andreas: Greek variation of the name "Andrea", meaning "man". In reference to Colombian footballer Andrés Escobar and Italian Tenor Andrea Bocelli.
  • Arancini: Italian rice balls coated with breadcrumbs and deep fried, often stuffed with cheese. 
• Rovescio Montagna
  • Rovescio: Italian word for "reverse".
  • Montagna: Italian word for "mountain".
• Tae Pescatore
  • Tae: Diminutive of Korean name "태형" that implies the phrase "all wishes will come true". In reference to South Korean singer 김 태형.
  • Pescatore: Italian word for "fisherman".
• Zafferana Korma
  • Zafferana: Feminine alteration to the Italian word "zafferano", meaning "saffron".
  • Korma: An Indian dish that uses meats marinated in yogurt and saffron.  
• Stella Pera
  • Stella: Italian word for "star". 
  • Pera: Italian word for "pear". In reference to country singer Stella Parton, sister of Dolly Parton.