Golden Wind: Fate of Zephyr

Chapter 7: The Final Test to be Caporegime

To think Giorno would face a Stand by himself on the first day of the job was something he knew might happen but not so suddenly. 

He learned that his current enemy right now was a woman named Niki Zefanya and her Stand「INDIGO」had the ability to transform her body into metallic liquid she could manipulate and sometimes shield as well; it reminded him of T1000 from the Terminator series. On her forehead was the word “INDIGO” written in capital letters as if they were etched into metal. He tried to fight her back with Golden Experience but found that the liquid voids his punches and changing his own body to escape her clutches was his current best solution to evade her grip. Their fight caused many people to run in fear, not knowing that a Stand battle was going on, and Giorno tried to use the environment around him without harming others; Niki could care less. By the time they were in the thick of the fight, the port managed to empty itself of civilians. 

It wasn’t until Niki was about to deliver a blow that the Former Don noticed a ball of colorful light being thrown towards them and made contact with her right shoulder. It caused the metallic liquid to separate, exposing her skin underneath before another ball of light was thrown at the same spot and caused her to burn. Giorno realized that it was the enemy mafioso’s weakness: getting hit directly stopped the metallic liquid from shielding her vulnerable body further. More beams were thrown and Giorno turned around to see where the pink lights came from. As if on cue to save him, Stella was slowly approaching the two fighters with the same glowing energy being thrown from her hands. Eventually, Niki whimpered to yield, causing Stella to stop by the time she reached Giorno. The Former Don noticed her own Stand was behind the mafioso but disappeared as soon as Niki surrendered and before he attempted to point it out. Soon, the enemy Stand User was quickly tied up and put on the boat with Greggio and Felìcita. 

The rest of Team #47 made it on land soon after. Zafferana called two cabs to take the rest of the team to where Rovescio wanted them to go. With only four seats in each vehicle, the team members were subtly hesitant to share the second car with Giorno before Azzura finally complained about the decision taking too long and volunteered herself to be his seat partner; Rovescio insisted on being next to Aglio while Zafferana insisted on being next to Stella. The four mafiosos’ cab went first and the second cab with Giorno and Azzura followed somewhat closely behind. 

The ride was silent and albeit awkward since Azzura wasn’t one to engage in small talk when others weren’t around, but Giorno decided to focus more on his next plans after helping the team obtain the assets. He was still unsure how to let the rest of the team know of his plans to take back Passione and what Aglio meant in Naples regarding Polpo. Those thoughts were enough to keep him silent and unable to talk to his seat partner; Azzura had her own thoughts occupying her mind as well. 

To ease his mental load, Giorno decided to observe how everyone was rather concerned for Andreas and Tae’s well-being upon arriving at Marina Grande after he told the team what had happened; he missed the camaraderie he got to experience under Bruno’s leadership. Even Zafferana looked worried despite throwing a few lighthearted insults about how Andreas was prone to cause trouble. That overall worry among the group lingered during the cab ride but eventually dissipated when the cab Aglio was in found the two mafiosos alive but still injured at the side of the road. No one noticed the wreckage of the truck underneath the cliff just washed ashore with two unconscious bodies floating next to it. By then, Andreas and Tae had ceased laughing and were struggling to stay conscious before hearing the sound of the vehicle screeching nearby to stop. Opening their eyes, they were greeted by Stella, Zafferana, and Rovescio rushing out of the car to carry them to the other cab containing Giorno and Azzura. The Former Don noticed Azzura picking up a piece of jagged rock that was on the side of the road as their cab driver began complaining about the impending mess of bodily fluids and injuries as well as the delay this sporadic stop entailed. His complaints suspiciously ceased when Giorno watched the second-in-command hand the same rock to the driver and the latter’s eyes suddenly lit up. From the limited view where he was standing, the Former Don noticed a glimmer of sorts where the rock should be and realized she managed to bribe him with something. “What did you give to him,” he tried to inquire when everyone got back to their vehicles to resume the drive. “Something for his troubles,” she simply shrugged.

Certosa di San Giacomo— that was the name of the place Bruno first hid the treasure for Polpo and became Caporegime. The location was a quaint charterhouse that doubled as a monastery when it was created but has turned into a museum and high school since 1974. Coincidentally, it is where Rovescio helped Ogio Engio hide the latter’s treasure too. 

The only thing the team needed to do was wait for Como Petra; no one have ever met the Caporegime face to face but Aglio and Rovescio talked to the senior member via phone calls. Everyone else had seen pictures of the short, elderly man. Zafferana claimed his real name was Nunzio Attanasio and that the old man had a son whose fatal illness led Como Petra to serve in Passione as a means to pay for medical treatment and become Caporegime as a result of his servitude; Giorno knew that the original Pericolo’s son, whose illness led to his father to join Passione for the same desperate reason, would ultimately become a close subordinate of the Former Don named Gianluca Pericolo. He wondered if he should ask Como Petra about his life or whether it would be too suspicious if he even mentioned Gianluca at all. 

Before their arrival, the elderly Caporegime had taken the action to close the charterhouse off from the public for the day and no one else but the team would be entering for the next hour; the school had just finished, making the orders easier to perform and evacuate the remaining guests and students off the premises. The team found out about this last-minute order from some of the paid-off staff working in the entrance area when they arrived; they were also told that the old Caporegime was running a bit late and would arrive soon. By the time Team #47 made their way to a public restroom overseeing the blue ocean that Giorno himself remembered too well, the group had been waiting for more than an hour for Como Petra to arrive and busied themselves to patch up their injured team members. Andreas could hear Tae's whimpers from the other side of the bathroom; Rovescio was taking care of the latter’s injuries. Stella decided to take care of Andreas instead— something the latter was not happy about. 

“Hold still,” she was trying to staple a wound on Andreas’ torso while the other one screamed in comedic pain. He was too occupied to hear the other women on the team snickering outside, although he caught Zafferana’s offhand comment mentioning Azzura’s lack of sleep caused by nightmares. 

Aglio used the opportunity of everyone being distracted to privately talk to Giorno and probe deeper into knowing the latter’s role in Polpo’s death. The Former Don answered honestly, saying that he managed to defeat the Stand「Y2K」during the test, but didn’t know that destroying the Stand would result in the supposed death of the Caporegime via suicide. He also explained that he didn’t know Polpo at all; he claimed the fat man most likely joined after the Former Don’s exile and nothing more. However, Giorno decided to not mention how he killed Polpo before and staged it as a suicide or that he knew Polpo had ten billion Lire that would allow Aglio to become the next Caporegime. He also didn’t mention Ogio Engio’s identity, as he was not sure if the Team Leader had any notion about the relationship dynamic between the late Caporegime and his puppet. The concept of Favorites was new to Giorno, as he never recalled the previous Polpo doing such a thing, but he can argue that Bruno Bucciarati was the closest thing to such a title. 

“You should be more subtle,” Aglio signed but accepted the explanation. “I would expect someone like you would try to regain Passione by playing the long game. But, that’s alright Giogio. I’ve yet to tell everyone your true identity and your plans so far. Once we help Polpo’s Favorite with the ten billion Lire assets, I will let them know.” Giorno apologized and clarified again that he didn’t intend to cause such issues that led to where they are now. What he was curious about is why Aglio wasn’t taking the opportunity to claim this treasure for himself. Bruno bided his time but was more ambitious in comparison. The Former Don speculated something was holding Aglio back but decided to ask another question. 

“Who is this Favorite,” he tried to pry. “I never heard of him or this title.”

“I don’t know who he or she is,” the Team Leader wondered to himself. “There are so many rumors of who this man or woman may be. Some say he’s a secret lover or mafioso who was willing to do anything for Polpo. Being a favorite is a lucrative title that is based more on tradition than standard; some even think it is better to be a Favorite than a Caporegime. But, I don’t think any of my team members are Favorites of any Caporegime.” 

“Isn’t being a Favorite a good thing for a Hitman Team,” Giorno inquired. “Maybe, I can be a Favorite and use that to help Team #47 achieve—” 

“How different was Passione before you left,” Aglio stared at him quizzically. “La Familgia breeds backstabbers under wholesome values and there is no such thing as helping others the way you’re putting it. Favorites are expected to sever all ties with their allies as a means to remain loyal to their Caporegime— betray them if necessary. I trust my men enough that I don't think they would do such a thing. Being a Hitman can change you in ways you never expected.”  

Giorno can only imagine what Aglio meant by that last line. 

The two began talking about how to do the introduction while the rest of the team was minding their business. Stella was still fussing with Andreas from his injuries while Rovescio managed to remove the remaining bullets from Tae’s body. Giorno could feel Zafferana still staring daggers into his back while she took a smoke and Azzura was simply keeping watch while also trying to guess what Aglio and the Former Don were talking about. “Why couldn't you use your Stand to heal me,” Andreas wailed. “Staples my a— OW!”

“It’s a cloudy day today,” Stella mused. She could tell Zafferana and Azzura, who were still overhearing the conversation, were finding this comical as well. “You know my Stand can only work well with direct sunlight when it comes to healing. I’ll get the stitches out and this wound healed up when I can feel more sun and fewer clouds. Speaking of clouds, why is it so warm today despite the sky not being clear?”

“Yeah,” Andreas was heaving and mentally preparing himself for the next staple. “Can we talk less and get this over with?”

“Even Tae is handling the pain more than you,” Rovescio teased as he began washing his hands after finishing up. Tae was using his Stand to cope better, which helped him remain rather quiet in comparison. 

The bathroom they were in wasn’t the most attractive, covered in graffiti that varied in vulgarity and had chipping tiles that were barely holding on; if the appearance wasn’t bad enough, the smell was worse. All except one stall and three urinals appeared to be “under repair” based on the hastily placed caution tapes and worn-out signs that indicated that the restroom has barely been updated or checked on. Before anyone else could speak, Azzura’s attention was piqued when she saw two figures that appeared to be fully-covered janitors approaching the area with what looked like luggage disguised as cleaning supplies. The rest of the team noticed how the second-in-command was previously leaning against the wall and now standing upright to see the strangers getting closer. 

"Bizarre," Zafferana mentioned. “Didn’t you say that no one will be in this area, Rovescio? Not even cleaning staff?”

Rovescio confirmed as Tae made his way out of the bathroom to see who was approaching. Giorno and Aglio noticed them too, with the Former Don watching to see what Aglio and the rest of the team would do. Against the third-in-command’s orders, Tae limped toward the smaller of the two strangers. The taller one appeared to be a young woman beginning to sweep the floor. Both strangers were covered head to toe with bandanas that obscured their faces and aprons that fitted poorly on their bodies. 

“Scusami ,” Tae tried to be polite when he first approached the shorter stranger who seemed to be the older, “this area is closed off. Can you clean this area in a while, Nonno?” 

The taller female figure stepped between the two and immediately pointed at the restroom sign from where Tae walked out to interrupt him. The team was gradually approaching the two strangers and waiting to see if the mafioso would need backup. The shorter man continued to sweep as if he never heard Tae in the first place. 

“Toilet,” was all the female janitor said. Giorno realized this was a replay of how he first met Trish and saw Bruno become the next Caporegime. 

“I just—헐?”

“Is your name ‘toilet’ by chance,” Tae noted that the female janitor had a slight accent similar to his when he spoke Italian and sounded much younger than the age he guessed. What really ticked Andreas off was how she sounded condescending towards the younger mafioso for no reason. Tae had been as polite as possible, and yet he was being disrespected in the other mafioso’s eyes. 

“Because,” she further scoffed at Tae, “unless that is your house with your name on it, we can enter as we please. It’s a public space after all.”

“Listen here, bella,” Andreas scoffed loudly as he limped his way towards the two. “You probably weren’t told this but the staff in this property has intentionally closed this place down so no one but us could be here. Now, run along and clean—”

“I don’t take orders from people like you,” the janitor made a show of looking at Andreas up and down. “If anything, I as the cleaning staff have the higher authority to kick you, the guest, out. Try me, bello. ”

The team began to worry collectively. Rovescio and Azzura wondered if the janitors were disguised members of The Rising 88 or, perhaps, new enemies to encounter. Team #47 had three members out of commission right now due to Andreas and Tae’s injuries; Rovescio himself was worried if he was still able to fight even after the boating event with Greggio earlier and using some of his abilities to help Tae heal. 

Andreas was about to let his anger get the best of him. He gently tried to push Tae aside so he could square up. “Why you little b—”

“Andreas,” Aglio managed to walk up in time to hold Andreas back. “Now is not the time to cause more trouble.”

Upon hearing the Team Leader’s voice, the shorter janitor stopped sweeping from his spot and looked up. “I recognize that voice,” he pulled down the bandana covering his face. Hearing the old man speak, Aglio and Rovescio finally recognized the other voice. 

Como Petra was the Caporegime that oversaw Sicily and minor islands like Capri, so it was rare for him to require Team #47’s abilities; if he did, he would have to go through Ogio Engio and such decisions were rarely allowed by the latter. The team by now had lowered their guards seeing how their Team Leader and third-in-command reacted to seeing Como Petra’s face for the first time in person. There was no doubt in Giorno’s mind about who he was; it was this new version of Pericolo. 

“It is finally nice to meet all of you,” the Caporegime, still in his disguise, warmly greeted Aglio and the rest of the team. “You must be Il Leader Aglio Nero of Team #47, correct?”

“Everyone,” the Team Leader commanded his subordinates, “show your respects. We are in the presence of His Grace: the honorable Caporegime Como Petra. It is a pleasure to finally meet you as well.”

The men bowed their heads as low as they could without questioning the command or feigning reverence; Giorno noted that the women curtsied instead but still revered the same way. Como Petra waved them to rise back up quickly and stated that he didn’t need such formalities. 

“Time is of the essence,” he explained. “Plus, you know I’m not into such formalities. Even after all these years I’m not used to being treated as such. Think of me more as what this young man had called me earlier. I prefer to be called Nonno or Zio— unless you insist on calling me that other title.” As he expected, the team insisted.  

The old man then noticed Giorno somewhat sticking out like a sore thumb. While he knew that Team #47 had seven total members since the year 2000 and heard that there was a new member that just joined today, he correctly guessed that the Former Don might be the new addition that was added today. “I see you have a fresh face with you,” he pointed at him as he spoke to Aglio. Giorno introduced himself and received a light pat on the arm from the man. Como Petra apologized for his appearance, stating that he needed to disguise himself to meet them. When Zafferana asked about the disguised woman, he told her that the matter will be discussed later. 

“What is more important is the payment,” Como Petra emphasized. “Ten billion Lire. I was told your team knows where it is?”

Aglio simply nodded and motioned for Rovescio to take over. “Right this way, Your Grace,” the third-in-command guided the Caporegime. Giorno offered to carry a few of the disguised luggage items alongside Azzura and Aglio while Stella helped Andreas and Tae walk along. 

“Are you ready to pay your tribute to become Caporegime of Roma-Naples,” he asked Aglio. “You know the rules stated in Polpo’s will to take his position.”

“Actually,” Aglio was about to explain. “we—”

“Our leader accepts this position wholeheartedly,” Rovescio interjected. “He has been a beloved Favorite of His Late Grace Polpo for quite a while and worked hard to be trusted for this position.”

Gasps among some of the team members erupted; they were loud enough to deafen Aglio’s shock. Giorno was taken aback at the reveal and wondered whether the Team Leader’s discussion about the Favorite’s identity was part of the latter’s attempt to hide the truth. Andreas became the first to cheer on and both Stella and Tae followed suit upon Rovescio’s encouragement. “Who would have thought Il Leader Nero was this great at becoming the best of the best,” he roughly pulled Aglio into a side hug. “You got us with that whole announcement on the boat! Who would have thought Aglio Nero, our smart and resourceful leader, would be the one to become Caporegime!”

“This is so cool!”

“Alright, Aglio!”

Giorno simply played along while the others gave their compliments and praises. Only Azzura and Zafferana stayed back, signing to each other silently about what they were seeing. “He’s terrified,” the mafioso signed her observation about Aglio to the second-in-command. Despite the black-and-white mask covering most of his face, the body movements and Zafferana’s gut feeling told her what she saw. “His eyes do not look like one of someone who is just being humble or shy about the surprise. Nonetheless, he looks like he does not want to be a Caporegime.”

“I don’t think Rovescio sees it yet,” Azzura didn’t expect such a reaction either. She was trying to sign to the third-in-command but the happy chaos that erupted from the sudden announcement blocked his vision of her “There has to be a good reason why Aglio is behaving that way,” she added. “Otherwise, something is wrong. Rovescio has been planning this for months to ensure Aglio’s transition would be as secure as possible. Aglio wouldn’t be the type of person who wouldn’t appreciate such efforts for himself.”

It seemed like Como Petra also didn’t see the fear in Aglio’s eyes either. The elderly man joined in on the conversation and congratulated him. “Of course,” he reminded them, “that still requires you to follow tradition. Where is your payment of ten billion Lire?”

“It is right here, Your Grace,” Rovescio answered for Aglio, who was still unable to talk, and the third-in-command simply took control of the conversation. Rovescio pulled out some disposable gloves he had tucked into his pockets and made his way to a particular urinal Giorno recognized. A few punches revealed「Polyphia」’s paws clawing at the walls behind it and the tiles appeared to be peeled off. As if an invisible hand was peeling each piece away as if they were initially stuck on but were now being taken off in reverse. The third-in-command knew how the assets got there; he went out of his way to hire workers to rebuild that urinal and killed them to avoid its secrets from being exposed. Even with the limited energy he had, Rovescio managed to take the wall out and reveal the ten billion dollar Lire payout. 

It wasn’t just bank notes; the treasure consisted of high-quality gemstones and diamonds that were polished so well they brightened the room. Andreas, Stella, and Tae’s eyes widened at the treasure before them. Zafferana noted the papers that consisted of deeds to prime real estate. While Rovescio carefully took out the assets, Azzura prepared the sink for Como Petra to view it. In the bags they were placed in, the ten billion Lire assets were inspected by the elderly Caporegime’s eyes. He had a suitcase to carry what was needed, seeing how the treasure seemed to be way more than ten billion Lire. 

“Everything seems high-quality and authentic,” the old man used a loupe to analyze the gems. “A gem like this ruby here is worth at least a few million Lire. This necklace alone is worth at least seven or eight hundred million. You’re not trying to trick me, are you Azzura?”

“No, Your Grace.” The mafioso chuckled, knowing that Como Petra was just joking. “I never knew of this treasure until now.” Giorno wondered what Azzura meant regarding the gemstones and guessed it had to do with her Stand; he recalled her giving something to the taxi driver a while back as a means of bribery and assumed that there was some connection. “I give you my word that none of those stones are fake,” she reassured him. 

“And, I trust your word,” the old man put all the items that totaled ten billion Lire back into a suitcase he brought along to carry the assets. Andreas, Stella, and Tae were still amazed by the amount of money that just came out of the urinal. The former in particular wanted to at least touch the assets himself before it would be put away. 

“Wait,” he whined, “you’re already putting it away?”

“Can I touch it just a little bit,” Tae joined in with Andreas. “Please?”

Como Petra only chuckled. He hobbled his way out of the bathroom, secretly not enjoying the smells of it himself, and the rest of the team followed suit. In the courtyard, the elderly man stood in front of the team and Aglio was pushed to face him by Rovescio. 

The remaining Lire bank notes and less sub-par looking yet still valuable gems were left on the counter. Before leaving, Azzura quickly gathered them back into the bag that they originally came from; the remaining assets were to be given to the team and divided among themselves. Como Petra insisted that they keep their well-earned treasure. “There was more than enough to pay the ten billion Lire needed to take Polpo’s place,” the old man refused to take the money back when Azzura tried to hand it back, “I assumed this treasure was put in before it was now appreciated to be more than expected. If I calculated correctly, you now have twenty million Lire to splurge among yourselves.”

Twenty million Lire. A hitman team of Passione can only dream of having such cash for one mission these days.  

“I won’t question how you got this money,” Como Petra straightened his back as he turned to Aglio. The whole time, Aglio heard nothing. He was in a deep state of shock and disassociation that no one else had noticed while the treasure was being counted; everything was a blur. However, he managed to snap out of it when Como Petra announced his declaration. 

“I start with explaining tradition,” he began. “This ten billion Lire payout is meant to prove that you deserve this position. The reality this fortune shows us is that the owner is intelligent and trustworthy. Let me be the first to declare that you, Aglio Nero, are to take on Polpo’s positions and responsibilities from this day forward. Congratulations, child. You are now Caporegime.”

Stella’s eyes widened along with Andreas and Tae’s. Rovescio placed his arm around the Team Leader and tried to get him excited, but then he finally noticed his eyes. The third-in-command said nothing but caught Azzura and Zafferana’s glance; they silently told him through signing what they saw. Aglio noticed Rovescio’s stare at Azzura and realized the two had planned all of this, not aware of the silent conversation they were having about him. In the Team Leader’s mind, knowing what he was told about becoming Caporegime against orders, he believed his team would be doomed. Dr. Dolcio, based on Aglio’s fears, may plan something heinous as punishment once news of the promotion breaks to the rest of Passione. 

Giorno was simply pulled into the celebrations with the other three mafiosos, who eventually pulled Zafferana and Azzura into it as well. “Ever since the new kid joined,” Andreas chuckled, “we’ve been experiencing nothing but luck, huh?”

Despite Zafferana appearing rather apathetic and both her and Azzura having a strong feeling that this announcement would not go well, the two tried to smile and encourage the celebration to avoid ruining morale. Como Petra let the team celebrate briefly before getting their attention again. He had to announce an order from the Don of Passione that needed to be addressed. This caveat, however, was something Giorno didn’t remember the original Pericolo said in 2001. “There is a task you must complete before all of Passione can officially acknowledge you as the new Caporegime of Roma-Napoli. Consider this your final test.”

All the excitement and joy dissipated and turned to confusion. Even Rovescio and Azzura were not aware of this. Giorno didn’t remember Bruno being given a condition that he had to do before he was officially named Caporegime; he recalled the task to protect Trish but it was seen as part of his first duty rather than a final task before promotion. “This is a job that Polpo was tasked to start today but can no longer fulfill because of his death,” Como Petra explained. “Until you complete this, you will be known as Caporegime in all but name— a conditional Caporegime— in other words.”

“Your Grace,” Azzura spoke up, “all his late Grace Polpo wanted was for someone to provide the traditional ten billion Lire payment and nothing more. No division requires a final test or similar to perform.”

“This isn’t something that Polpo planned or put in place,” the old man explained, “but something Father Diavolo himself requires you to do.”

The mention of the Don of Passione sent a shock to the team. It was one thing to receive a direct order from him but another to not be able to advance in rank because of it. 

“I would have loved to make you Caporegime immediately and gain the rewards you are all entitled to,” the old man sighed. “Upon completing your task, you will be given your rewards and responsibilities. As Caporegime, you will be overseeing the gambling, money-lending, and smuggling at the harbor, as well as the restaurants and hotels in Naples. Fifty percent of the profits those businesses create will go to La Famiglia and the other fifty will be yours for you and your men to do as you please. Not to mention, all the Hitman Teams will be at your beck and call.”

“So,” Stella assumed, “we, or even Aglio, won’t be given any money from those businesses until then?”

“I was able to convince the Father to at least give you some of those profits,” Como Petra tried to keep the mafiosos optimistic. “Other expenses regarding the test will also be paid for. But, the remaining money will be held onto by me until then. I will watch over your properties and Hitman Teams in the meantime.”

“Why is this necessary,” Rovescio asked. This was something he did not anticipate at all.

“I would have loved you to immediately be Caporegime and gain the rewards you are all entitled to,” the old man sighed. “However, The Incident makes the Father feel like your team is not trustworthy enough to simply be handed over the position with just the ten billion Lire in hand.”

Giorno wondered what Como Petra meant by “The Incident” and assumed it involved Sorbetto. While he knew the original Sorbet and Gelato led La Squadra Esecuzioni to defect after their deaths and the late team were heavily vilified after the betrayal, he wasn’t sure how that previous situation could have affected this team instead or whether a new team would take that position and start hunting Team #47 down instead. He remembered Bruno’s team wasn’t as highly favored or wasn’t notable, to begin with, yet the original Diavolo gave the green light to let Bruno become Caporegime. The whole thing seemed bizarre to the Former Don. The mention of the phrase “The Incident” seemed to make some of the team members noticeably exasperated.

“What gives,” Andreas began to raise his voice in frustration. “We worked hard to get that money. We struggled all these years and did what we could to regain trust and prove to the Father that we are loyal even after what happened in 1999. What more could he want?” The anger caused him to pop out a bloody staple, causing him to wince in pain. 

“Andreas,” Zafferana’s voice hushed him. “Now’s not the time to be angry.” Secretly, she was just as upset about the news but Andreas’ words wouldn’t change a thing; if not, acting in such a way in front of a respected member of Passione might make things worse for the team. Aglio was about to apologize for Andreas’ speaking out of turn towards Como Petra but the elderly Caporegime raised his hand. 

“It’s alright,” he knew the man’s anger was justified and wished he didn’t have to bear the bad news to the team. “If I was him, I would be just as angry. But, I can assure you this final test will be simple. Everything you will need for this task will be provided by Father Diavolo directly and you only need to focus on this task until it is done. The management of Polpo’s former businesses, as I said before, will be overseen by me until your task is complete, and all the profits they make, while you are working on this task, will be given to you later in full. You do not need to worry about the minutia regarding money, food, weapons, and more— just this final mission.” 

Giorno finally remembered the disguised girl and that this was when Trish was revealed. Tae had similar thoughts, asking Stella if the test had to do with the other stranger that has yet to be introduced. His question was answered when Como Petra motioned her to go to the women’s restroom to change.  

“As a final test to prove that you are worthy of being Capo,” the old man announced. “Father Diavolo asks that you guard his daughter with your lives.”

The mention of “daughter” shocked everyone. The team had heard rumors that Father Diavolo had a woman claiming to have a child with him out of wedlock years ago. However, most teams, including Team #47, only brushed it away as a smear campaign against Passione, and there had been a few accusations over the years that were simply dealt with via assassinations. This particular rumor began a few weeks ago and it was no longer a hot topic to discuss among the Hitman teams at least by the time Giorno came back in time. To realize that the rumors had some truth came as a surprise to the entire group. The Former Don wondered if she remembers him at all, despite being standoff-ish to everyone at first.

“Starting now,” Como Petra continued. “You are to cater to her needs, protect her, and prioritize her safety above everything else. When Father Diavolo is ready to receive her, you will escort his daughter safely to whatever approach is planned for her to meet him. Communication will be directly through the messaging system, which you can now use to directly communicate with Father Diavolo in addition to the other Caporegimes and teams like before. If you succeed in this test, you will be properly acknowledged as Caporegime.”

The same girl that briefly disappeared to change out of her disguise walked out of the bathroom just as Como Petra finished his words. Giorno took notice of her first and was shocked to see how different she was compared to Trish. Her hair was longer, tied up in a half updo, yet still the same bright pink color as Trish’s— apart from the two pieces of blonde hair that frame her face as bangs. She wore a black vest, different from the leather bustier Trish wore, with a matching long skirt. The colorful mathematical symbols remained as a part of a pair of gloves that seem to be hanging on her shoulders for the moment as well as the inner lining of her skirt when a breeze briefly revealed the bottom part of it. The rest of the team noticed her once the Caporegime motioned them to look toward her. Rovescio noted that she looked very young. 

Como Petra cleared his throat. “Signore e signori,” he introduced the young girl, “this is Lalisa Helene Xuna. She is from Thailand and was recently brought over to Italy at Father Diavolo’s request. You are to escort her safely to him and cater to her needs until she is properly returned. Do forgive her but she is not very fluent in Italian.”

Just like Trish, the girl looked uninterested in the other team members looking at her as she looked at everyone’s faces with some hint of disgust. Como Petra began handing out some Italian-to-Thai dictionaries that were in his pockets, saying the books will help communicate with her. He went on to discuss with Aglio, Azzura, and Rovecsio about the two vans that were in the parking lot and prepared to take the young girl back to Naples or wherever they needed to go if ordered to do so. Como Petra listed the items that were currently in there, ranging from her personal belongings to money meant to help fund things like her meals and entertainment. 

Andreas was the first to approach, awkwardly opening his newly given dictionary to try and greet her. It was his way to extend an olive branch after his rude greeting a while ago. 

“Uh…” he was flipping through the pages trying to phonetically sound out the words, “Sa-wa-di-kun-foo-ing. Chan-choo Andreas… and… fuck… c—”

“That old man doesn’t know anything,” the girl sighed before speaking back in her monotone voice in Italian. Although everyone was taken aback at her responding fluently, Andreas was the most obviously surprised. The girl continued to complain. “Just because I have a slight accent doesn’t mean I don’t know how to speak Italian at all. Geez… Does he not remember that I am part Italian?” 

Giorno remembered how she acted the first time he met Trish, but this different response caught him off guard. He didn’t remember Trish being Asian or acting that level of snobbery or rudeness. He wondered what else is different about her compared to the girl he met in 2001. 

“For the love of God,” she rolled her eyes and pointed at Andreas's dumbfounded face before waving her hand at everyone else, “none of you should speak Thai like that in front of me ever again. I don’t want to ruin my ears with your terrible attempts at such a beautiful language. And my name is Gigi— nothing more. Don’t call me Lalisa, don’t call me Helene, don’t call me ‘ex-ooh-na’ like the old man was pronouncing it before. It’s just Una. Where did that extra sound come from? Get that right at least.” 

Her attention then turned to Tae. “You,” she pointed at him. “Take off your shirt.”

Tae’s eyes looked like they were going to bulge out and he stuttered. The last thing he expected was a cute girl he just met to ask him to strip. He hoped no one saw his face turn red when he asked her to repeat what she just said. Only Giorno noticed how embarrassed Tae was and knew why she wanted him to remove his shirt. Andreas jokingly blew a wolf whistle, which was met by a glare from the other women of the group. Gigi didn’t seem to be bothered by it though.  

“You heard me,” the girl sounded annoyed when Tae asked her to repeat herself. “I don’t care what’s underneath. I just need you to take off your shirt. Now.” Giorno offered to give his shirt instead, beginning to unzip it but was stopped when the girl glared at him. 

“I want his shirt,” she protested. “I don’t need yours.”

Tae reassured Giorno that it was okay, although he wondered why the latter’s shirt wasn’t suitable and began to undress. Once the young man finally took his shirt off and gave it to her, she did the same thing Trish had done before with Fugo’s top: wiped her hands down and even buffed out some of her nails for good measure. It seemed like everyone had some sort of degree of reaction to her bizarre, snobbish behavior, with Tae being extremely flustered. The group as a whole seemed to have some collective annoyance towards her actions— Zafferana. She just found it all amusing, to say the least. 

“The bathroom ran out of clean paper towels,” Gigi explained before tossing the shirt back into Tae’s arms without a care. Had he not caught it in time, it would have fallen right onto the dirt ground. “Not to mention the smell. It’s so awful! Anyways, I’ll need some proper handkerchiefs then— so I don’t have to go in such public places to just wipe my hands or ask you to hand me your ugly shirt again.” 

She checked her nails to make sure they were not dirty as she began walking towards a path that would lead everyone back to the main entrance to leave. “Get me a few Nylon stockings with the garter,” Gigi started barking orders. “And Givenchy blush number two. I had some packed for myself but customs dared to throw it out when I came here. Do they know how much that blush cost to buy when I was in Thailand? Anyways, get me the latest copy of Vogue and as many high-end magazines for me to read— so I don’t die of boredom while I’m staying in basically house arrest. I need a new Armani bag too. Something red or pink from their recent collection. And get me some French mineral water. It needs to be French, or else I refuse to drink it, okay? I need all of this right now. If not, by tomorrow.” 

“Miss La— I mean— Gigi,” Stella interjected and corrected herself, “this is a lot of items to order in one go.”

Gigi turned around and looked at her with indignation. She crossed her arms, shifting her weight onto one leg, and her nose flared up. “My father is the leader of Passione,” she explained, “the richest and most powerful syndicate in Europe and possibly the world. I’m sure he’d be glad to know that his men and women are complaining about getting just a few items for his daughter to be happy with. Seeing how he’s trying to make up for lost time, the last thing he wants is his own daughter to be treated badly by his subordinates who had just been promoted, no? And seeing how this mission of caring for me is so important for you all, I suggest you get to it.” She snapped her fingers. 

“What a bitch,” Andreas muttered, only to be elbowed in the stomach by Azzura once she overheard what he said. Rovescio reminded the rest of the team that they had to bear her- at least until she is escorted to Father Diavolo— so that Aglio can officially be the new Caporegime; no one wanted their efforts getting to Capri for this position so far to be in vain. 

Giorno couldn’t help but wonder why Zafferana chuckled to herself, but her next words gave him some ideas. “And you thought I was a bitch when I first joined,” she commented to Andreas unintentionally in earshot of Father Diavolo’s daughter. Her statement seemed to pique Gigi’s interest as she turned around hearing that and let Zafferana approach her. “You have very good taste,” that was somehow a good ice-breaker to get Gigi to soften around her. “Givenchy number two really matches well with your skin tone.”

The two began walking together towards the entrance while the rest of the team began to follow suit. Somehow, Gigi was showing signs of warming up to her within a few minutes and was rather chatting up a storm about what Giorno could only assume to be fashion-related topics. To her, she was finally meeting someone who seemed to share the same taste as her and appeared to be the epitome of the lifestyle she wanted. “Am I not surprised,” Stella commented to Andreas. “Zafferana is our go-to when it comes to high-profile work and knows what the upper echelons of society are like. Maybe, we should let her spend time with Zaff to ease the workload.”

Como Petra shook his head as he watched what Gigi had said to the team and turned the team. He didn't seem to hear what the young girl just said and assumed she was starting to get along. Andreas and Stella eventually followed behind her and Zafferana before Tae joined them. Giorno wanted to walk ahead too but stayed behind to listen to Como Petra talk to Aglio and his next-in-commands. 

“If you can succeed in bringing her to the Father safely,” the elderly man advised, “it will prove to him that you deserved this new title as Caporegime. Forgive her for acting in such a way. Ever since she came to Italy, she has become notorious for driving many teams crazy due to her behavior and demands. So, if you could handle her…”

Aglio simply nodded. “Of course,” Azzura answered. Neither the newly-made Caporegime nor his team members knew how long they were going to handle Gigi’s presence. However, even with the predicament, Aglio was now in, he was going to try to keep everyone together for as long as possible.

“We will do our best, Your Grace,” Aglio vowed and his next-in-commanders hummed in agreement, although they seemed less confident about achieving such a goal compared to their leader. 

“We are equal now,” Como Petra reminded him. “Though you are Caporegime in all but name, you can call me your friend. Everyone else will have to say ‘your grace’ when talking to you now. You’ll get used to it eventually.”

Eventually, Andreas’ voice told them to hurry up. The remaining mafiosos followed behind, with Rovescio holding Como Petra’s suitcase full of the ten billion Lire that would be used as the payout. The old man walked rather slowly due to his age and his stature, but no one with him dared to walk ahead. When it came to the more steep corridors and paths, Giorno and Aglio offered to assist him in walking but Como Petra refused both their offers. He noted that he wasn’t a spring chicken but he certainly wasn’t at death’s door yet. During the walk down, he engaged in some brief conversations with each person— including Giorno.  

“I expect great things from you,” Como Petra said to the Former Don. “Aglio seems to know how to pick the best people. I trust young Giogio will serve  La Familgia  well.” He said the last sentence with a wink to Aglio. The leader simply exhaled in response. 

The five of them managed to catch up to the rest of the team and Gigi, who was now complaining about how long she had to wait outside for everyone. As Como Petra stated before, the whole team spotted the two white vans that they were now going to escort Father Diavolo’s daughter around until she was ready to meet him. The ferry ticket to get them back was paid for and the ship they used, along with the members of The Rising 88 captured and still on it, will be handled by the older Caporegime’s men. Greggio and Fioredi’s efforts were all in vain; they and their team will have to pay for their behavior rather than reap the benefits it was suppose to bring.

The vans Team #47 were going to drive were unmarked, unsurprisingly, and seemed to resemble commercial vehicles used as airport shuttles rather than luxurious rides. The interior was no different but clean enough to be comfortable; it didn’t help that Gigi complained about how plain the inside was nonetheless. Como Petra bid the group farewell and the team bowed and curtsied in response once more. With that, an undisclosed green car drove up and stopped where the old man was standing in the parking lot. He immediately got in and let the vehicle speed away before anyone could say anything else. 

One by one, the team divided itself into two groups— the trio that consisted of Andreas, Stella, and Tae fought amongst themselves as to who was going to sit in the same vehicle as Gigi. Eventually, it was settled that Zafferana, Stella, and Giorno were going to be in the same van as her, with Andreas driving the car. 

The ride to their first stop was uneventful, but Giorno used the time to observe. While he recalled Trish being the quiet one who said nothing more after her list of demands, he noticed how chatty Gigi was with Zafferana. Stella kept herself occupied by talking with Andreas and the Former Don began to wonder what was to become of the team. 

He wanted desperately to call her Trish. The Trish he knew ended up becoming a singer and songwriter in the United States who eventually lost contact with the Former Don. He insisted that she forget him out of safety but the memories of her still maintaining contact before she finally cut it were still fresh in his mind. He wondered if he would feel this same grief when he would eventually encounter Mista and Fugo’s alternate versions as well. He managed to stop his hand from shaking. 

Translations:

1. Marina Grande: The name of the bigger port in Capri. 
   
   
2. Certosa di San Giacomo: Saint James' Charterhouse. 
   
   
3. La Familgia: 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.
   
   
4. Scusami: excuse me. Tae is using an informal way of the phrase thinking it is the formal variation. He should have said "mi scusi" instead if he wanted to be formal. 
   
   
5. Nono: grandfather. It is used as a term to describe an elderly man who may or may not be a grandfather.
   
   
6. 헐:  a noise used in Korean to express surprise, shock, or even amazement. It works for both positive and negative situations.
   
   
7. Bella, Bello: beauty. It is often used as a term of endearment depending on the gender being used. However, both cases are using the term to insult the other. 
   
   
8. Il Leader: the leader. While the term "Capo" is used by team leaders within Passione as well as the actual Caporegimes, Passione wants to make a clear distinction between those who have the actual role of Caporegime and those who are merely subbordinates. Team leaders, regardless of status and experience, are regarded professionally as "Il Leader" instead. 
   
   
9. Zio: uncle. It is used as a term to describe a middle-aged man who may or may not be an uncle. 
   
   
10. Signore e signori: ladies and gentlemen.
    
    
11. Sa-wa-di-kun-foo-ing. Chan-choo: Andreas is trying to say hello and introduce himself to Gigi in Thai, but his pronunciation is terrible and most likely not read as he think it is. What he is trying to say is "สวัสดี ครับ. ผมชื่อ Andreas," or "Hello there. My name is Andreas."
    
    
12. Ex-Un-A: In Thai, Una translates to อุนะ. The character อ is a silent consonant that can be omitted when writing the word romanized. However, Google Translate and some online translators include the character as an X to represent it. It can be concluded that Passione's translators did not realize this and therefore had her documents write her name as Xuna because they thought it was a part of her name and not something that can simply be omitted for her name. 

Name Meanings:

• Niki Zefanya
  
  • Niki: Greek and Persian name for "victory". 
  • Zefanya: Indonesian surname meaning "God protects". In reference to the singer NIKI, who is known as Nicole Zefanya.
• Nunzio Attanasio
  • Nunzio: Italian for "messenger". In reference to Nunzio Pericolo.
  • Attanasio: Italian variation of the name Athanasios, meaning "immortal". In reference to British-Italian singer-songwriter Gianluca Attanasio.
• Gianluca Pericolo
  • Gianluca: Italian variation of "John-Luke" and diminutive of "Giovanni Luca", meaning "God is gracious light". In reference to British-Italian singer-songwriter Gianluca Attanasio.
  • Pericolo: Italian for "danger". In reference to Nunzio Pericolo.
• Lalisa Helene Una (Gigi)
  • Lalisa: Thai name for "one who is praised". In reference to rapper LISA, who is known as Lalisa Manobal.  
  • Helene/Gigi: French variation of "Helen", meaning "shining light". In reference to model Gigi Hadid. 
  • Una: Italian for "one". In reference to Trish Una.