AN: I LIIIIIIVE!
Sorry about such a long wait in between this one and the last! I ended up catching a bout of COVID omicron for a time and immediately after was blindsided by college work but I finally managed to hammer this one out!
Quickly, time to answer a few questions:
Yes, there are universes where Cyrus is a vampire but vampires are anathema to the Holy Corpse, so it wouldn't be a very good choice for Cyrus to ever swap with said vampire variant. Dragging in a vampire variant to fight along side him could also lead to a few issues because well...most vampires in the series aren't exactly stable.
The Stone Mask does NOT exist in this universe, as the Pillar Men also don't exist. Hence, in this universe the Stone Mask Vampires don't exist but there may be a...variation of sorts that I might think up.
Bucciarati's Squad and Giorno do not exist in this universe as in this story, la Squadra fulfilled the space that the Bucciarati Squad did. The unnamed Stand User? Well lucky you, you get to meet him in this chapter! And I do plan to continue this story in further stories past the Titan's Curse!
Right, enough talk.
Let's begin!
Disclaimer: I, Beowulf, do not own PJO or JJBA. I only own this plot, my OC, and the disappointing truth that I do not possess D4C. If I did, I'd be jumping around universes like a bunny on crack.
~Chapter 27~
If you had told Cyrus that he would be staring at his ex-girlfriend while being chased by skeleton warriors, only minutes after shooting himself to escape a Goddess...he would have directed you to the nearest psychiatric ward.
Unfortunately, life comes at you fast.
"Wonderful..." He grimaced as he glanced behind him, then back at Hydrangea. Her eyes were still wide in shock.
They quickly narrowed though. "What the hell are you doing here?" She demanded, looking him up and down.
"Well you see, that's a very very long and complicated story..." He said quickly, before stiffening as he heard a gunshot go off and tackled her to the ground. The bullet flew right through where his and HP's head had been, and he cursed again. "Get up! We have to move!"
He pulled her up before dragging her along as the bone warriors gave chase. "Mind explaining something at least you asshole?!"
"I'm being chased by the Stormtrooper equivalents of Spooky Scary Skeletons and the only way out is through the roof!"
"What the hell does that even mean?!" She screamed back as a bullet whizzed past her hand. She scowled angrily before pulling something from her belt.
Cyrus flinched a little at that motion, "Oh boy..."
Spritzssh!
A light-brownish fluid spurted from the nozzle of the golden spray can she had pulled from her belt, the fluid hardening into what it actually was as she slashed it in an arc. The hardened fluid didn't stop the bullets fully, but slowed them enough for them to clatter harmlessly to the floor.
Now, Cyrus never got unnerved or queasy over much...but Hydrangea's Stand made him feel sick to his stomach at times. Because the fluid that her Stand used/produced was...well...
It was flesh. Literal liquid flesh that hardened.
Cyrus gagged again.
"Cream Starter. Get over here Cyrus!" She barked, grabbing the teen's hand roughly and pulling him to her. He yelped a little, before she quickly sprayed with her Stand above them both.
Catching on, D4C triggered in an instant as the layer of flesh fell, enveloping the two teens and disappearing them both. As the two vanished and the flesh hit the floor with a splat, the skeletons seemed to growl for a moment before the apparent leader pulled out a walkie-talkie and started chattering into it.
The two emerged from the ceiling, crashing onto the floor. The two groaned as the impact knocked the breath out of them. "What...was that?" Hydrangea asked as she sat up, brushing herself off as she glared at her fellow Stand User.
"Wh-what're looking at me like that for? You're the one that dragged me over and pulled that whole shtick off! I didn't get a chance to aim or think things through!" Cyrus retorted with an offended gaze, grumbling as he slowly got to his feet.
"Oh shut up! You've come up with weirder and dumber things, and I never complained." She scoffed at him as she poked him in the chest with a finger.
"Yes you did! You did it with that guy I was hunting down when we first met, you did it with our first date that got crashed by the squad of dracaenae, you did it wi-" A hand slapped over his mouth as she glared at him, daring him to continue. "Okay I get the point!"
They glared at each other, with what would have looked like sparks dancing between them, before both their faces split into smiles.
"It's been far too long Cyrus." She smirked as she wrapped the young man in a hug, while he did the same.
"Definitely...though I haven't missed your Stand." He muttered, casting a queasy look at the spray can held in Hydrangea's fist as they separated.
She grinned up at him. "Oh hush, you never complained about the little tricks I did now and then with it?~"
He flushed bright red, scowling at her. "Well you never really gave me many chances or choices, did you? Ms. Hot Pants?"
The pink-haired woman gave him a look that would have killed him fifteen times over. "Don't call me that!"
Cyrus smirked down at her, preparing a response before he saw a certain black-haired demigod running towards him. His smirk shifted into a frown as he moved swiftly.
Bonk!
"Ow! What the Hades was that for?" Percy yelped as he rubbed the top of his head, glaring at the elder teen.
D4C's user scowled a little. "How about making me run all around this damn dam trying to find you?" He paused for a moment and chuckled. "Heh, damn dam...anyway, enough of this crap, we have to get to the roof of the...who's this?" Cyrus asked in surprise as he looked to see a ruby-haired girl standing next to Percy, covering her mouth as she tried to hold back a few giggles.
"My name's Rachel Elizabeth Dare," she paused for a moment, glancing at Percy, "and I'm apparently a...mortal?"
Cyrus's eyes widened in surprise before narrowing. He let D4C loom over him as the Stand's enhanced senses washed over his own. The red-haired girl stumbled back in shock. "What the-?!"
"Curious...you're not a Stand User, but you're clear-sighted, interesting..." Cyrus murmured to himself as he let D4C fade back into his body.
Clear-sighted mortals were similar to Stand Users, but not quite. Whereas the clear-sighted were 100% mortal and immune to damage from weapons of celestial bronze and the like, Stand Users were vulnerable to that kind of damage, but were generally unable to drink nectar or eat ambrosia. It was as if they were a step below most demigods in terms of divinity.
For Cyrus however, it didn't apply, what with his possession of the Saint's heart and rib-cage. Back to the topic at hand however, Percy blinked as he looked at the woman standing next to Cyrus with a more annoyed expression on her face. He winced a little as his eyes were blasted with the amount of pink in her wardrobe and on her body in general. "It's like being in the Aphrodite cabin..."
"Who's this?" Cyrus jerked up a little, glancing in between Percy and HP. "Oh! Oh right yes. Hydra, this is Percy Jackson, but just call him Sharkbait." Percy scowled, flashing the elder teen a glare, which was met by a shit-eating grin.
"And this, Sharkbait, is Hydrangea Poronin," (She glared at him for that, but he ignored her) "but you can just call her Ho-" She suddenly pushed Cream Starter in his face, her purple eyes piercing through him angrily. "I dare you to finish that sentence."
Cyrus just pouted. "Killjoy."
She rolled her eyes, before turning to Percy. "Just call me HP."
"Uh huh..." Percy really didn't understand what was happening anymore. "And how do you know her again?"
The young Mafia Boss felt a chill run down his spine as he suddenly realized two things.
1. His ex was here at the Hoover Dam.
2. His best friend, who he was attracted to, was also at the Hoover Dam.
"WHY ME?!"
"Oh, I'm his ex-girlfriend." HP said with a smile, shooting a smirk at Cyrus as he facepalmed.
Percy's eyes widened as he looked between the two of them. "What?"
"Maybe I should do what I did in the elevator to escape from Athena again..." Cyrus grumbled, his fingers in his right hand twitching as he felt the need to bring his trusty handcannon out and put a bullet in his own head again.
"Athena's here too?!" Now the son of Poseidon was a bit panicked. He had literally pissed off her favorite daughter by stealing her hat, and he was already on her bad side. If she found him we was screwed!
Cyrus slapped him upside the head, "Calm down Sharkbait, she's elsewhere right now. You'll live...for today."
"That doesn't help!"
The four suddenly flinched as they heard a tell-tale chattering. Turning to look behind them, they saw the skeleton warriors catching up once again, brandishing their assault rifles as they made their way through the crowds of mortals. Their cold eyes were fixed on Cyrus and Percy, with Cyrus getting the (arguably) angrier look.
"Shit." Cyrus cursed to himself, pulling the cloak off his shoulders and turning to the newly introduced Rachel. "Sorry to do this, but I'd rather not involve civilians in the chaos of a chase like this!"
The redhead gave him an offended look. "Hey what do you mean Civi-!" D4C flickered into existence momentarily as Cyrus disappeared her under his Nemean cloak, making her reemerge a floor below them...at least he thought it was, if his aim was correct.
It would be painfully unfortunate if he messed it up, but he was in a hurry, sue him!
He quickly reattached his cloak before giving his two companions a shove. "Don't just stand there, move!" Percy and HP glanced at each other, before complying and scrambling for the door to the staircase with Cyrus right behind them, only to find that there were another group of skeleton warriors. Specifically the ones that had been chasing Percy.
"Oh fuck me sideways..." Cyrus blinked as he glanced at Percy in shock, before grinning widely. "So my vocabulary is rubbing off on you! Ah, they grow up so fast!"
"Shut up! My mom's gonna kill me if she hears about this!"
"Don't be such a Momma's boy, Sharkbait, live a little!"
"I've been living for the past 2 years as a Half-Blo-"
Smack! Smack!
"Can you two fucking imbeciles quit arguing and deal with these Boneheads?!" Hydrangea yelled at the two of them, a tic mark appearing on her forehead as she glared at the two boys as they both rubbed their heads with winces.
Cyrus scowled a little at her. "Now I remember one of the reasons we broke up. Miss Killjoy." She glared right back. "Oh hush, you and I both know it was mutual, but back to the topic at hand..." she snatched him by his lapels and shook him furiously. "Plan! Now! Go!"
"Well what if we just ru-" Percy's suggestion died in his throat as he realized what had happened.
They were surrounded on both sides, with two groups of skeleton warriors in front of them and their backs to the wall.
The son of Poseidon grimaced. "There goes that plan."
Cyrus cursed for a moment before he noticed a little something that made him chuckle inwardly. He didn't see it in the group that had been chasing Percy...but in the ones that had been chasing him and HP, they were a little more...
Annoyed..?
He grinned a little as he felt inside his coat for a few of the things he'd managed to snag off of the skeletons in his last little tussle with them...
The skeletons' jaws clacked as at least half of the gathered militia raised their assault rifles, aiming at the two Stand Users and single Half-Blood.
"WE SURRENDER!" Cyrus cried out as his hands shot up, a grin now curling his lips as the skeletons seemed to blink for a moment in confusion.
"Wha?" "What?" His two companions stared blankly at Cyrus's action. Why were they surrendering again? Were they that screwed?
The half of the skeletons that hadn't been chasing after Cyrus looked like they shrugged for a moment, before beginning to lower their weapons. The other half disagreed vehemently, their bones clicking and creaking in some strange mimicry of anger as they berated their fellows in Bonehead language.
The Cyrus half refused to lower their weapons, with one in particular with a bit of paper clenched in its hand hissing as it glared at Cyrus.
"Yes, we surrender, I'm sure your orders are to kill the Half-Bloods...and me...but how about instead of killing me...you capture me for the General?" Cyrus slowly lowered his arms as he carefully, with measured steps, began to walk towards the (in his mind) Bonetroopers.
"What is he doing...?" Percy whispered to Hydrangea in confusion while the girl also had a perplexed expression on.
Hydrangea narrowed her eyes. Cyrus always had a reason for what he did... "I think he's trying to distract them from something he's doing?"
The question was of course, distracting them from what?
The Percy group of skeletons regarded Cyrus warily, while the other half were aiming their weapons, but not daring to shoot just yet.
"Come now, think about it!" The teenage Don smiled genially as he sidled up to what seemed to be the "leader" of the group of skellies that were chasing Percy, which was staring at him with eyes that, while dead, were very very confused. "Let's say you capture me and present me up to the General. You all would be handing over the General the ultimate trump card against his enemies! I mean, come on! The Old Blood want a piece of me and the only reason they're with you guys is to get at me as far as you and I know right?"
Half the skeletons slowly lowered their weapons, glancing at one another.
Cyrus's eyes glinted. "I mean, imagine how the General might reward you guys, right? Maybe a permanent stay as commanders in his armies?" He grasped the skeleton's shoulder and waved a hand in front of the skeleton's face as if he were promising the world. "Picture it! The General promoting you all to each commanding a regiment of monsters! Sounds good doesn't it?"
The skeleton next to the young Stand User paused for a moment as if thinking about it, before slowly nodding its skull.
"I know! But unfortunately, I don't think that's going to happen." Cyrus patted the skeleton's shoulder with the hand that wasn't behind the soldier's back before shoving the skeleton towards his fellows on the left.
He was now back where he was before, standing in front of his friends. His hands were to his sides as he faced the firing squad of the General's skele-soldiers as they backed up to one side of the Dam's walls.
"Now...you're probably wondering why I did all that..." The young mafia don said with a smirk, as he lowered one hand and made the other into a fist.
The skeletons stared, giving an aura of clear annoyance. They were officially done dealing with this guy. First he blew them up in Washington DC and then they had to deal with him leading them on a wild goose chase around the Hoover Dam as he mocked them constantly. Even for emotionless soldiers, enough was enough!
"The reason is...you boneheads need to pay more attention!" He grinned while jerking his fist back...which had a string attached to his finger.
Ping!
Percy's jaw dropped as the unmistakable sound of a grenade pin being pulled echoed in the hallway. The skeletons all heard it, and the one that had been standing with Cyrus looked down to see the grenade on its chest, fastened onto its shirt.
The skeleton in question got over its shock fast, ripping the grenade off its shirt and throwing it back at Cyrus and his friends.
That would be a mistake.
Ping ping ping ping ping!
"This guy's crazy!" Percy screamed in his head in awed horror as the grenade sailed through the air towards him, connected by multiple strings. The skeletons all glanced behind their comrade, cursing in their hissing language as they saw about five more grenades on its back. Five grenades that were beginning to fuse together.
The Stand User smirked as he took cover behind his cloak while Percy did the same behind him. HP swore to herself as she acted quickly with Cream Starter while the skeletons scrambled for their own cover. "Boom."
BOOOOOOM!
The explosion was enormous as all the grenades went off at once, practically atomizing the poor Bonehead soldier. The floor shook as shrapnel and concrete flew everywhere, followed by a sudden draft of wind in the corridor. Dropping the cloak, Cyrus looked up and winced slightly.
"Oooh...Annie might actually kill me for this one."
The Dam's wall had been very clearly breached, a very decent sized hole having been blasted in the wall by the unfortunate skeleton's explosive decomposition. The hole was definitely big enough to fit at least two men, six feet tall and six feet wide. Peering through, he momentarily felt a dizzy feeling cloud his mind as the waters churned far below.
Normally a few grenades wouldn't be enough to cause so much damage, but Cyrus had slipped in between dimensions and gathered of the same grenades from another reality. When of the same object from different realities collided, they would explode...but what about two explosive objects?
"There's that riddle solved." He thought to himself with a chuckle, before turning back to the skeletons, which were quickly restoring themselves and readying their weapons.
"What the Hades did you even do?" Percy winced as he tried to shake his head free of the tinnitus that now infested his ears.
HP groaned as she tried to clean out an ear, pulling off a layer of skin that she had conjured with Cream Starter. "Something pai-oh that's just great Cy. Another landmark defaced." Cyrus waved her off. He licked a finger and held it up for a moment, making Percy raise an eyebrow in confusion before cursing as he noticed the skeletons getting their bearings back.
"Do you guys trust me?" The mafia don looked at them with a more serious expression.
"Uh..." "What are you thinki-?"
"Great!" And with that, Cyrus grabbed ahold of both of them and threw them through the hole.
The last things he saw were Percy's panicked expression as well as Hydrangea's furious one. "YOU ASSHO-" Tuning them out as they fell, the Stand User turned back to the skeletons with a shit-eating grin. "Well, it appears that this is where we shall part ways! See ya boneheads!"
And with that, he dove through the hole in the Dam wall.
The skeletons just stood there and glanced at each other in confusion.
The wind screamed in his ears as he dove down towards the falling Percy and Hydrangea. He grinned as adrenaline pumped through his veins like rocket fuel. How exhilarating!
As he quickly positioned himself to dive through the air faster, he quickly caught up to his two friends.
"WHAT IS ACTUALLY WRONG WITH YOU? ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL US?"
"CYRUS KHAN WHEN WE GET OUT OF THIS I'M GOING TO DISSOLVE YOUR GOD DAMN TESTICLES WITH CREAM STARTER!"
He cringed at Hydrangea's threats as he quickly pulled off his cloak, wrapping it around himself and his friends. "D4C!"
Cyrus felt a warp overtake his senses as his Stand's ability asserted itself, warping them all into his Nemean cloak. Instantly the cloak caught the updraft of air, riding it like a kite.
Carefully, the cloak floated up on the winds to land gently on the roof of the Dam, where Cyrus emerged alongside Percy and HP.
Percy felt like he'd been spun around in a circle for the last thirteen years of his life. In simpler terms, he felt...really fucking dizzy. He took two steps trying to stay upright before crashing onto the ground and struggling to get up without falling over again. "W-w-what was..." He tried to ask in a very disoriented tone.
"Huh...that's an interesting reaction." Cyrus muttered to himself...just before a fist came streaking towards his face.
Wham!
"Ow!" The teen scowled as he rubbed his cheek, glancing back at the now very angry Hydrangea Poronin.
"What was that for?"
"What was- You threw us off the fucking Hoover Dam, and you ask me what that was for?!"
He shook his head in annoyance. He calculated that perfectly, what was the problem?
"You and I both know I had that perfectly calculated HP." He narrowed his eyes back at her.
Her nostrils flared and a chill went down his spine. "...maybe I should not have said that."
She opened her mouth to argue again, before they both heard a bang behind them. Turning towards the noise, they were greeted with the sight of a very, very tired and panting Grover hanging on limply to the door handle of the emergency stairs they had just gotten through.
"We should...we should have taken the...elevators..." He panted out before collapsing to the ground as Thalia, who was holding Rina in her arms, clung to the railing as she tired to catch her breath. Anette and Risotto were similarly exhausted, with Risotto's face a near permanent grimace as his semi-wounded foot yelled at him in pain.
As for the hunters, they seemed to be no worse for wear, though it seemed that Phoebe seemed concerned for Risotto's condition in a medical manner as she narrowed her eyes at the man's wound.
Rina looked apologetic as Thalia gently set her down on the ground. "I'm sorry Miss, maybe I should have just walked.."
Thalia shook her head and smiled reassuringly as she caught her breath. "It...it's okay Rina...phew that's a lot." She muttered, wiping some sweat off her forehead before looking up to see Cyrus looking at her in confusion. Her expression hardened as she got up and walked over to him.
"Oh no." His eyes widened as he gulped and raised his hands in defense, "Wait wait wait we can talk abou-" She yanked him close by his collar and held up a hand sparking with lightning.
Slap!
"OW!" He yelped as the hand made contact with his face, giving him an added jolt to make the tips of his maned hair stand on end.
"That...was for faking a death like that with me right next to you!" She growled out, her electric blue eyes glaring into his own as he made a sheepish grin.
Thalia frowned deeply as she almost loudly whispered. "Do you have any idea how worried I-I mean we, were? Rina was horrified seeing that!"
Cyrus blinked. Oh...crap, right.
"No more running off on your own Cy!" She scolded him.
"Bu-" He flinched as her eyes sparked with lightning again. "...yes Ma'am..."
"Good boy."
"I'm not a pet!"
The two glared at one another, daring the other to budge.
"I hate to break up whatever this is...but Cyrus, an explanation would be nice?"
Thalia blinked as she glanced over to her side to see a girl with a very vibrant shade of pink in her hair. "Who's this?"
Cyrus grimaced as everyone else began to gather around as well. Risotto was being supported by Anette still with Zoe and Phoebe in tow. Cyrus could have sworn he saw something flash in Phoebe's eyes as her gaze fell on Hydrangea, but wasn't sure...
As for Grover and Percy...
"Eennchilaaadaaas..." Grover baa'ed out in discomfort and slight delirium as he slowly tried to get up from his exhaustion-induced coma. Percy grimaced as he slowly tried to get to his feet. "G-man please no food talk...I think I'll be sick..."
Ignoring them for the time being, Risotto's and Anette's eyes lit up in recognition. "Oh, interesting to see you here HP." Risotto's deep voice spoke as he looked her up and down.
HP smiled and gave a wave. "Hey Riso, hey Anette."
Cyrus coughed to gather attention. "Right, quick introductions. HP, this is my team at the moment. This is Thalia, Zoe, Phoebe, and the poor soul down there next to Percy is Grover. The kid's name's Rina, we got her away from her asshole dad. Everyone, this is Hydrangea Poronin, a Stand-Using friend from my time in Italy."
HP shot him a glare for saying her name like that again, but no one noticed Phoebe's eyes widen for a moment. Zoe, however, did and raised an eyebrow in confusion as she glanced in between Phoebe and HP. (1)
"Just call me HP." She bit out.
"So how do you know her exactly...?" Thalia eyed her suspiciously. She didn't know why...but she just...did not like this friend.
Cyrus stiffened a little. "Story for another time?"
The daughter of Zeus scowled at that, but her eyes widened as he pulled her into a quick one-armed hug and a kiss on the cheek. "I'll tell you later, promise." He whispered, making her blush.
"You'd better..." She grumbled quietly.
He gave her a quick wink before parting and walking over to the two massive statues with her in tow. He smirked as he looked down at the shiny toes of the statues. "Heh, these mortals come up with the wildest of traditions, eh Thals?"
The punk demigoddess smirked, "That's one way of putting it." She replied, unconsciously leaning against him as she enjoyed the time alone with him.
Well...technically not alone but she was pointedly ignoring the amused expressions of Anette and Risotto as well as the annoyed one from Zoe.
"So now what?" She asked him.
"Well now we- URGH!" He gritted his teeth as his left eye and side of his head exploded into pain.
"Pain, pain, pain, make it stop!" It was unbearable as Cyrus felt like a hot knife had been stabbed through his eye and twisted around inside his head. He clutched at his eye and fell to his knees as the pain mounted and burned in his skull.
He could very faintly hear the sounds of Thalia's panic as everyone gathered around him along with a strange golden glow shining from behind his hand that he could barely make out from the tears.
The pain was too much! The last thing Cyrus saw was a vision of the Saint reaching down to him with three women staring at him impassively, before his eyes rolled up into his head and everything suddenly went dark...
Illuso frowned as he pored over a tome at a table within the Haereticum. This was getting frustrating, to say the least.
He shot a glance at Prosciutto who was looking down at another book, his chin resting on his fist as he peered down at the words. "Anything?"
The wielder of Grateful Dead shook his head silently, his eyes sliding over to Ghiaccio, who had plopped another stack of books on the table.
"...you do realize we have to put all these back right?" Illuso asked the hothead of la Squadra.
Ghiaccio scowled at him. "Fuck you. Found anything?"
The Mirror Stand User grumbled as he shook his head. "Nope...the only thing I can find in here that the Nails were last all found in the possession of Saint Helena, the Mother of Constantine the Great. After that though, a lot of sources tell us jack shit."
Prosciutto sighed as he closed his book, rubbing his eyes. "This one says that one of the nails were melted down into the Iron Crown of Lombardy, but that's probably not true."
"What? Why not?"
"Because we went to see it in Monza, Illuso, on that job, remember?" (2)
Illuso cringed. "Right...better to not think about that one..." One of the many times his...vices got the better of him.
Prosciutto cracked a small smirk at Illuso's cringing before schooling his features. "What about yours? Anything about the other whereabouts?"
"Nope, this one keeps talking about how Saint Helena had them melted down to make Constantine's helmet and bridle. I doubt it though, and even then, both of those are lost. So that's fuckin useless for us." (3)
"RRRGH! This shit's ticking me off!" Ghiaccio snarled as he gritted his teeth, small flakes of snow floating out from within his sleeves. "Why can't it be simple shit as to where the last damn nail is?!"
The most mentally stable member present i.e. Prosciutto shot him a glare. "Calm down Ghiaccio. Let's think about this for a moment..."
He leaned onto the table, rubbing his temples and closing his eyes. The blond member of la Squadra thought carefully as he tried to think up a possible lead.
"All leads on the whereabouts of the Nails and Arma Christi end after he died during...during the age of Rome..." His brows scrunched together for a moment before he opened his eyes.
"...Ghiaccio, find every book you can on the legacy of ancient Rome..." (4)
"For the last time, I'm not doing it!"
Razione rubbed his forehead as he sighed, before looking back up at the thing sitting on his desk. He absently noted how this must look to a random onlooker.
"Do you have any idea how nauseous doing that makes me? My answer is no, 'General!'" The voice spoke almost mockingly near the end as it came from the mouth of the turtle.
Yes.
A turtle.
Pesci and Formaggio exchanged glances awkwardly as they stood off to the side.
The turtle glared at the Consigliere with eyes that were far too aware of its own existence to be wholly animal. It was pretty much a normal land turtle, if only for the giant red gem that seemed to be embedded in its shell. This was one of a few animals that had the pleasure of possessing a Stand.
This was Coco Jumbo, wielder of the Stand Mr. President.
Although in recent memory (specifically in the overthrowing of the old Boss of Passione), that had changed if only a little.
You see, Coco Jumbo had been a gift of good faith to la Squadra in order to assist in their assassination of Anette, but when the group rebelled, Coco Jumbo became their refuge as they fought their way to Rome. Up until then, Coco had been more or less as...erm...sedate...both in mind and body as a normal turtle would be.
That is, until the Boss had unleashed Judicator, distorting the souls of all in Rome.
This distortion had led to a rather...interesting change in psyche regarding Coco Jumbo's sense of consciousness. Specifically it...erm...he, gained a mind of his own along with the ability to converse.
Unfortunately, being a very old turtle and stubborn as all elders are...it led to Coco being quite a cranky little reptile. As for Mr. President itself, the Stand's nature had also become altered, becoming capable of transporting itself and Coco Jumbo to wherever the turtle wished with the side effect of what was apparently really bad nausea. Incredibly useful...if only Coco Jumbo was more agreeable. (5)
Razione muttered under his breath as he rubbed his temples. He was the Second in Command of the mightiest underground empire in Europe...and he was negotiating with a damn turtle. "What a life I lead..."
He cleared his throat as he peered back down at the turtle on his desk. "Well unfortunately Coco, it's not up to me. Cyrus needs you to send yourself to San Francisco so you can pick up Risotto and Anette and whoever else so that you can bring them back to Napoli."
Coco Jumbo opened his mouth, before closing it again, as if thinking quietly. He frowned as much as a turtle could frown. "Of course it's him...at least he always gives me good treats and things..."
The wielder of Sabaton smirked a little under his beard. "He would very much appreciate your help. Maybe a few rewards for your assistance as well?"
The turtle seemed to think on it for a moment, before looking back up at the Consigiliere of Passione. "I want more damn fruits in my food! You idiots keep giving me those leafy greens instead of those tasty sweet fruits. And maybe an actual little place for me to stretch my legs and walk around instead of just sitting off to the side in the office!"
"...w-wait but you can walk a-around the office just f-fine..." Pesci piped up in confusion.
Whack! "Ow!"
Formaggio glared at the cauliflower-headed member of la Squadra as the man winced at the smack to the back of his head. Thankfully Coco hadn't heard his confused gripes.
"Done, now off you go." Razione gave Coco Jumbo an attempt at a warm smile. The turtle simply sniffed in annoyance before beginning to glow brightly.
"Annoying humans..."
Pop! And with that, the turtle vanished in a flash of light.
Razione sighed as he slumped back in his chair. "The things I do for this organization..."
Pesci just rubbed the back of his neck (or lack thereof) and glanced over at Formaggio. "Eh...d-do you think our lives are just a little bit b-bizarre?"
Formaggio looked at him for a moment, then back at where Coco Jumbo had been sitting, then back at Pesci.
"Stop talking please."
"S-sure."
AN: Holy Hell this took way too long to write out, what with all of just, Life, happening. Hopefully it turned out pretty well, all things considered. Definitely need to get back into the swing of things I would say.
So, that's more or less the end of the group's little adventure at the Hoover Dam. Nothing like a bit of a practical destruction of a...large landmark you know? But what's causing Cyrus to black out like that with light pouring out of his eye? And with la Squadra, what is Prosciutto thinking in terms of the Holy Nails?
So many questions, so few answers...for now.
Notes:
(1) Hmm...I wonder if you all will figure out why Phoebe reacted like that to her name...
(2) The Iron Crown of Lombardy was rumored to be beaten from a Nail from the True Cross and was used to crown Charlemagne as the King of the Lombards. It is currently housed in Monza. However, there was a scientific analysis of the Crown which found that the "iron nail" made for it was pretty much just silver. So no Holy Nail here.
(3) Another legend states that St. Helena forged the Nails into the Helm and Bridle of Constantine such that he would be protected from his enemies and would fulfill a prophecy of some form. Supposedly, one was used to create the Helm, and another the Bridle. But seeing as there are three Nails that they know of, this means that this is of course not true.
(4) Ooh, Prosciutto better tread carefully looking into the histories of Ancient Rome...who knows what he'll find hm?
(5) Very nice for Coco Jumbo to join in on the fun! I swear that poor thing is an unspoken hero of the story, and I had a lot of fun bringing him into the story. A grumpy little reptile that is exceedingly useful? Why not haha. This also technically mirrors how in the original story of Passione, Polnareff possesses the turtle.
And that's that!
Hopefully you guys enjoyed the chapter as much as I enjoyed making/struggling with it.
Remember to leave solid reviews if you would be so kind. The criticism and feedback sustain my mind.
Cheers!
Beowulf