a few hours after Trish and Giorno have left the mansion...
"So... Am I the only one who's not catching up with everything?!" Mista scoffed as he placed a hand on his waist while he continues to rant about everything. Polnareff sat beside the study lamp quietly, very unusual of him.
"Aren't you going to hush me now?"
"..." Polnareff remained silent, not bothering to shush Mista's blabbering.
"Ugh... You know you better start talking if you don't have anything better to do, Polnareff." Mista threw his hands exasperatedly. He knew that he has nothing to do with everything that's happening. But he's worried and curious about Giorno's situation.
"Really. What the hell is happening, Polnareff?" he continued.
The tortoise heaved a sigh and faced Mista. "DIO, also known as Dio Brando is a British man and was born in the late 1800's..."
Mista looked at him and sat on the table with his arms folded above his chest, listening intently.
"After his father died he was took in by the Joestar family. But when he turned 21 he poisoned the old Joestar in attempt to get a hold of the Joestar fortune. Unfortunately for him, he was busted by the son of the Lord Joestar, Jonathan. With that being said, Dio attempted to kill Jonathan at first with a stone mask that they thought to be an ancient tool for killing."
"Wait... where are you getting at? And how is this related to... Y'know? Everything?" Mista shrugged, his patience wearing thin.
Polnareff didn't paid attention and continued ,"Dio found out that the mask can turn people into monsters and can give them great power, specifically, it granted him the powers and abilities of a vampire making him one. After that, he killed Jonathan Joestar and took his body for his own after he was decapitated by him. Then apparently, he obtained a stand arrow and gained the stand, The World which gave him the ability to stop time."
"Time stopping vampire? that's sick. He even wore someone's body as a fucking prosthetic. Giorno's dad is a god dang psycho." Mista never heard such a story before. He would admit that it sounded fictitious but hearing it from a veteran who happened to be switched to a turtle is enough for him to believe that the story could be true.
"Trust me when I said that he is worse than Diavolo. His name may mean God but he's evil incarnate. Until now I am still infuriated when he used the memory of my sister's death to manipulate me way back in Egypt. Noriaki Kakyoin, Mohammad Avdol, Iggy, those brave men, my friends, gave their lives just to end the bastard. "
"Oh... I'm sorry about your... friends. What happened next?"
"We battled Dio in Egypt and then he was defeated and killed by Jotaro Kujo the great- great grandson of Jonathan Joestar."
"What in the actual hell."was all Mista could say after hearing the truth from Polnareff. He's not much of a complicated person and what he heard is not that simple of a story. "I got mind fucked. No wonder you refused to tell the story to Giorno."
"I know... I could just tell what happened but Jotaro could tell the truth. It's a personal matter for the both of them."
"What do you think will happen to them?"
"I don't know. Let's just hope that's they'll get along." Polnareff replied with a grin.
Giorno opened his eyes slowly only to find himself in a place. An empty place. No chairs, doors, windows or shelves; no walls, just an empty space of pure white.
"Is this another dream?" he thought.
He turned his head, searching for anyone or anything but he couldn't find any. Until...
"My son..." low voice called from the far expanse of the place.
Giorno perked his head and followed the voice. He walked to it but as he closed into the direction where he heard the voice, the place grew darker and darker until he found himself halfway through. In the middle, where the light and the dark met.
There, he saw a staircase where a tall and muscular figure stood. He saw that man before. That same blonde hair as his but the man's face where shaded with a very dark shadow. He was shocked at the sight of his father. His mouth gaped open as his shaky hands reached out for him. His feet is dragging him to go closer to the staircase. But as soon as he took his fifth step, a pit emerged from the floor. He fell inside the pit of darkness.
Giorno woke up only to find himself inside the plane. He saw Trish in deep thought at the farthest seat, Josuke asleep at the opposite seat while Dr. Kujo is staring at him with pure intensity.
He met Dr. Kujo's cold blue orbs and could feel the intensity of his stare. "So you're awake." Dr. Kujo said.
"What did I do?" Giorno asked.
"Giorno?" Trish perked up and looked at him as she's snapped out of her thoughts. She felt the tension between the two men and decided to stay quiet.
"You lashed out a few hours ago." Jotaro replied to his question.
"And that thing on Josuke's face, did I?" Giorno saw the long medical gauze that is placed from Josuke's cheek down to his chin.
Jotaro nodded and Giorno felt his conscience eating him right now.
"I... I'm sorry."
"Atleast now we know what's your stand looks like" Jotaro said with while pulling down his cap. "Can you explain your stand? Just in case you lash out again, we can find a way to counter it."
"Well... My stand is called Gold Experience, it can give life and turn inanimate objects into living things." Giorno explained not mentioning his requiem ability. Though he used it once, it's power and it's limit is still uncharted territory for him.
"Hm... Since when did you have a stand?"
"A year and a half before I turned fifteen."
"Can you manifest it now?"
He nodded and summoned Gold Experience. His stand appeared beside him and Jotaro stood from his seat to take a closer look. "Please stay back. You're within its range."
"Very well then. Pull off your stand now."
Giorno did what he was told and recalled Golden Experience. He shifted from his seat and looked at Jotaro with a stern gaze. "Please tell me. Do you really know my father?"
"Please Mr. Kujo. I need to know."
"A little more patience. I'll tell you when we get to the Speedwagon Foundation." Jotaro said with him lowering his hat.
Giorno sunk into his seat while Trish walked closer to him and then sat on the opposite seat beside him.
"So... How are you feeling?" Trish asked with a smile. She's trying to lighten up the mood for the conversation.
"I'm tired." is what he replied to her question.
She looked at him with so much worry. She's not going to lie, she have felt something for him. She would always look up at him and seeing him in his lowest makes her very worried.
"Give me your hand." she said while gesturing her own hand towards him. "C'mon. just place it here." she beamed with a soft reassurance.
Giorno looked at her quite confused but still placed his hand onto hers. Trish felt his cold hands and rubbed them in between hers. He felt her soft hands encasing his with its warmth. Trish then started to massage his hand while humming an unfamiliar song to Giorno. "You know... My mother would do this to me whenever I'm cold or tired." she said.
He looked at her intently. Wondering what's going inside her mind. Her eyes of green would glance up to him occasionally and sometimes would meet his own.
She would gently massage his fingers until she have finished her song. He felt a different warmth in her. And for a moment he really do felt comfort even if it's just short lived.
"Thank you." He said with a small smile.
Trish felt her heart skipped a beat when he smiled at her while she managed to smile back.
"This is your captain speaking, we have arrived at our destination, please remain seated as we make our landing."
The pilot said from the intercom of the plane.
"Are we there yet?" a still half asleep Josuke asked while he rubbed his eye.
As the group left the plane they were greeted by a two men in formal suits.
"Dr. Kujo, glad you made it. So, is this him?"
"Yes. I would like you to meet the Director of Speedwagon foundation and his colleague. Mr. Speedwagon, this is Giorno Giovanna."
"Ah, Glad to meet you, I'm Roland Speedwagon, Great grand nephew of the late Robert Speedwagon and the current Director of the Foundation and this is Dr. Narita the Secretary of research."
"I'm Giorno Giovanna and this is my associate, Ms.Trish Una. I'm glad to have your company." Giorno said back as he shook the other man's hand.
"Well then, Josuke please escort them to my office. While I have something to discuss with the director."
Josuke nodded and lead the two inside the entrance.
"So, how's it going with the research?"
"Nothing much. Though, this stone mask that we retrieved seemed to have emitted some sort of energy. a frequency. A signal. When you gave us a ring on the phone earlier, it's frequency spiked and gradually rises as we speak. Almost like it knew that you're coming." Dr. Narita said.
"Could it be that he's connected to the mask?" Roland said.
"It maybe that. But we are not sure. I'll be handling him from here on out." Jotaro said with firm conviction.
"Are you sure? Very well then."
"So, your real name's Haruno Shiobana right?" Josuke broke the awkward silence while they're heading to Jotaro's office.
Giorno slightly cringed when he heard his old name. It felt really weird to hear the name that he haven't used since he moved to Italy when he was just a child.
"Yes that's my... real name. I didn't use it anymore though."
"Oh and why is that?"
Giorno gave him a look with a raised eyebrow.
"You know, nevermind." Josuke got his signal that he doesn't want to talk so he just shrugged it off.
"Is he always like that?" Josuke asked Trish who's walking behind him with Giorno trailing at the back.
"Well... He's not much of a talker and he's not in the mood to talk." Trish replied with a smile.
"Oh. Change topic then, How did you ended up in the mafia, Ms. Una? And what's your position in the mafia? I'm not brown nosing I'm just curious, if you don't mind me asking."
"Umm. Let's just say that I owe Giorno and the rest of the gang the life I have. He made me a Caporegime which is like a captain of some sorts and my job is to regulate the Sardinian underground so Showbiz is kinda like a facade." Trish explained towards Josuke.
"That's sick. I mean not sick— like disgusting sick. But suck as in rad."
"Woah there I didn't know you're a chatter box. Is Dr. Kujo related to you? A father? Uncle?" Trish asked with a chuckle.
"Well it's kinda complicated. Technically he is my nephew."
"What? You're way younger than him." Trish asked with a raised eyebrow.
Giorno stayed silent. He seemed to be half asleep, with a blank expression and dull eyes.
Noises seemed to just go through him. Suddenly, he halted to a stop at the front of a certain metal door and he's just there dead quiet and staring blankly towards the door while Josuke and Trish didn't noticed until they arrived at the entrance of Jotaro's office.
"So yeah, we found who this serial killer and—wait, Giorno's awfully. quiet."
Trish came to the realization that Giorno's no longer there and with a slightly panicked state she quickly searched for him with Josuke following her lead. After several moments they saw him at last. Staring blankly at a metal door with Golden Experience Manifested behind him and is preparing to make a blow towards the said door.
"Giorno? Giorno!" Trish called out to him but there's no answer.
"Ms. Una, I think it's good if we don't approach him now. "
She didn't listen to Josuke's words. She insisted on walking towards him but before she could take a step he turned his head towards her. Locking stares with her where she frozed on her tracks. Trish felt an eerie chill down her spine. She gulped and continued to go towards him slowly, shoving away the cold terror that she's feeling.
"Giorno, can you hear me? Please, p-put... put away your stand. I'm not going to hurt you." she managed to say, trying to sound calm as possible. She heard no replies from him. He's just there staring at her with those empty looking eyes. Its soullessness made her feel frightened, scared added to the fact that he's not blinking at all made it more unsettling. She mustered all the courage that she could pull off and finally she reached out to his hand and called out again.
"Giorno? I know your there. Wake up! Giorno, Wake up!"
It seemed that her calls have finally reached him. Giorno snapped out of his trance and blinked owlishly.
"W- what?" he managed to say.
"Giorno, listen to me put your stand down."
"My stand?" he said with furrowed eyebrows and then glanced over Golden Experience who's still waiting for his user's order to break the door down. He looked at the stand confusedly before pulling it off, making it disappear.
Trish and Josuke gave out a sigh of relief which made him more confused on what's happening. Josuke noticed the very confused expression of Giorno and said," You don't know what happened?"
He looked at the pompadoured teen and shook his head before answering no.
"I'll explain later. Let's just call it from here, okay? Josuke, Do you know what's inside this door?" Trish said.
"It's a the door to the main research department."
"I know there's something more inside." Giorno said.
"I don't know. Only personnels with A to S level clearance were allowed inside. Why? What's wrong?" Josuke said, suspicions bubbling inside his mind.
"Nothing... It's nothing. I suggest we get going now. Dr. Kujo must be waiting in his office." The blonde said shifting the topic quite awkwardly.
"Okay. Let's go." Josuke said with a raised eyebrow and then proceeded to lead the way back at Jotaro's office.
There's something inside that door and it pulls me. Giorno thought to himself while walking away from the door.