Giovanna Household

Naples

Near-Midnight

? ﾝﾅﾥ? - No Music

Guido Mista was almost asleep when the phone rang. 'Goddamnit, what now?' He had been on the phone all day, and honestly, he just wasn't up to it. All of the politics and the business and the finances, they were all Giorno's thing. Yet he was entrusted with the responsibility of it for the day. He understood; it was Giorno's day off. When people ask "do your villains take the day off?", the answer, Guido knew, was a resounding "yes."

"Hello?"

"Hey, Dad, it's me."

"Uhh, I don't have a kid."

…

"OH! Viale! It's Mista."

"Oh, Mista, hi. Can you put Dad on?"

"Yeah yeah of course!" He set the phone down next to the receiver by his bed and hastily donned his dressing gown (and airbender hat). After jogging down the hall to the master bedroom, he knocked on the door and poked his head in.

"Giorno?" he whispered, "Giorno, there's a phone call for you."

He heard a grumble.

"It's urgent, Giorno." He heard a louder grumble.

"Gior–"

"Mista, shut up!" Grace yell-whispered from the other side of the bed.

"It's Viale–"

Giorno shot up, almost as fast as Guido had, and scrambled out of bed. "I'll take it in the study," Giorno said as he passed his best friend.

Guido watched Giorno stumble down the corridor. 'He must've hurt his leg getting out of bed…' he snickered to himself. Guido, once again, set off back to bed. 'Giorno is such an idiot when it comes to his son. To think that this man single handedly took down an entire mob only to rebuild it more morally sound. I remember when, just before Viale was born, Giorno brutally killed a man for insulting his unborn baby. Although, to be fair, that man was also caught selling drugs to middle-schoolers, so he kinda had it coming.'

Mista put his dressing gown away in his walk-in-robe, doing a double-take on the mirror as he passed it. He was still impressed with how accurate Giorno was with healing his bullet wounds. 'I swear, bullets are magnetically attracted to me. Hmm, maybe 'gravitationally' would be a better way to describe it.'

As he got into bed, he pondered. 'I wonder what it is that makes Giorno so protective of Viale? After all of these years, Giorno still hasn't told me what his childhood was like. Yeah, sure, I know he changed his name from Haruno Shiobana because of the legal documents I have to sign for him, but that's all I know about him from before we met.' Guido paused, 'Oh, and of course, he had a dream.'

On the other side of the house

? ﾝﾅﾥ? - Link

"Viale, are you still there?"

"Yeah, hey Dad."

Giorno sat down with a sigh of relief.

"It's… good to hear from you," Giorno weakly responded, "I take it you saw my calls?"

"Hard not to," Viale chuckled, "Did you hear about what happened at school today?"

"Yeah, there was an evacuation, and you were hurt. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Dad. Just a few bruises."

"The email said you were missing an earlobe."

"Yeah… and that."

…

There was an awkward silence. Giorno understood wanting to keep secrets – he'd done it his whole life, after all – but these were secrets that weren't meant to be kept.

"What did you name it?"

"Name what?"

"Your Stand, of course. You were stabbed by the arrow and you survived, therefore, you gained a Stand."

"Uh, its name is ｢Mr. Blue Sky｣."

"'Mr. Blue Sky', huh. It's got a colour in its name. Just like mine. What can it do?" Giorno was intrigued, he had to say.

"I can enter surfaces, like walls and tables. It also punches good."

"Interesting. Is Polnareff teaching you how to use it?"

"No, he isn't doing much, honestly. Just pestering me to call you."

"That sounds like him. Well, when you see him, ask if he can train you. He used to be quite the Stand user, you know, and is still quite knowledgeable on the subject."

…

"W-well what's yours? You do have a Stand, don't you?"

"Of course. My Stand's name is ｢Gold Experience｣. It can turn any inanimate object into any living thing, excluding humans. It also, as you put it, 'punches good.'"

"Mr. Blue Sky probably punches harder."

Giorno, despite himself, cracked a small smile from the pettiness Viale was displaying. It was refreshing to hear Gioviale's snark again, but there was something more pressing that Giorno had to discuss, now that he had confirmed Viale had a Stand.

"Gioviale, I want to tell you something."

"Yeah?"

? ﾝﾅﾥ? - Approach

Giorno took a shaky breath in. "There exists a gravity between all Stand users – a fate which says that all Stand users are destined to meet each other. Now that you're a Stand user, you're most likely going to have some tough battles ahead of you."

Giorno paused. He really didn't wish this upon his son, but, much to Giorno's chagrin, it had to be this way. "But do not fret. From this experience you will have come out a better man. You have, however faded it might be, the Joestar blood within you. I know, because you and I have the same birthmark. I saw it from the moment you were born. I knew at that moment that you, Gioviale Giovanna, were destined for greatness. So I ask you now, what is your resolve?"

The line was silent for a beat. Giorno could faintly hear his son's battered breath through the receiver.

"My resolve?" Viale asked rhetorically, "It's quite simple. No matter the cost, no matter the sacrifice; I am going to forge my own blue skies."

Giorno was satisfied, but Viale continued.

"But Dad," Viale's breath hitched, "I'm scared."

The Next Morning

? ﾝﾅﾥ? - A Fate that Still Remains

"I'm telling you, he needs help!"

"Yes, I know he does, Pannacotta, but we are not to intervene."

This argument had been going on for hours, Giorno's study being ground zero for the explosion of voices. Fugo was pacing around the room, slightly irritating Giorno. They had been arguing about whether to send someone, be it one of their underlings or even themselves.

"Giorno, the arrow is missing. Do you know what could happen if it ended up in the wrong hands?"

"I agree with Fugo," Polnareff said from the phone, "Viale can't do this alone. He could hardly beat Zeppeli."

"He told me the story. He made it seem like he was pretty soundly beaten. I have confidence in my son."

"You didn't see his injuries."

"Exactly. You're not getting it. He's not you! He doesn't have a dream, he doesn't have Gold Experience. Think about how much easier it would've been for you if you had the influence of the Speedwagon Foundation behind you when overthrowing Diavolo."

"I'm not budging. He has all the help he needs." Giorno got up from his chair. "He has Polnareff to teach him, and he's told me he has at least two friends that are Stand users backing him."

"To be fair, Giorno," Polnereff piped up, "They both don't have any combat ability from what I've heard. Both integrated Stands."

"Can you send us a write-up on the two?"

Polnareff grumbled a "yes."

"Don't change the subject. Gioviale is in danger. He's already been sent to hospital. Who knows how many other Stand users are coming his way."

"I have considered this," Giorno responded. "Alright. I think it's about time I give Signor Higashikata a call."

"Call Josuke? Yeah, I guess that could work, although it'd take a while to organise someone to come in."

"I'll tell Gioviale that help is on its way." Giorno pointed at Fugo flamboyantly. "Get Higashikata on the phone."

Speedwagon Foundation HQ

Tokyo

Afternoon

? ﾝﾅﾥ? - Get Together

Josuke looked out across the bay area his building was situated towards. His office was high up, higher than most of the skyscrapers he could see. 'We're not in Morioh anymore, are we Crazy Diamond?' It was weird talking to himself. It had been thirty whole years since that fateful Summer of '99. He remembered that time fondly – it was when he felt his life truly started. After the Old Man kicked the bucket, Josuke was not in any position to take over Joestar Realty. It was only after Mr. Christo – the old head of the Speedwagon Foundation – retired that Josuke really put some thought into his life outside of Morioh. He decided then was the time he should look outside his hometown and make something of himself, apart from the mechanics business he started with his friends. After three years of corporate hell, he managed to make it to Head of the Speedwagon Foundation's Stand Division. After all, he'd left Morioh-Cho in the capable hands of Koichi, Okuyasu, Rohan, and Yukako.

This was what Josuke was thinking about when his thoughts were interrupted by the phone ringing. He recognised the number: his somehow-great-uncle from Italy.

He had only met Giorno Giovanna a few times. Once at a family reunion, another on some important business (Stand user bullshit), and finally at Joseph Joestar's funeral a few years back. He honestly didn't know what to think of the Italian mafioso. Jotaro had told Josuke that he was trustworthy, but the whole 'I run the biggest mafia in Italy' thing didn't sit right with Josuke. There was also the fact that he was apparently unbeatable in a Stand fight. Josuke didn't want to find out if it was true or not.

He picked up the ringing landline.

"This is Higashikata."

"Buongiorno, Signor Higashikata. It's Giorno Giovanna."

"Hey, Giorno, how's the wife?"

"I'm afraid this isn't a social call. This is about Gioviale, my son. He's in a bit of trouble."

"Trouble? Really? Noooo." Okay, he was being a bit sarcastic, but a Joestar being in trouble was just like another Tuesday for him.

"Yes. And it pains me to say it, but it's Stand trouble."

Josuke wasn't surprised in the slightest. He knew very little of Giorno Giovanna's son, but it made sense that he'd be a Stand user like his father.

"Alright, well, what can I do for you?"

"I'd like you to send him some backup. A Stand user or two. Also an interrogator. He's recently bested a teacher who stole a Stand Arrow, and we need to know where it is."

"You lost your Stand arrow? Jesus, Giorno, we don't just have those lying around!" Josuke knew how much damage a rogue Stand arrow could do. He now understood the importance of the call. In his mind, Josuke chastised Giorno further, as the Speedwagon Foundation entrusted Giorno with the arrow, should he keep it safe.

"I gave it to Gioviale as a parting gift."

"Alright, let me see what we got…" Josuke searched his laptop. "...Oh! We've just received a new Stand user in our Rome branch that'd be perfect for the job. Where would I be sending her?"

"Gioviale's new school, Accademia Magistrale, in Venice."

"I know the place. The principal works for us. I'll let him know of the Hotspot at his school."

"Small world, huh?"

"Right. I can probably get my gal there within the week, if that suits you. I could also send a combat Stand user in within the month. She's on a mission right now, but I'm sure she'd drop everything for her great-uncle's son."

"That would be great. Thank you, Signor Higashikata. I cannot express my gratitude. I'll send over a full report of the situation."

"Alright, Giorno. Hey, before I let you go, we're having another family get-together in July, if you'd like to come?"

The line went silent.

"C-could Gioviale come with me?"

'Holy shit,' Josuke thought, 'I've never heard Giorno nervous.'

"U-uh, yeah, of course!" Josuke stammered out, "He's part of the family, after all."

"I appreciate it."

"Alright, see you later, Giorno."

He hung up.

"That's a conversation I'll be chewing on for a while," Josuke ruminated aloud.

Master's Academy

Venice

Midnight

? ﾝﾅﾥ? - Restaurant Bar

Across the world, Viale returned to his dorm room after another night's stay at the sick bay, albeit only managing to return with the help of Sana. She was a godsend throughout this whole thing. Even Viale's injuries felt better after being near her, not that he'd tell her that.

"This is yours, right, GioGio?"

"Yeah, thanks, sweetie." He had to admit, the nickname was growing on him.

"Yeah, ha ha, keep calling me 'sweetie' and losing an ear will be the least of your worries."

Viale didn't doubt that for a second, but he was content with pushing his luck. Sana helped him through the doorway. It was a tight fit with both of them shoulder-to-shoulder, but they managed to squeeze through.

"Don't take it personally. I'm like this to everyone."

"I don't see you calling Amicio that."

"That's because he tried to kill me." Viale murmured underneath his breath.

"That makes sense." She paused. "He tried to WHAT?"

"Uh, you weren't meant to hear that."

Viale plopped onto his bed, the other one across the room still vacated.

"That's why he's sleeping in my room."

"What?"

"We're family friends. He's been sleeping on the couch."

"I told him to switch rooms, not to crash yours."

"Well, it's late, and I gotta get back to my room before curfew." She put a hand on Viale's shoulder. "Get some sleep, and don't get jumped by bullies again."

"I'll make sure not to."

She rolled her eyes and left the room, Viale's eyes still staring at where she had once been with a dumb smile on his face. He snapped out of it, though, when he realised his wounds had healed more than he thought. In fact, they were almost faded. He reached for his missing earlobe and found it almost completely restored. 'Huh. I thought that was torn off…'

Coco Jumbo crawled out from under the bed, Polnareff and his chef-hat-like hair popped out with her. "That was awkward. Now if you would, Coco hasn't had food in a day."

To Be Continued ===