The Devil Within 4 - (JoJo, Diavolo!SI)

The party was unfolding like in the vision. Well, mostly so as I wasn't going on a murder spree.

Adopting a calmer approach, I was able to slowly 'sink' into the slime and find those elements worthy of 'redemption' in my eyes. Despite what many would think, even some of the more ruthless individuals serving Dio had gone through shitty situations to become what they were or were doing all of this because it was their only hope.

Four names came up through this little 'stroll', three of which I was sure of, not much about the fourth one.

The safe ones were Hol Horse, Mariah and Boingo.

The first name was an easy guess: Hol was not a bad person deep down, rather one that was driven by glory and attention. Not exactly a bad folk if he had to choose between aiding the innocent and defeating his foes as he would pick the former without hesitation. Also, he was one of those characters that had a small following for a reason - he had the chemistry to almost become a Stardust Crusader, but eventually didn't. Likewise, he had a spin-off where he was quite relevant.

Now, when it came to Boingo, I had a statement to make: he is a child at this point: a lil' kid that hardly had the genuine mental fortitude to warrant a genuine hate. Violent and cruel he may be, but what kid his age and in his current orphaned state wouldn't be like that? Even more, his Stand was not inherently violent and aggressive, but rather something that relied on his imagination and his power to 'impose his creativity' upon reality. As much as it feels weird for me to say, I think he would have an easier time working under me where I could set him up for school and actually get him some proper moral formation.

Next up was Mariah. And boy was she a tough one to understand. Even with my Epitaph's help, I had it difficult trying to make sense of what led her to become tied to Dio. From my remembrance of that one spin-off that revealed she was still alive, she was not out there to help Dio because she believed in his creed, but rather thought it as a job where she could be rewarded handsomely if she did things right. This mentality wasn't inspiring, but considering that she had a good Stand to trap and kill normal targets, and she had an intelligence to make said Stand so dangerous, I could go around her edges and hope she was interested enough to not get too greedy over my offer.

The fourth and last element in my recruitment campaign was by far the one I had the least knowledge of by Meta-level. The name Midler had some importance in this side of Cairo, a beautiful woman with purple hair with blue eyes and a sinful body that was matched just barely by Mariah. She was a professional dancer, one that was also willing to dabble against the local law enforcement considering the restrictions over such 'displays'. She was promiscuous, superficial, but also veryverydangerous in situations involving the use of long-ranged assassinations. She wasn't loyal to Dio, but she wasn't truly loyal to anyone but those willing to recognize her beauty. Considering Dio's queer nature, I was keen to gamble hard for her alignment.

I got to speak with these four individually, gauging their stance and getting them to agree to an 'after-party refreshment'. Nothing too suspicious as I then just focused on keeping solo until Dio finally arrived. To my surprise, and perhaps crushing some expectations I had of him as a rather elusive individual until it was necessary, Dio did deliver a speech to us all.

He didn't try to claim each of us individually, but he spoke of our ambitions, and greeds, and desires, and goals. He made such a compelling speech, and I could see many listening to his promises but... I was aware of how much crap that was. I knew he was after one thing, something that went beyond his own survival. Which was ironic considering as a vampire he shouldn't be able to value anything above his own wellbeing.

Heaven - to reach it, to conquer it. Well, either him or someone he would shape to inherit his will. Pucci.

And as the speech dragged on for a hour or so before Dio retreated to his rooms, I was keen to see many already enticed by thisunusual man and his unnatural eyes.

That being said, my recruits were not sold yet as I was quick to notice from their own looks and curt jabs at the 'strange muscle man'. He made those without Stand use the Arrow as a guarantee of his 'good will', and while a few unknowns got too ill and 'taken away to be helped', the rest managed to unlock their Stands with mild issues. Some more were convinced but, once again, none of the four I had in mind to hire for my endeavors.

After Enya had us all leave the manor and told us of when we could return to confirm your allegiance to the Blond Bastard, I had the quartet tag along for the planned hang out. And the place I selected for such a daring, cunning and very private meeting was-

"A McDonald?" Mariah looked very puzzled over my choice, but the others weren't too upset by the choice. "I am sorry, but I thought you meant a proper bar or restaurant."

"Do you want me to bring Boingo to a place with booze hanging around?" I asked back with a hint of sass, the woman's eyes darting to the boy who was happy with his Happy Meal. "That being said, it is a tight spot where we can keep an eye for any minder checking on us."

This second bit actually got Hol Horse's attention. "Minders? You think that they have some folks looking for us as we left?"

"It's possible," I answered calmly. "After all, Dio is not the kind of man that he introduced himself to be."

"He doesn't look that bad," Boingo quipped, setting down ï½¢Tohthï½£ on the table while playing with his new car toy. "He said that he wants to make the world better."

"Fancy words from a soulless vampire."

...

"I-I am sorry, what?" Mariah asked confused. "Vampire? Maybe I thought too much of this meeting-"

"Oh, he is a vampire," Midler hummed, interrupting the fellow woman, who proceeded to give her a shocked look. "I heard that they had been covering a large portion of the manor's window. I even overheard Enya saying that Dio is indeed a vampire."

"It may sound weird to grasp-"

"It is," Mariah huffed, sitting back down and wrapping her arms under her chest. "But do go on. I hope you can make it any less weird."

"Tragically, it is a bit bizarre."

I explained who Dio was, his full origin, how he became a vampire, how he almost took over Britain but got his ass beaten up, then how he hijacked his foe's body and waited about a century to make a comeback. By the time I was over, they were all staring at me with mixed degrees of confusion, shock, skepticism, and other emotions.

"You know, you were right. It is quite fu- I mean, bizarre," Mariah caught herself before she could swear in front of Boingo. "But still, ignoring all that madness, why would working under him be bad?"

"Because he doesn't want to 'make the world better'. He want to rewind it unto what he thinks is the best outcome: a world without pain and a world without death."

"That doesn't sound half-ba-Aouch!" Hol Horse half-jumped as Midler stabbed a pin onto his hand. "What the heck was that all about?"

The dancer smiled. "Imagine a world without feeling that and getting damaged without everfeelingit all."

The man opened his mouth, and then closed it. "Holy shucks, now I see the issue."

"If we can even call it an issue-rewindingthe planet sounds like impossible. How would that even work?"

"Gravity," I replied to Mariah. "A Stand that can manipulate Gravity to such a high level that it can bend time and reality in the process and loop enough times to achieve his goal."

"...Wait, really? Gravity is that strong?" Midler perked up at this. "I mean, wouldn't it make sense for 'Time' to be the answer."

I shook my head. "It would not. Not when there is a limit about Stands themselves. While it is true that Time Stop is a possibility, time rewind is not within reach, nor it can be achieved. Gravity is, oddly so, easier to achieve."

"So, he plans to enslave us and all with the excuse it is for our own good, right?" Hol Horse summarized and I nodded. "Sheesh, I thought right the guy was a da- Dang Hustler."

"But where does this leave us?" Midler asked. Not at the entire table, but right at me. "After all, for you to rally us specifically and not the others, it means you are up to something,SignorVino."

I blinked at the Italian. "Surprising you picked that one up."

"I am a woman of many talents," She flirted back, causing Mariah to deliver a deadpanned look. "Still, an answer please."

"I am not under any illusion. If the world has to be fixed, there has to be a plan. And that plan can be made easier with Stands. I wish to recruit you four for my plan to slowly take over the world from the underworld, letting civilian governments feign control when they are the puppets, and then shape the world into a true utopia one step at a time."

"...That sounds evil."

I glanced to Mariah as she said that. The woman shrugged.

"I mean, it is not bad, but it does sound like a bad plot."

"And silly. How do you fix the world with our Stands?"

"By taking over the very element that makes things roll without getting slowed down by legality: the criminal empires. Starting from Italy, then Europe, then Africa, and then the US and China. Then? The world will be cautiously divided and led by legitimately good-minded fellows that want to shape things for the better."

"I don't know, buddy. I mean, it sounds like a whole lot needs to be done and... that doesn't give me much of a chance to shine."

"Oh, but your role in this organization would be to find and shape a group of upstanding 'heroes' to set up a code of honor," I pointed out, and I saw him pause. "This means being in charge of many folks that would see you as their leader and role model. And also, if I may mention, you would be paid quite handsomely in due time."

He leaned closer. "How much?"

"I don't have a calculator on me to make the right Lyre to Dollar exchange, but I will go wild and say the expected option is ten thousand dollar a month by the end of the year, maybe fifty thousand by the end of the next one."

His eyes bulged at that. "Oh- oh my."

"It is a lot of money, but I know this is all latching up to Mafia work," Mariah interjected, sounding interested but still doubtful. "I want a straight answer, are you going to make these money from drugs?"

"No. In fact, once we take over, the trade will no longer be a thing in Italy and, with the right steps, in Europe too."

That seemed to please her and-

"How does Italy look like?" Boingo asked, and I smiled.

"It is quite the pretty place. There are green lands, mountains, lakes."

"And fashion centers," Midler smiled mirthfully, and I was now realizing why she was being so supportive. She wasn't really into the plan, she just wanted to check out Italy and, if things went well for us all, she would have the money to actually have a massive wardrobe of expensive rags. How greedy of her. "That being said, I suppose you wish to enroll Boingo to school."

I looked at him, and Boingo looked away. But I couldn't exactly drop to any school since he was an introvert and one that didn't know any Italian.

"I will give him a tutor. Someone worthy of trust that can teach him more than just numbers and letters."

Boingo mustered enough courage to look at me again. "Is this tutor nice?"

"He is. I consider him a father."

That made him relieved, and while the group wasn't entirely bowing to me, they were interested enough to jump ship with me and set up route to conquer Italy. And as that was wrapped up, I finalized the last steps needed to secure our safe exit from Egypt. The next morning seeing me finding a small vessel, the 'Abbas II' ship, and have it smuggle us five to Sicily.

From there...

Passione was born as a force of change through the skin and flesh of a new Mafia group.

AN

Important stuff about the next few chapters: I don't have a perfect understanding of the Mafia situation, but I do have an extensive one as it is a major topic to learn in school in Sicily. I have more than eight years of teachers bringing this up and having us students learn of the many events involving the Mafia, especially around the intensification of the 'War on Mafia' led by Judges Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino. I will immediately say that these two names and many others are not going to appear in the story since Jojo doesn't go too deep in historical stuff and I will use other names for similar characters.