FC part 210 part 2

"Can we get a move on?" Crow looks at Joker, waiting for him.


"Yeah, I can't drive myself," Mona points out. "We're waiting on you, Joker."

"I feel personally called out" Joker drives the monabus out of the room and back into the main floor

Soon, another spot in the tracks where there was no doubt a Shadow. On approach, it would take the form of Kid, but the posture of a ruined and broken man sitting down. Almost defeated.

"That's a really sad looking Shadow," Futaba peeks out the window to get a look at it. She glances at Roe a few times as well.

"That's usually how it goes. Let's get this one over with," Crow is, once again, the person accompanying.

He hops out, walking towards the morose figure.
"There's nothing for you here. Just move along..."
Roe is shocked by that. What?
".....But...... you're here...."
"And I'mgoing to die any second now. We can only beat back the Darkness for so long, and then it kills us. No point in a false celebration....."

Crow just quietly watches, really hoping this kid doesn't fuck up and deny his Shadow, even on accident. His hand hovers near his sword, nonetheless.

Vanitas watches from inside the car, as well as he could.

".......But..... without hope, why even bother?"
"You still think there'shope.....? Have you paid attention?! Everyone in Daybreak Toan is gonna die, and fall. Everyone. Why try to save everyone when you're doomedyourself?"
Roe thought that over, and stepped closer.
"Because it beats not having any."
"We're all going to die-"
And then the Shadow was interrupted by a gentle hand in its shoulder.
"But we can at least live happy..... right?"
Tension.
Silence.
Maybe even confusion.
And then a small nod.
"You know I'mjust you, but without acting like everything makes you happy? Admitting that this life sucks???"
"Only because we make it....."

".....I guess....."
"Let's fight that, long as we can. Just because we're not gonna win the last battle doesn't mean we can't fight.... right?"
He held out his hand. Truth be told, he was nervous.
Silence.
And then, it was grasped.
"One and the same, you and me. I art thou, thou art I, so on and so forth."
An awakening. The gods must he smiling.
The form, coalescing, was thus far unclear, except for two notes. It was icy, and it was robotic.
"Call me Hephaestus. Life likes to be ironic."

Melone boots up his laptop and contacts an associate from Delfino in a hotel. Zucchero. The computer starts beeping, indicating a call is being made. With the press of a button Melone picks up the call and lo and behold its Zucchero on the other line.

"...So these bunker house things, are they permanent? I don't get the fucking deal with it man I need to go outside and get some things done ya know?" Zucchero complained.

Melone answered back with an annoyed tone. "Bosses orders. He doesn't want any more stand users out in the open, police have been cracking down on drug routes and all the violence between the gang and cops is becoming way too obvious. From now on he wants all the stand users to stay underground and help out with recruitment, he can't risk losing one when we're gone...They're permanent for now." Zucchero angrily hangs up.

Melone looks amused before going back to whatever he was about to do on the computer. Probably porn.

Speaking of the fuzz, H1 is looking at a list of reports.
The name "PASSIONE" is tacked next to them. And a file, sparse for now.
"Group Name: Passione
Goals: Social control, via illicit drug industry. Seems to specialize in powder-drugs. A classic mafia.
Known identifiers: None spotted yet. Fits in with civilians, only confirmed in busts so far.
Rumors: Some higher ups are reported to have strange powers, superhuman. Boss unknown. Believed to select some new members at random???
Primary objective, as of now: INVESTIGATE MORE"

Versace was sleeping in his chair. What a fantastic addition to the police department.

Right now the main man incharge of recruitment as always was Polpo himself. Classic enormous man that put Wario to shame. As of now he is the only Passione higher up that isn't in hiding underground. His record was clean, unlike the other one, but most importantly there had to be at least one recruiter on the scene. Patiently he sat around at a church munching on whatever he could shove in his giant mouth without a second thought. There was another recruiter however, but he was occupied with helping out a certain doctor with an experiment at the moment...

Ysmael Ahabus was wondering what to do about the entire Stand ordeal. The limeblood sat in the warehouse, troublesome sink long fixed, drumming his fingers on his thigh.

There's always Giorno to talk to regarding that, as of yet he's been free to do whatever after he paired up with the Galactic Gladiator to create an unstoppable duo. Question is does Ysmael even know who he is?

Likely not as more than someone he's been seeing.
But someone who does know is looking around.
Bruno Bucciarati I'd mapping out this city for himself. Passione, returned under the Boss' control....

Giorno's been more concerned with more pressing matters like the void...As much as he'd like to track down and shut down Passione for good. Right now he's trying to pinpoint a location where void cultists gather enmasse, destroy it and flush out all the information he can with his partner. If he can't get that the best he can do is shut down other evil mumbo jumbo around the city.

The Persona team is being watched. If they look around they might see her...

________

Mordred snarls. "If... if I obey this cursed crown... you will leave my crew be. Is that an accurate assumption?"

___________

Indeed it is a vast database, how would she possibly get through it al-

"We've been expecting you." A voice says behind MN.
__________

If Giorno is looking for the Void cultists, one thing he's probably able to determine is that they're an underground organization.

..... No I mean literally, they're mostly sighted near caves and other subterranean areas.

Meanwhile on the POTD, a portal opens and a hairy mass falls out, screaming like a banshee until it hits the ground.

The figure slowly gets up, stretching her back as she stood upright. "Peck, my back.... what the hell just happened?"

Another poor confused soul, new to this fuckfest.

The Gladiator is trying to find them as well, streaking across the sky like a rocket.

Roe turns around first, the Persona coalescing down into a card.
The card of Empress, interestingly.

Zasalamel nods.

"Indeed. All you have to do is let go and your crew will be left alone. Simple as that."


He and the gladiator noticed that but have largely only observed their patterns. They couldn't risk them scattering all over the place and quit the cave thing they have going on. It's predictable which is great. Just have to wait for the right moment where a lot of them are in one place...Maybe they'll get lucky?

"Over there." Giorno points to a crooked cave on the outskirts of a farm to GG. Giorno floats down to it with GER hovering by his side.

Mordred takes a few deep breaths..... is he really about to surrender?

Maybe.... maybe he can fight it later, find another way. Feed it for now to abate it’s wrath. Yes, that.... that was the only option left.

“...... I have a planet to kill.”
————————
It’s just a cave.

—————

The newcomer looks around, rubbing her head. “Christ, what was in that drink to make all this?”

".......I think we're being watched......."
Roe walked towards the Long Monabus.

Sure enough, looking around reveals the tall scientist in the distance.

"Get in the bus," Crow is doing his best not to stare down the scientist because that could be bad for all he knows.

":!! < we n33d to go as soon as they're in." Nepeta is clearly uneasy.

Roe quickened his pace, hoping in and getting to a seat. He turns anxiously to the Scoentist.