Friday, June 30, 2023
The Golden Miners - Chapter 6: Minecraft Time
It was 10 AM when Fugo woke up, except he wasn’t aware of the time until he looked at the clock. As for Giorno, he still slept soundly, trying to hug him. Fugo gently tapped Giorno, waking him up. Giorno stretched before hugging his boyfriend.
“I think we slept a little bit late,” Fugo said, returning the hug.
A phone interrupted their moment.
Giorno looked at Fugo’s phone on the nightstand. “Trish texted you.”
Fugo sighed, released him from the embrace, and grabbed his phone, furrowing his brow as the white light strained his eyes. “What is it now?”
Giorno got off the bed and moved the curtains to welcome the light in.
Could you hop on Minecraft? Something’s been bothering me for a while.
We just woke up. Hold on.
“Something’s bothering her,” Fugo said. “She wants us on Minecraft. Are we getting on?”
“Yeah, let’s get on!”
“If you want to play, you’ll need to get my brother’s laptop in his old room.”
“Really? He just left it there before moving out?”
“Yep. I guess it’s all yours now if you want it. I should send Trish a text that we’re getting on.”
After texting Trish, Fugo got on his PC, found his headset, started Minecraft, and opened a call on Skype so he could communicate with Trish and Giorno. In the distance, he could see Trish’s username. He was still inside his old house, but the way her name dashed around the screen to the right, he could tell she was heading out of the base.
“After I move some of my old furniture, I’ll help you with whatever,” Fugo spoke into his mic. He should’ve moved all his stuff with him when he started dating Giorno, but he wanted to spend the rest of his time with him. Speaking of Giorno, he also logged on.
“Good morning, Trish!” Giorno greeted. “Is something wrong?”
Something exploded before she could reply.
SpiceGirl was blown up by a creeper.
“Damn it!” she yelled.
Fugo stopped what he was doing, rushed to where Trish died, and grabbed her things. She wasn’t carrying much.
Trish returned to where she died. “Ugh, I hate everything!”
Fugo dropped all her stuff in front of her. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“Do you remember that guy from the beach?”
“Guy?”
“There was a pink-haired guy with that buff guy. Did you look at his eyes? What color were they?”
He couldn’t recall. “Did he even look at us?”
“No, I was having too much fun that day. Ugh! I wasn’t focused on my search.”
Giorno approached them. “Your search for what?”
“My biological father. My mother said he had pink hair like mine, but she couldn’t remember his eye colors. She said it was either green or brown. Giorno, I wish I was you.”
“Trust me, Trish, you wouldn’t want to be me.”
“I don’t know, Giorno. My mother almost died from her illness, and my father is nowhere to be found. Is he even aware of my existence? Is he even alive?”
“Okay,” Fugo interrupted, “it sounds like it sucks to be you, Trish, but Giorno tells me everything, including his past. It does suck to be him. Hell, it just sucks to be us.”
“Actually,” Trish said. “I think I’d rather be you, Fugo.”
He gripped his mouse tightly, angered by her comment. He may be rich, but his parents were far from loving. Even his own elder brothers didn’t care for him. Thankfully, they no longer lived in the mansion with him, but now he was alone with his parents. Even in their strange state, Fugo still resented them.
“How about we drop this?” Giorno suggested. “This conversation isn’t helping any of us, nor is it helping you, Trish.”
“You’re right.” She sounded sad. “It’s not. I think I might get off. Sorry for wasting your time.”
“Wait!” Giorno said. “We could get you a cat!”
“How?”
He looked to Fugo.
“We’ll need to go to a village and feed a stray cat some cod or salmon,” Fugo answered. “I have some raw fish in my barrel, so we don’t have to fish unless we want to. Hmm, but did anyone explore the area for a village?”
“Sorry, I’ve been busy digging for ores,” Giorno answered.
“I’ve been building storage rooms for us,” Trish said. “So, I couldn’t go exploring.”
Fugo texted Narancia, Mista, and Sheila. “Strange, I just texted the others, but they’re not responding. Hey, Trish, is Sheila sleeping?”
“Oh, uh oh. Um, well, Sheila stepped out while I attempted to calm myself in the bathroom. I don’t know where she’s gone. I’ll text her.”
“Do you think she’s with the others?” Giorno asked.
“I don’t know. Maybe, but why?”
“I guess we’ll find out when she replies,” Trish said. “Anyways, there should be enough materials to make a map. What should we bring?”
“I’ll be the guide and chef of this group,” Fugo said. “About a month ago, Mista, Narancia, and I were roleplaying, and Narancia seemed to enjoy the chef role. Giorno, you’ll keep us safe, so bring your enchanted bow. Trish, you enjoy building. You could build a home away from home for us.”
“Is it alright if I stream?” Trish asked.
“Alright, sure. I don’t mind. Also, we need to put signs down. Narancia decided to build a farm with Mista in some far-off location and made a fork in the road.”
“I have some wood. Sure, I’ll do it. I’m curious about what the farm looks like.”
Fugo took them to the fork in the road, and Trish placed a sign on some cobblestone.
“What’s direction is the farm, and what is the name?” she asked.
“The farm is to the left,” Fugo replied. “As for its name, let’s call it the NaraMis Farm. If they have a problem with it, they can change it.”
“Alright, as for the one on the right?”
“There’s nothing there except for the desert, where the grass path ends.”
“I have some grass blocks,” Giorno said. “I could place some down.”
“I don’t know how far the desert stretches, but I doubt you have enough.”
“You might be right, but that path might help us.”
“Don’t forget you’re protecting us,” Trish reminded. “Hand me the grass blocks. I have some cooked salmon.”
“Do you have a shovel?”
“Yeah.”
“Then it’s yours.” Giorno tossed his grass blocks while Trish handed him the salmon. “Anyways, we’re still heading to the farm, right? I forgot to get a bed.”
“Oh my gosh! Same!”
“Funny, I forgot too. Come, the farm is this way.”
They were at the NaraMis Farm. A bunch of animals was on the other side of the fence. Despite having a lot of wheat at the base, Narancia and Mista built it at the bottom of the hill’s edge to trap the animals. However, this sometimes caused hostile mobs to get trapped. Luckily, there weren’t any inside.
“This is the farm?” Trish questioned. “Where’s the barn? Does Narancia not care about the animals? And where is he storing the animal products and meat?”
“Narancia said he’ll build a railroad to the base,” Fugo said.
“I’d prefer that we’d build railroads in the nether, but we haven’t opened a portal from someplace elsewhere,” Giorno commented.
Fugo brought out his sword. “Time to slaughter some sheep.”
-
After getting material for the beds, they reached the desert, and the husks started charging at them. Giorno readied his bow and aimed for them.
“How many arrows do you have?” Fugo asked.
“Enough!” Giorno answered quickly due to the husks surrounding them.
“I think I know where you got that many arrows.”
“I’ll pay Mista back—eventually.”
“His fault for not getting on.”
The horde of husks relented, and the three were far from the plains. It was also getting dark in-game.
“Should I build the base here?” Trish asked.
“Yeah, build a small home,” Fugo answered.
Trish built a home made of cobblestone and oak wooden planks with a spruce wooden door, and the roof was made of stone brick. Although nobody asked, she made windows and put a well near the house. She placed torches around the house so monsters don’t spawn.
“What’s with the well? We’re not going to stay here,” Fugo commented.
“I know,” she said. “But it might be helpful one day.” She continued building a garden, planted potatoes, built a composter, and dug the ground to give plants water.
“Okay, but it’s already night. We need to rest.”
“In a second.” Trish surrounded the house with cobblestone and without a way in or out, confusing the blonds. Afterward, she built a slime trampoline.
“Wait,” Fugo said, “are you—”
Trish installed a button on one of the dispensers and pressed it, launching herself on the other side of the wall. She returned.
“Did Sheila teach you that?”
“Yeah.”
“She learned it from me.”
“Ah yes, she told me. Thank you, by the way.”
They went inside the house. Fugo placed his bed next to Giorno’s, and Trish put her bed away from them. She placed another one down for Sheila and two chests.
It was morning in their game. Trish checked the house outside. No mobs got inside.
“This idea for yours is interesting,” Giorno complimented.
“Thanks,” she replied as she broke one of the walls to place some glass.
“You brought a lot of things with you, huh?” Fugo said.
“Yeah. I’m sorry, but our base is ugly. I’m planning to replace this cobblestone with purpur blocks. I was thinking maybe pink concrete, but they’re a bit plain-looking. As for the floor, I might replace it with glazed terracotta.”
“Sounds like a lot of work. Maybe once we get the cats, you could work on it.”
“Yeah, I wonder how far a village would be.”
“Let’s find out.”
They bounced out of there.
-
Near the end of the desert biome, a village was in their sights. However, before they could claim their cats, Fugo received a text message. It was from Narancia, and he was with Mista and Sheila.
“Guys, Narancia just texted me, and he’s with the others,” Fugo said.
“What’s going on?” Trish asked.
“Hold on. I’m texting him back.”
Uh, help. I got into a fight with this dude when sheila went shopping 2 get trish something. :(
Omfg, why? Are you okay? Also, does Sheila even have money to buy things?
Ya, I'm fine. He punched me in the eye. That’s all. As for the money issue its a funny story. I told mista to steal while I distract the dude but that went to shit real fast anyways it gets worse. Well, you know that illuso guy Clara like? The guy mista tried pickpocket was his bf n then he texted illuso n that guy came. Idk why he did that i guess he's afraid of fighting 2 kids and an 18 year old lmao
…What happened to Sheila?
She started yelling at him n illuso started throwing hands. Abbacchio was there too and he broke the fight up and threatened to arrest illuso but he scold sheila and texted clara about it
Did he just text her?
Idk but she probably got the text by now
“Hey, Fugo, what’s going on? Clara left Toto in the room I’m in,” Trish said.
Trish wants to know what’s going on. Should I tell her?
Nah shes going to worry. Just mention the shopping part
“She went shopping. That’s all.”
“I think there’s something more. Ask Narancia for more information.”
“Fugo, let me see the texts,” Giorno said. He heard Giorno take off his headset.
“Wait, you guys aren’t gaming in the same room?”
A few seconds later, his boyfriend came into his room.
“You have a look on your face. Is it that bad?” Giorno asked. “May I see your phone?”
“Sure.” Fugo handed him the phone.
“I think we should tell Trish the truth.”
“Won’t she panic?”
“Perhaps, but she’ll get mad at you if you lie.”
“How would you know?”
“Well, if Narancia told me you got into a fight with someone and lied about it, I would get angry at him. Something could’ve happened to you, and I don’t want any harm coming to you.” Giorno hugged him.
Fugo held him tightly. Giorno will part his side in two days, and he felt like he hadn’t used most of his time to make something memorable. “Giorno, let’s make most of our days something to remember.”
They kissed each other on the lips.
“Uh, Fugo,” Trish said, “you forgot to mute your mic.”
His face turned red. “I—um. Shush! Don’t you kiss Sheila like that? Wait! You heard the conversation?”
Giorno giggled and went back to his room.
“Yeah, you were thinking about lying to me. I don’t know what happened, but you’ll tell me truthfully, right?”
“Sheila went shopping with Narancia and Mista. Narancia decided to pickpocket Illuso’s boyfriend, and he called Illuso. Sheila started shouting at him, but Abbacchio was there. She’s safe. Are you mad at me?”
“For what? I don’t see a reason to get mad. Besides, I think my biological dad might be rich. I just need to find him.”
“What makes you think that?”
“I’ve been thinking while we were on the road. My dad’s been avoiding child support. Only rich people can do that, I think. Right, Fugo?”
His cheeks got red again. “Why are you saying my name? I’m not a dad!”
“That’s not what I meant! Oh my gosh! Your parents wanted you to study law, right? So, you must know a bit.”
“Ugh!” He sighed. “Let me try to remember.”
“Why would a rich man avoid paying child support?” Giorno commented. “Surely, if money was an issue for your mother, I’m sure he wouldn’t mind paying.”
“Well, my mother doesn’t need the money yet,” Trish said. “I just—”
“Then why mention child support?” Fugo asked.
“I don’t know! I was hoping there was a reason.”
“He might not be aware of your existence,” Giorno said.
Trish sighed and fed an orange tabby raw salmon, taming the creature. “I should take Toto outside. He’s whimpering and probably wants to use the bathroom. Later!”
Trish logged out.
“Are we getting those cats for ourselves?” Giorno asked.
Fugo gave raw salmon to a black cat. “Yeah.”
Giorno took a white cat. “Want to keep playing?”
“Sure!”
Sunday, June 25, 2023
Saturday, June 24, 2023
A Romantic Night on the Shores of Sardinia
Doppio was at the grocery store, buying ingredients for cookies. It was for the picnic he had planned with Diavolo, and he couldn’t decide whether to make regular old chocolate chip cookies or snickerdoodles.
Diavolo bumped into him before he could decide. “Oh, Doppio! Sorry for bumping into you, but I was thinking about what to make for the picnic.”
Doppio noticed the expensive bottle of red wine next to some produce in his basket and knew what to make. “It’s alright. I finally decided what to make.”
“Oh? Are you cooking something?”
“Baking. I can’t wait to see what you’ll bring.”
Doppio wondered if it would be enough and thought about buying more food. “I’ll bring more than just cookies.”
“Take your time. I’ll buy the candles and silverware.”
Diavolo had some elegant taste, making Doppio feel like his cookie idea was childish. He put the ingredients and headed to where the fresh fruits were, arms reaching for the grapes until he remembered Diavolo was bringing wine. He would’ve gotten strawberries but planned on making strawberry-flavored cookies. Doppio sighed, settling for the cherries on sale and buying some cute pink napkins on the way to the cashier.
-
Immediately after heading home, Doppio prepared to make the secret cookies. While he brought out the bowl, he still felt like he wasn’t bringing enough to the picnic.
A few days ago, Doppio had bought a baguette for his soup. He could use that to make crostini, but what should he top it with? He searched the fridge for something and saw some prosciutto, Roma tomatoes, and Boursin cheese.
He looked at the time to see if there was enough time, and it was only 2 PM—the picnic was at 6. Since Diavolo expected the macarons, he worked on that first before making the crostini.
As Doppio cracked some eggs, separating the yolk from the egg whites, he couldn’t stop thinking about what to wear. He loved his sweater, but maybe he should switch up his style. Perhaps a white dress shirt and some slacks would please Diavolo. Oh, but what color should his slacks be? Tan or black?
Lost in thought, Doppio broke an egg on his counter. “Ugh! I hope Boss isn’t having this much trouble.”
-
Diavolo finished making the herby cucumber salad with feta cheese and chickpeas, but he didn’t feel satisfied. Making salad was so simple, yet whatever Doppio planned seemed complex. Diavolo can cook, but Doppio is more into baking. What could he cook? Last night, he had shrimp fra diavolo and thought about using shrimp he didn’t cook. Doppio didn’t seem like the type to enjoy something spicy. Maybe sweet and sour shrimp will sate his tastebuds, but he’ll cook after he showers.
Preparing what to wear before showering, he looked into his drawers and decided on the striped suit. Since he was the boss, he was in charge of his clothing but wanted to look professional. Thinking about his outfit, he found it funny how he spent his time with Doppio wearing his casual clothes instead of his suit despite working in the same building.
When Diavolo got out of the shower and dressed, he went into the kitchen to make sweet and sour shrimp. The picnic basket was on the table, and he placed the salad, wine, wine glasses, dining utensils, and shrimp once he finished cooking it. Hopefully, it wasn’t too much.
It was almost time to leave, and he called Doppio, reminding him it was time to head to the beach.
“B-boss!” Doppio panicked. “Wait, was the picnic now? I thought it was in an hour? Oh, no! I’m so sorry.”
Diavolo giggled. “Doppio, I’m calling just to remind you.”
“Oh.” He sounded calmer. “I’m ready. I guess I’ll head there now.”
-
It was time for the picnic. Diavolo picked up some roses for Doppio while on the way and a surprise in his pocket. Doppio had texted him that he’ll be under a tree with a pink checkered picnic blanket.
“There you are,” Diavolo said. “You’re looking fine.” He handed him the flowers.
Doppio took them, blushing. “Oh, really? Hmm, have I seen you wear that suit before?”
“It’s one of the suits I wear to work.” He sat down. “I brought us some salad and shrimp on a skewer. I made the shrimp before I left. Hopefully, it’s not too hot. Oh, let’s not forget the wine.” He set up the candles and handed Doppio a plate and a wine glass.
Doppio took out his food from his picnic basket. “I brought strawberry macarons, some cherries, and crostini. Do you think this is too much to eat?”
“I had a light lunch. If you can’t eat the rest, I’ll take them.” He eyed the macarons and grabbed one. “I should eat the salad or crostini first, but these look irresistible.” He took a bite. “Wow, Doppio, I’m surprised you haven’t started a bakery.”
“I thought about it, but I honestly have no idea how to start one. Besides, I like working for you.”
“Come here, you.”
The two leaned in for a kiss. They hadn’t eaten or taken a sip of wine, but they got touchy and physical, hugging tightly and kissing passionately. They would’ve been sweaty if it weren’t for the ocean breeze that suddenly kicked in.
Diavolo panted when he withdrew from the kiss. “God, Doppio, I need you by my side.”
“Boss, I want to be with you!” Doppio flung himself towards him.
He hugged him again, kissing and caressing his cheek. “Oh, my sweet Doppio, I want to give you something.”
He withdrew from the hug. “What is it?”
Diavolo pulled out a box with a ring inside. “Marry me? I think it’s time we make it official.”
“Oh my gosh! I don’t know what to say! I’m probably a sweaty mess! Of course, I’ll marry you! Should I pack my things after dinner, o-or should I do it tomorrow?”
Diavolo laughed while his stomach growled. “Whichever you prefer, my Doppio. I’m getting hungry. I feel like I could eat all the food you brought.”
Doppio took some salad and shrimp, sampling them. “Your food is so good, though! You’re telling me to start a bakery, but you’re the one who should be opening a restaurant.”
He poured him and himself a glass of wine. “Maybe, but it would’ve taken me longer to buy that ring for you.”
“I wouldn’t mind. I always felt we didn’t need a ring to prove we were meant to be together.”
“Oh, Doppio, I love you so much.”
“I love you too.” He fed Diavolo his salad. “Come on. You haven’t touched the food you brought.”
“Neither have you.” He put a cherry in his mouth, pulling the stem once Doppio bit into it.
They both ate the food until they were full and stayed a while to enjoy the ocean view.
Friday, June 23, 2023
The Abandoned House Demon
Father Pucci, Hot Pants, and Doppio exited the black car after Father Styx parked on overgrown grass. It was dark, but lights, and some bones, were strung from the dead tree to the abandoned house.
“Alright,” Doppio said as he made his way to the house, “let’s exorcise this—gah!”
A skull next to some pulverized bloody meat lay on the table, and the blood trail seemed fresh, causing Doppio to make the sign of the cross out of fear.
The others were busy setting up the tent.
“Don’t head in there straight away,” Styx warned. “I need to set up the computers, and you’ll need to get some equipment.”
“Speaking of equipment,” Hot Pants said, “who’s taking what?”
They finished setting up the tent, and Father Pucci got the equipment from the trunk and placed them inside. “Father Styx will check our sanity from here. He’ll keep one of the crucifixes. He’ll constantly come back and forth to the house, updating us and bringing some sanity pills. Sister Hot Pants will take a thermometer and easel.”
“Easel? What’s it for? Don’t we have a camera?” Doppio questioned.
“The easel is not for painting the ghost,” he explained. “Rather, the ghost paints on the easel. I do not know why they do this, but it will help deduce what the entity is.”
“Aren’t we here to exorcise the ghost? Why does it matter?”
“There could be a chance we could die. The revenant or demon could decide to kill us when we step in. Should one of us survive, we’ll retreat to the base and inform the others about the entity and hope they can deal with it. Speaking of the entity, this one's name is Solido Naso. He responds to people who are alone. I was afraid of this. It looks like I’ll take the spirit box with me along with an ecto glass. Brother Doppio, you will have the EMF reader and crucifix.”
“Wait, what about the candles, the UV light, and the other stuff? Why are we carrying two things and a flashlight when we could carry more.”
Hot Pants sighed and decided to explain. “Has a ghost ever hunted you? My brother and I thought this exorcism thing was a game. It’s not. It’s serious. We carried more than we should, and it slowed us down. My brother didn’t make it.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know,” Doppio commented.
“Don’t be. It was my fault. I was the one who suggested it. I just wanted to know what happened on Cyclone Street. If it weren’t for Father Pucci and Styx, I’d probably join my brother in death.”
Doppio looked in awe at the two men. “Wow, you guys must be experienced.”
“We’ve done this a couple of times. I was in the United Kingdom, exorcising ghosts,” Father Styx said. “Father Pucci here exorcised ghosts in the southern parts of America. Most people in Florida know him.”
“We do not do this for fame, Brother Doppio, just so you know,” Father Pucci spoke. “We do this to free the poor souls trapped in this plane of existence and to keep them from harming people and families.”
“I understand, but since I have the crucifix, shouldn’t I have the spirit box in case Solido decides to attack me?”
“I don’t know.” Father Pucci thought deeply.
“It makes sense,” Father Styx said. “If what Doppio says angers the ghost, he’ll need a crucifix.”
“No, Doppio is new to this. The spirit box will drain his sanity. Plus, I’m afraid the ghost will make contact and start a conversation.”
“But I’m ready for this!” Doppio pouted. “Please, Father Pucci. I’m not exactly new to this. I helped exorcise a ghost in Italy with Risotto Nero, Prosciutto, and Pesci! I was also in Japan, watching some others exorcise a revenant!”
“A revenant? Those entities are unpredictable. Fine, I supposed I could let you handle it. By the way, you should only ask the ghost if they can speak, if they’re there, their name, and when they died. Remember this! Also, you’ll have to be alone, unfortunately. Since you’ll take that, I supposed I’ll have the UV light and ecto glass.”
Suddenly, Doppio wasn’t feeling too confident and gulped. “I-I can do this.”
“I hear a shakiness in your voice,” teased Hot Pants. “Are you sure?”
“The cross. Remember the cross,” Father Styx reminded him.
The cross, right. Doppio gained a little confidence. “Yeah, I have this.”
Father Pucci handed him the spirit box, flashlight, and crucifix, and Doppio hugged the last item tightly as if his life depended on it. Hot Pants and Pucci took their tools and left for the house with Doppio.
It was dark inside until someone turned on the lights. They were currently in the kitchen. Pucci inspected the room to the left while Hot Pants explored the upper floor. That left Doppio to explore the rooms down the dusty dark hallway.
Cautiously, he walked down the halls with the spirit box close to his face while turning all the lights on.
“C-can you speak?”
Silence.
Perhaps Solido didn’t hear him. He cleared his throat and tried to sound more confident. “Can you talk?”
“Come to bed,” Solido whispered.
Doppio turned around, but nobody was there. “Where are you?”
The door to the bedroom opened, and he got a glimpse of a pretty dress. It was the only bright thing in the room before he turned on the lights.
“What’s your name?”
“Diavolo.”
“Diavolo?” Doppio raised an eyebrow, swearing that his name was Solido Naso.
Diavolo flickered the light off and shut the door, causing the priest to slightly jump and yelp. The spirit box from his hands and onto the wooden planks. Luckily, Father Pucci was nearby with the UV lights when he opened the door, revealing Diavolo’s handprint.
“A handprint! However, are you okay, Brother Doppio?”
“I’m fine, I think. My heart is racing. Is that normal?”
“Yes, it’s perfectly normal.” He inspected the room for any ectoplasm. “There aren’t any stains here. I’ll tell Hot Pants to put the easel here and fetch the EMF and ESG. Stay here and communicate with it until it speaks. Remember, the ghost symbol will glow blue when it speaks.” He turned the lights back on. “And make sure to stay in well-lit areas!”
“But he—” Father Pucci left before Doppio could tell him Diavolo had spoken to him. He noticed that he had dropped the UV light. Since Diavolo had communicated into the spirit box, they only needed one piece of evidence to classify the entity. So far, the ghost seemed like a poltergeist, a thaye, or a gul. The group would need the easel and ESG.
Sister Hot Pants entered the room with an easel in her hands. “Why’s the spirit box on the floor?”
“Um, I don’t think the ghost is here,” he lied.
“Are you sure?” She brought out the thermometer. “It’s cold, but it isn’t freezing in here. Father Pucci told me he saw Solido’s fingerprints.”
“How do we know the ghost’s name in the first place, by the way?”
She sighed. “You ask a lot of questions. I can’t believe this is your— What was it? Second or third time?”
“When I went to Japan, I was watching, but my—”
“Enough! The ghost could be a gul and listening to us right now. Your sanity must be low right now. I’ll fetch a sanity pill for you.” She placed the easel down along with the thermometer and left.
Although Hot Pants left the door open, Diavolo shut the door once she strayed away from the bedroom. Stuck in the bedroom, Doppio heard something destroy the lights in the hall and a couple of things snapping but was terrified of stepping out. He sat on the bed, praying Hot Pants would hurry with the pills, but Diavolo revealed himself, intertwining his fingers with Doppio’s and causing him to panic. Diavolo’s eyes were colorless, and his skin was deathly pale. Despite him being dead, Doppio found him strangely beautiful.
“When did you die?” he asked.
Diavolo said nothing but placed a finger on Doppio’s lips before disappearing.
He wanted to ask questions but thought Diavolo wanted him quiet. Turns out Pucci was nearby, judging from the sounds of the EMF.
Pucci barraged through the door. “Doppio, Sister Hot Pants is dead! Solido murdered her! I have an EMF level five! Stop toying with the spirit box since it can’t interact with it. We can assume it’s either an onryo, wraith, oni, or goryo.”
“Wait, it can’t use the spirit box?”
“Some ghosts can speak to you without using the spirit box, such as the mare, but the mare doesn’t leave fingerprints. Why? Did you see the symbol turn blue on the spirit box?”
Did he? Diavolo had surprised him when he responded to his second question—which he had never noticed. “Ghosts can only show three pieces of evidence, correct?”
“So far, yes. It has always been like that. We’ll have to wait and—”
They heard scribbling noises and turned their heads to face the easel. Diavolo drew Doppio surrounded by hearts.
“Wow,” Doppio commented, blushing.
“Fingerprints, EMF, and an easel drawing! We have an onryo! That explains why Hot Pants died so fast. Quickly, this is no time for sitting around! We must return to Father Styx immediately to see our next objectives!”
However, before Pucci could leave, he floated in the air. Doppio watched as Diavolo bent Pucci’s neck, arms, and legs.
“Jesus!” He jumped from the bed, grabbed the UV lights, and examined Pucci’s corpse. Diavolo left his fingerprints all over him.
Speaking of which, he reappeared. His face was close to his. “Doppio, my sweet Doppio, I’ve been searching for someone like you for a long time.” He placed his hand under his chin, tilted his head upwards slightly, so he could make eye contact, and slowly brought their lips together for a chaste kiss. “Do you feel the same way?”
“I do.”
“Stay with me.”
“I’ll repair the house.”
“Good. There’s one person left.”
“Father Styx. He’s coming, isn’t he? Do you want me to deal with him, Diavolo? Let me prove myself to you.”
Diavolo broke the mirror in the corner of the room and handed a large shard to Doppio. “I am bound to this house. If you can kill him, I’ll let you live. If you cannot, your death will be swift and painless, but we’ll be together forever.”
“I won’t let you down.” Doppio prepared himself for an act and hid the shard behind his back. “Father Styx! Help! I lost my flashlight!”
Father Styx rushed into the bedroom, shining his bright light on Pucci’s corpse. “In the name of the Father, of the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” He remained calm while doing the sign of the cross. “Bless Father Pucci. May you rest in heaven with Hot Pants. Amen. Brother Doppio, why are you on the painting? Is the spirit an onryo? We should hurry and leave.”
“Are you sure we should leave? Should we double-check for evidence?”
“I could’ve sworn Pucci said we found fingerprints, but it wouldn’t hurt to check.” Styx grabbed the UV light. “Why are your lips glowing?”
Then Diavolo turned the lights off, causing Father Styx to turn around. Doppio slit his throat with the shard and pushed him onto the floor, breaking the UV light as it dropped with him.
Father Styx covered his neck and struggled to face Doppio. “Why?” He coughed up blood and sweated.
Diavolo appeared next to Doppio, and they kissed each other. “Does that answer your question?” he asked with a wicked smile, watching Styx slowly shut his eyes permanently.
Thursday, June 22, 2023
Hiking in Mürren, Switzerland
Diavolo stood outside a Chinese restaurant in Mürren, Switzerland, waiting for Doppio, who was in the bathroom. They were surprised such a restaurant was there, but the food was delicious and cheap. After waiting a few minutes, Doppio met with him.
“Sorry, boss,” he apologized with a smile. “I guess I ate a lot.”
“No need to apologize. We’ll burn it off on our hike.” Diavolo grabbed his hand, taking him to the mountains.
“Wait, we’re not going to sit down and relax?” Doppio panicked. “I think that’ll be too much activity for me! I might throw up!”
“If you want, we could get on the funicular. We’d still need to walk there.”
Doppio sighed. “Why couldn’t they make this place bigger for cars?”
“I think this place is better without cars.”
The two walked to the funicular, which headed to Allmendubel. A few people accompanied them while the ride took them there.
“So, boss, where are we going in Allmendubel?”
“I want us to head to the Sprutz Waterfall using the Northface Trail.”
Doppio got excited for a few seconds but then died down, recalling something from before they planned their trip to Switzerland. If he remembered correctly, the hike takes about two hours and 30 minutes. “Um, are we even prepared for a hike this long?”
Diavolo took out his small Gucci backpack, bringing out two bottles of water and sunscreen since it was a lovely day for a hike. “Relax, we are well prepared. Besides, you didn’t want to go up the mountain, correct? We’ll be descending the mountain.”
He doubted this would be enough to survive the trip. “When was the last time you were on a hike?” He didn’t know why he asked that because they always spent time together.
“I was about to ask you that.”
“Neither of us hiked before.”
Before they continued their conversation, the funicular reached its destination. Diavolo, Doppio, and the other passengers got out.
“Boss, are you sure you don’t want to return down? I’m feeling much better to ascend the mountain.”
A twinkle was in Diavolo’s eye, and he seemed fired up. “Nonsense! We’re already up here. Let us make our way down to Mürren on foot!”
A spring breeze brushed against their skin. It felt refreshing to Doppio, but then he checked Diavolo’s reaction and saw him shivering. “Boss?”
“Doppio, aren’t you cold?”
“No, quite the opposite. It was hot in that funicular, and the breeze is refreshing. Um, should we head back down and buy you a shirt? I also want to buy some better shoes. These aren’t made for hiking.”
“No, Doppio! We’re hiking this trail and looking fabulous while doing so! Come! We head downwards!”
-
The hike down the mountain was beautiful and scenic, and the scent of the meadows and pine trees was pleasant. Doppio had never seen grass this green nor such beautiful wildflowers. People walked past the couple, but animals, such as cows, accompanied them on their travel.
“Wow, look at these cows!” Doppio got close to one and petted its head. “So soft!”
“Ah!” Diavolo screamed while a cow chewed on his hair.
“Oh my gosh!” Doppio came to his rescue and tried to save each strand of hair. Unfortunately, slop covered his long luscious hair.
“I think I want to go home. Are we almost there yet?”
“Nope, but we’re almost to the waterfall.”
“Oh.” He got quiet for a few seconds. “I need to poop.”
“What?” Doppio turned to face him, but Diavolo wasn’t there. “Boss? Where are you?”
“Doppio! Oh, Doppio!” he yelled. “I made a grave mistake!”
His voice sounded far away. “Boss!”
“Over here! Don’t come close!”
Doppio followed the sound of his voice, heading into the pine forest. He could see him squatting behind a tree, smelled something unpleasant, and attempted to get close to him but stepped on a branch, causing Diavolo to make a panicked noise.
“Stop! Doppio, I forgot to bring toilet paper. I thought there would be a restroom on the hike, but there wasn’t. I need you to take off your shirt.”
“What? Uh, boss, I have the map, and the nearest restaurant is a few walks away.”
Diavolo was silent for a few seconds. “Could you hand me the map?”
-
The pink-haired coupled continued their hike, making it to the trail that led to the waterfall.
“Finally, we are here!” Diavolo was in much higher spirits and rushed down the steep hill.
“Wait!” Doppio covered his mouth and watched as his boss tripped and rolled down. “Oh my gosh, boss!” He carefully went down the trail as quickly as he could. Diavolo made a groaning sound, and dirt covered his clothes. Doppio knelt next to him, checking for any cuts or scraps. “Are you going to be alright? I don’t see any blood.”
Diavolo slowly got up, brushed the dirt off, and sighed. “Doppio, I’m sorry about this little hiking trip. I didn’t plan fully ahead.”
Doppio got up, standing on his tippy toes, and tenderly kissed his lips. “No, it’s my fault, boss. I was the one who overate at the restaurant and whined about walking around too much.”
He embraced and held him closer. “My sweet Doppio, you know how to cheer me up. I want another kiss.”
The two kissed again. Thankfully, they were alone and continued kissing for a while.
“Ugh, my shoes are dirty,” Diavolo complained.
“My feet hurt,” Doppio whined.
“Let’s walk back. I can carry you back to the hotel if you want.”
He giggled. “You would need to carry me up the slope. Don’t worry. I’ll keep walking until I’m tired, but could we hold hands on the way?”
Diavolo held his hand. “Of course. Did you enjoy the hike?”
“Of course! It’s not that hot or cold out, and the view was wonderful. I was worried that you weren’t enjoying it.”
“I had fun too. Should we return to the Chinese restaurant for dinner, or do you want to try something different?”
“I don’t know. We’ll see once we get there.”
Wednesday, June 21, 2023
Tuesday, June 20, 2023
Monday, June 19, 2023
Monday, June 12, 2023
Friday, June 9, 2023
The Golden Miners - Chapter 5: Giorno Meets Bruno and Abbacchio
Giorno was the first to wake up, stretching before waking Fugo.
“It’s time for school,” he joked.
“W-what? No!” Fugo slowly got up, rapidly blinking at Giorno. “Isn’t it July?”
He chuckled. “It was a joke.”
“You hardly crack a joke. For a second, I thought summer was over.”
Giorno kissed his lips. “Come on. Let’s head downstairs. I think I smell eggs.”
Fugo got out of bed and stretched, following his boyfriend to the dining room, where the servants served them eggs, sausage, and croissants. Fugo’s parents did the same as usual, making Giorno wonder if they knew they existed. He was going to ask them a question but received a notification before he could. He scrolled through his phone.
“Giorno,” Fugo whispered, “stop! My parents hate phones at the dining table.”
“I don’t think they’re aware of us. Ask them a question.”
“Hey, Dad.”
His dad continued reading the newspaper.
“Now, ask your mother something,” Giorno whispered.
“Mother—” She quickly faced him, emotionless, creeping Fugo out. “Could I go to”—he paused to think of a place to go to—“the Museo Cappella Sansevero?”
“Of course,” she replied.
“Why are they like this suddenly?” Fugo questioned Giorno. “I need to ask your dad a question.”
Fugo’s dad overheard their conversation and put the newspaper down. “That won’t be necessary.”
“Y-you’re right.” Fugo’s voice was shaky. “Because I want to take Giorno on a date somewhere, and that’s going to the Cappella Sansevero.”
“If you say so.” His dad went back to reading.
Fugo quickly ate his breakfast and took Giorno’s hand, taking him to his room.
“I wasn’t finished eating, but”—Giorno noticed how concerned Fugo was—“that doesn’t matter. I won’t lie. Their behavior is far from what you described, but I know you wouldn’t lie. I also remember that argument with your parents I overheard while in the Xbox party. Let’s visit my father before heading to the Cappella Sansevero.”
They changed their clothes and brushed their teeth before taking a cab to the hotel. Only Dio, sitting in a chair in the dark, was there when they entered his room.
“Where’s Mother?” Giorno asked as he sat down on the bed. Fugo sat down next to him.
“She and I had an argument,” he said. “Don’t worry. She’s still alive.”
Fugo’s eyes widened, and he looked concerned. “Excuse me, what?”
Dio cackled. “Just a joke to mess with Giorno. Anyways, why are you two here? Shouldn’t you be enjoying your vacation together?”
“We are,” Fugo answered. “However, my parents have been acting strange lately since you visited them.”
“We just had a long chat. I’m very persuasive.”
“How did you make them less strict?”
Dio paused for a few minutes, thinking of how to respond. “I wasn’t always persuasive. I suppose you get better at it when you age.”
Fugo didn’t believe that but did not say that out loud. Something about Dio made him curious but terrified to learn more about him.
“Is that all you want to ask him?” Giorno asked. “I thought you were going to question him some more.”
Fugo crossed his legs and took a deep breath. “Are you British?”
Dio laughed. “Did my accent give that away? I thought I had that under control.”
“One of my friends noticed the accent, but I searched where the university you want to was.”
He no longer smiled. “By one of your friends, I assume you mean that good-looking man with the hat? And I told you what university I went to?”
“Yes, we had an interesting conversation, but something caught my interest that day. Both Giorno and I were curious about your brother.”
Dio looked away, and Fugo could’ve sworn he heard him suck his teeth. “Yeah, that conversation is coming back to me. Sorry, I’ve been enjoying my time here too much and didn’t instantly remember.”
“I’m sorry for bringing up painful memories, but what happened to him?” Fugo continued to question.
The blond giant was silent for a few seconds. “My brother died while searching for artifacts in Egypt. You see, he’s an archeologist. This happened a long time ago.”
“You said this happened a long time ago,” Giorno entered the conversation. “Was this when you were absent?”
“Yes.”
“You were gone a long time then.”
“I had to deal with the rest of the family.”
“The rest of the family?”
“Yes, they were troublesome to deal with. That’s why I never mention them, Giorno. They are people to avoid. Anyways, Fugo, I hope I have satiated your curiosity.”
Giorno got up and took Fugo’s hand. “Alright, I think that’s enough questioning. I want to head to the Cappella Sansevero.”
“Wait, Giorno,” Dio said. “I see you have new clothes. Good. I’ve been thinking about moving here. That’s why your mother isn’t here. Perhaps she would’ve loved moving if you were younger, but she has everything back home. And it is troublesome indeed to get everything back home, but I’ll find a way. I always do.”
“Wait, could you let go?” Fugo asked, and Giorno let go. “You are aware that the process to become an Italian citizen may take years, right?”
“Don’t worry. If you remembered anything I said that day, you would’ve remembered that I said this isn’t my first time here. You two have fun on your date!”
-
The blond couple arrived at the Museo Cappella Sansevero, spotting another couple at the entrance. One had chin-length black hair and was dressed in white, and the other had long white hair and was dressed in black. Both of them held each other’s hands.
“Bucciarati, Abbacchio!” Fugo called out and waved.
The two turned around, smiled, and waved back. The white-haired one approached Fugo and Giorno but then looked at Giorno with concern. “Wait, this can’t be him.”
“Oh, Abbacchio,” Fugo said, “I forgot to tell you Giorno’s hair turned blond while on the flight here.”
Abbacchio snickered. “You expect me to believe that? Are you even sure this guy is Asian? He doesn’t look like it.”
“I am Asian. I’m also white,” Giorno said. “And my hair did turn blond.”
“Wow, your Italian is good. Fugo, now I’m even more concerned.”
“Bucciarati,” Fugo called for help.
“Leone, we’re here on a date, are we not?” Bucciarati held onto his partner’s arm. “You’re not a work. Please, let’s head in.”
“Fine, but I’m watching you, Giorno.”
“Forgive him,” Fugo whispered. “He’s overprotective. The guy next to him is Bruno. You know, the guy Mista and I talked about when we went to Scolippi.”
The four of them entered the chapel, and the insides were beautiful. Rococo artwork decorated the place. They started examining the art from the left side, admiring the displays before moving on to the next one.
“Hey, Abbacchio, I know we don’t hang out much, but I’m surprised to see you here,” Fugo said.
“I find Baroque artwork beautiful,” he replied.
“You should listen to the songs he likes,” Bucciarati added. “I’m not surprised he picked the place to go on his day off.”
“I’m guessing you listen to Claudio Monteverdi?” Giorno questioned, looking at Abbacchio. “When studying Italian culture, I somehow came across his Wikipedia page.”
“You use Wikipedia to study?” Abbacchio questioned.
“Well, no. Anyone can make up anything on Wikipedia. I check the citations.”
“Does that mean you listen to him too?”
“Sorry, it’s not my type of music. I’ve listened to some songs on YouTube, and it sounds beautiful. However, I’m more of a fan of the music today. Specifically, I like Jeff Beck.”
“‘Music of today,’ he says. That guy made music in the late 60s. That’s it. I’m convinced you’re not a teenager.”
“Abbacchio!” Bucciarati raised his voice, causing others to look at them for a slight second. “In that case, I must be dating a vampire.”
“Oh? I wouldn’t mind biting you,” he teased, causing him to giggle.
Fugo stuck his tongue out. “Can we please move on?”
The two couples continued to look at artworks and saw the anatomical models in the basement. They looked at the Veiled Christ for a while before leaving.
“We should pay Scolippi a visit again,” Giorno said.
“Really? What will you commission him to make?” Fugo asked.
“Scolippi?” Abbacchio questioned.
“Oh, he’s a sculptor,” Fugo answered. “Giorno asked him to make our Assassin’s Creed characters. Also—” He wanted to tell him that Scolippi made a sculpture of him but believed Abbaccho would get jealous and do something. “Nevermind. We should head home.”
“Giorno, right?” Abbacchio said. “Fugo has said a lot of positive things about you. You’re strange. I was relieved when you told me your favorite musician was Jeff Beck. If you liked an Italian pop singer, that would’ve been weird. What do you call those people? Weeaboos. You’re a weeaboo but the opposite. Trish listens to those K-pop idols with random letters as their group name.”
“Are you saying Trish is a Koreaboo?” Fugo asked.
“Well, you’re the one who keeps talking about your friends with me. You make it sound like she’s a Koreaboo. Also, I thought you hated her.”
“At first, I hated her, but she was acting up because she was too scared to hang out with the others and me. With Sheila around, she softened up around us.” Then Fugo’s phone vibrated, receiving a message from Trish. “Oh, what do you know? Trish wants us to play Minecraft.”
“You talk about Minecraft a lot,” Bucciarati said. “I’ve been thinking about buying it and trying it out. I’m not much of a gamer, though. Is it difficult?”
“Peaceful is the easiest because no hostile mobs spawn. You can still die in that mode, however. The hardest difficulty is hardcore mode, but it’s a different game mode. When you die, it’s permanent. You cannot change it once you pick it. There are four game modes: creative, survival, adventure, and hardcore. The first two are self-explanatory, and I already told you about hardcore, but avoid adventure mode. You cannot break blocks. There’s no point.”
“Alright, I think I got it.” Bucciarati looked at Giorno. “It was a pleasure meeting you. Fugo wouldn’t stop talking about you nonstop. I don’t know if he told you, but my name is Bruno Bucciarati.” He brought Abbacchio closer to him. “I think you may have heard me say his name, but this man is Leone Abbacchio. He’s a cop.”
He kissed him, making Abbacchio blush. “Come on. Stop! I saw Fugo sticking his tongue out when I said something to you.”
“You said something? Could you remind me? What did you say?” he teased.
“I—we should go!” Abbacchio took Bruno’s hand and walked away.
“That was weird,” Fugo said.
“I think I like them,” Giorno commented.
While they took a cab to Fugo’s house, Fugo couldn’t help but think about Dio. When he asked when something happened, Dio would emphasize long. “I don’t remember if I asked, but how old is your dad?”
“Um, I don’t know.”
Fugo tried to recall everything that happened but was having difficulties focusing. For some reason, he couldn’t get the image of vampire Abbacchio drinking Bruno’s blood, causing Fugo to stick out his tongue in disgust.
“Hmm, something wrong?” Giorno asked.
“Uh, just thinking about vampires. Maybe after we play Minecraft with Trish, you want to try playing Vampire: The Masquerade — Bloodlines? It’s single-player, but I have it on Steam. I want to watch you play.”
“Sure!”
Thursday, June 8, 2023
Friday, June 2, 2023
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