act21side

You don't know the kind of person he is, but <i>I</i> understand him.

Don't you think we place too much faith in our ability to 'understand' someone? Don't you think we're all too easily blinded by the illusions born of emotion and impulse?

Salvadore... He deserves to step out of Columbia's dark alleyways.

My sister, he is a Siracusan, and you know nothing about how he operates. You really think he could help us get rich?

All he's gonna do is get himself burnt - and we're gonna get caught in the middle.

He uses his fists to protect himself, and then law and order to shackle his fists. Is that not enough for you?

Get your head out of the clouds already.

No, brother. Other Siracusans wear their scars and bloodstains like badges of honor.

Only he knows that blood is nothing more than blood.

So, Sora, how's my acting?

Want me to give it to you straight?

You bet I do.

Absolutely terrible! Exusiai, you've got, like, zero talent for this!

Ehh? I feel like I'm pretty emotionally invested though.

Just being emotionally invested doesn't make you a good actor.

But... as far as the script is concerned, you're on the right track! At least you aren't flubbing any of your lines.

How low were your expectations?!

What do you think, Croissant?

Pretty darn good, if ya ask me!

Only thing is, when yer expressin' yer dissatisfaction with the brother, think ya could dial the emotions back a notch?

Hmm, so try to get the point across some other way? I... can give that a try in a moment.

Woah, Croissant, since when were you an expert?

Hey, don't go underestimatin' a gal who sits in on Sora's classes every week. Not like a certain two someones who come and go without a word.

Hey, I'd never leave without saying anything.

Not what I meant...

But at least this proves we'll be able to find her for sure, right?

Damn straight we will.

Quite the unique performance.

Ehh?

Excuse me, but are you...

My name is Benthonexigios.

Oh, hello, Bensomething-or-other...

Feel free call me Ben.

Sure thing, Ben!

Um, excuse me, Mr. Ben, if there's nothing you need from us, I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to leave. We're still in the middle of rehearsal.

Of course there is. I'm currently watching the performance, am I not?

I don't think someone who's walking around eating pizza counts as watching anything.

Am I not allowed to watch the performance while enjoying pizza?

Well, don't theaters usually have rules against that?

That's a rule imposed on people by the theater, not by the play itself.

Norms have a way of making people superficially conflate these things, and hold them with the same degree of reverence, even erecting false pedestals upon which to elevate them. True reverence, however, is much harder to find.

Huh?

Would you like a bite, young lady?

You betcha!

Bleh, the texture's awful!

It's the cheapest street pizza you can find, after all. That said, their sauce is actually quite respectable.

Um... so if you were watching our performance just now, what'd you think of it?

The key takeaway is that there are some differences between the methods of capturing and expressing emotions that you seem to be adept at, versus the demands of opera.

You are clearly used to standing in front of an audience. Or should I say, you're so used to it that it makes it hard for you to stand on stage as an actor.

That is not an indictment of your abilities, but is nevertheless a trial you must overcome.

Woah, I didn't expect you to be a total pro at this.

Think about it. You are the daughter of a wealthy Columbian magnate. He, Salvadore, is a vagrant from Siracusa.

He's different from all the other men you've ever met. He does not care about your status, but values you for who you are.

He is more indolent than anyone else, yet also cleverer.

He seems destined to become don of a famiglia, setting off on a perilous road from which there is no turning back.

Tell me, young lady, is this someone you could love?

Someone... I could love...

No, you are terrified! The more you love him, the more he terrifies you!

You have no chance of keeping him.

Your intuition tells you that you should escape. That he never belonged to you.

You've told yourself countless times that he is just another passerby on the road of life. That even if he slips away, you can find innumerable others who are better.

You know that if you chase after him, your life will become as a landship in an endless desert, unable to see your course.

You don't even know if the decision you made is right or wrong.

But despite all that, you still turn to your relatives and yell—

'Only he knows that blood is nothing more than blood!'

Wooooah.

Oooooh!

So that's the feeling I've been missing this whole time...

Yet you already seem to understand it well, young lady.

I...

Let's give it another run-through, Exusiai!

Lemme get a sip of water first—

Haha, ya ain't gettin' away that easy when Sora's in the zone.

I'll go fetch some drinks for y'all. And some grub while I'm at it.

Mr. Ben, anything ya'd—

Huh? Where'd he go?

Ah, the police are finally here! Over here, ma'am!

I'm not the police. I am Lavinia, a municipal judge for Volsinii.

Siracusa has no police, Signor.

What? No police?

Are you a foreigner? In this country, 'they' are the ones responsible for maintaining law and order on the streets.

Who are 'they'? I'm just visiting for some business discussions, so I don't quite understand.

Hmph. I'm talking about the mafiosi. You'd best steer clear of them.

I... I know that much.

Where's the scene of the crime?

T-Take a look for yourself... Right there, behind the dumpster.

Five people. They couldn't have died more than a day ago. From their outfits, they seem to be from the same famiglia.

Hold on...

What's wrong, ma'am?

I saw them... just this morning.

They attacked a public official earlier. I confronted them about it, but let them go.

But why here of all places... and their leader isn't with them either.

I... I've always heard that Siracusa is a dangerous place.

No, if this was a conflict between famiglie, they would've made sure to clean up the scene.

This doesn't make any sense.

For your own safety, act as if you never saw anything.

I'll handle the rest here.

Y-Yes, ma'am!

Damn it, I need to get out of this godforsaken place this instant...

Signorina Lavinia, I didn't expect you to ever call me first.