Chapter Text
Eden was no miracle worker; rather, she was the serpent that tempted forbidden fruit. You see, a miracle does not ask for something in exchange, but her stand, “Garden of Eden”, certainly did. Every miracle has its price with the Garden of Eden: give up paradise for knowledge or whatever your heart desires. Healed wounds in exchange for a childhood memory, power in exchange for being able to tell friend from foe, wisdom in exchange for the ability to speak, so on and so forth.
Of course, Eden rarely used the fruit on herself.
She had quickly learned that miracles were much easier to offer when she was not the one facing the consequences. Instead, she made her living selling them, but, like most things in Italy, Passione wanted a cut of the profits.
Everyone knows that joining the mafia comes with certain perks like money, respect, and protection. So when Eden was approached by the Capo of the organization’s smuggling branch, she saw no reason not to join up with them.
Besides, anyone who refuses an invitation from Passione usually finds themself at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea.
Passione had a use for people like Eden; callous, cold, and calculating.
The organization didn’t care that her stand grew fruit instead of throwing punches; they had plenty of other stand users for that. And Eden didn’t care who her produce was sold to, as long as the check cleared, she was satisfied.
Of course, Passione didn’t just have her sitting around growing her fruit; she was a mafiosa after all, not a farmer. They had her running all sorts of errands,
“Deliver this package,”
“Bribe those cops,”
“Watch that house,”
But her newest mission was by far the most important.
“The boss needs you to find something.” Vina, Eden’s Capo and head of Passione’s smuggling division, told her one humid summer day.
“Oh?” asked Eden, not particularly interested in whatever mundane task her Capo was about to assign her.
The lines around Vina’s eyes tightened.
That was enough to get Eden’s attention.
Vina was usually laid-back. She didn't care how Eden completed a job, so long as it got done. If Eden needed to bribe someone, she bribed them. If she needed to threaten someone, she threatened them. If she needed to grow a fruit and make someone forget their own name, well...
That’s what the organization hired her for.
But something was different this time.
Eden sat up a little straighter.
“What is it?”
Vina straightened the loose green headband that threatened to slip over her eyes as she took a moment to gather her thoughts
“...An arrow.”
Eden blinked. And couldn’t keep the skepticism out of her voice.
“An arrow?” She asked.
“Yes,” Vina confirmed, still with a seriousness that was unnatural for her.
“You called me into your office to tell me the boss wants me to find an arrow?” Eden could already imagine having to wade through tall grass to find some sort of hunting arrow from a shot gone awry. She did not like that image one bit.
“Not just any arrow.” Vina smiled a strained grin.
“Go on.”
“It’s a Stand Arrow,” Vina said.
Eden’s expression changed. That got her attention.
“Where?”
“Japan.”
Eden stared at her. “Japan?”
“Morioh.” Vina clarified like she was speaking to someone who wasn’t able to grasp a simple concept
“Where the hell is Morioh?”
“Japan.” Vina supplied unhelpfully
“I gathered that.” The deadpan expression on Eden’s face made the other woman chuckle slightly. With the tension in the room finally broken, Vina dived right into the details of the mission.
“We have reason to believe the Arrow is in the possession of a man named Keicho Nijimura.”
“And you want me to steal it?”
“Retrieve it.”
“Right. Of course. Steal it politely.”
“Naturally.” She smiles, only this time it’s genuine. Vina always did have a soft spot for Eden’s bluntness; she once mentioned it reminded her of her younger sister.
“Although I must warn you, we suspect there are others who will also be after that arrow. See to it that you get to it before they do.”
“Are they Stand users?” Eden asked cautiously. “You know my stand isn’t meant for combat.”
Vina sighs, “I don’t know, Eden. But it’s a small town, so there’s not likely to be any powerful stand users anyway.”
Oh, how wrong she was.