Merda, it hurts... I can feel my blood flow out of me... but that means I still have time...
Antonio
Get out of this alley, get back to the square, and I can still bring things under control...
Antonio
We have the courthouse and the port...
Antonio
Maybe I'll die, but... *cough*... before I die, I'll sit in the judge's chair, and deliver the final judgment of... *cough*... this ridiculous testing ground...
Antonio leans against the wall and does his best to stay upright, wobbling towards the exit.
The alley is dark, and every step takes massive effort.
For some reason, he thinks back to how the guerillas crept through the jungle of Bolívar by night, escaping from the Singas government.
Antonio thinks back to the circles that the noble drunkenly drew on the list, and his severed head when the guerillas cut it off.
He thinks back to Ingrid, Venezia Senior, Leontuzzo, Alberto, Signora Sicilia... all the people he hates.
He will take everything from them. He will draw a big, bloody cross on their names.
Antonio
It's not over yet—
He stops.
He feels the cold metal of gun muzzle pressed to his forehead.
Nervous Mafioso
A-Antonio.
Antonio
...
Antonio
Carle?
Antonio
I ordered you to get out—
Nervous Mafioso
W-Who do you think you are to kick me out?!
Nervous Mafioso
You're just the Don's guard tuskbeast, Antonio!
Nervous Mafioso
No matter how hard you try to disguise your ears and tail, you—
Antonio
You want to kill me?
Antonio
YOU?
Antonio
Your hands are shaking!
Antonio
You don't know who my enemies are! You don't know what I'm building! You stupid, worthless coglione—
Nervous Mafioso
...
Carle stares blankly at the lifeless body on the ground. He has never seen such fury as that which is on Antonio's face, even unto death.
It almost seems like it was not the bullet that took Antonio's life, but the fact that it was he, Carle, who fired the bullet.
Antonio's blood seeps through the cracks on the ground, in the shape of a massive, bloody cross.
Before everybody's eyes, Eirene leaves the drivers' line and takes two steps forward, standing in the middle of the road.
Facing off the tense crowd of mafiosi, she takes a deep breath, and lowers her crossbow.
Mafioso
...
Mafioso
What is the meaning of this?
Eirene
Look. The first float has rounded the corner...
Eirene
The parade is here. Are we really going to fight to the death in front of hundreds of thousands of Nuova Volsinii citizens?
Eirene
Whatever your plan was, it's too late, isn't it?
Mafioso
You want us to lower the weapons?
Mafioso
You think we're stupid?
Eirene
We're doing the same thing.
Eirene
The White Wolf scattered this stuff on the plaza. We, as conscientious citizens of Nuova Volsinii, volunteered to clean up the square so that the parade can pass through.
Eirene
That's what happened, no more, no less. All of you Signori and Signore are witnesses for me and all the drivers behind me.
Eirene
They, in turn, are your witnesses.
Mafioso
...
Eirene
It's Carnevale, after all. Let's give the parade a warm, proper welcome.
The car starts moving, and the parade crowd passes through behind.
Music and cheering mingle under the bright lights. It has been a good four or five hours since the revelry started, but Nuova Volsinii's excitement shows no sign of abating.
From the expansion plate, through all of Nuova Volsinii's major districts, the procession is about to arrive at its destination. Nobody notices a lone car driving in the opposite direction.
Nervous Mafioso
I'm sorry, D-Don Venezia, I didn't get the job done.
Nervous Mafioso
You gave me a chance after Antonio ran me out, ordered me to take him out quietly, but I...
Nervous Mafioso
If Ingrid didn't already mortally wound him before I got there...
The Don's permission is required for the execution of a formal associate of the familglia. At minimum, a proper explanation should be given to important members of the famiglia.
Venezia Sr.
Ingrid's methods were not... decent.
Nervous Mafioso
Understood, sir.
Nervous Mafioso
But now, Antonio is dead... he was your son-in-law, the famiglia's—
Venezia Sr.
Nuova Volsinii has its rules. So does Venezia.
Venezia Sr.
What Anton did was wrong. This is an act of kindness. He is with Bella now.
Venezia Sr.
Besides, his death will not be meaningless.
Nervous Mafioso
What next, sir?
Venezia Sr.
We go home and clean the house.
Venezia Sr.
The first thing that City Hall and the courts will see when they get up in the morning tomorrow is Venezia's good faith. We will sit down together, and we will talk like decent people.
Look at the coordination of the two groups! Truly impressive, isn't it?
Texas
...
Lappland
In the space of a few minutes, they've hidden all the weapons in the trucks, and stand side-by-side to welcome the parade procession. It's almost like they rehearsed it.
Lappland
Who would believe me if I said they were pointing weapons at each other just a few minutes ago?
Lappland
You win again, Texas!
Lappland
Once again, justice and conscience have taken your side!
Texas does not answer. The White Wolf claps even harder, an ink-black mask on her face.
Texas
...
Texas
Actually, I'm more curious why you suddenly put that mask on.
Lappland
It's Carnevale, after all!
Texas
...
Lappland
Why the long face, Texas? You won. You should be more cheerful than that.
Lappland
Look! The parade enters Court Square. That little intermezzo just now never turns into a full-scale riot. Peace and love for all.
Lappland
Or is it because you just can't help thinking that the only reason it turned out this way was because of a single gunshot out of nowhere, which gave one of the wolves the chance to cool its head?
Lappland
And Carnevale is nothing but a red carpet laid out on a swamp?
Texas
What are you trying to say, Lappland?
Lappland
What happened tonight is not the same as the civil disorder that happened in the other cities of Siracusa.
Texas
...The only difference being the involvement of a bunch of ordinary people, who were pushed to desperation by the mafia's turf wars.
Lappland
Well... you're not wrong.
Lappland
But they really did put on a remarkable show.
Lappland
Especially that driver lady that we saw in court, who seems to have understood a lot of things without having to be taught...
Texas
...
Lappland
Nuova Volsinii is not a vineyard where you just sow the seeds and wait for the fruits to grow.
Lappland
Don't forget that it sits right in the middle of this swamp by the name of Siracusa.
Lappland
The famiglie have never been the only ones who had to crawl through mud and water. Don't underestimate the power of this bog, Texas. It turns everyone into hungry, ravenous wolves.
Lappland
It has ingrained into the genes of the Siracusans the instinct to turn any new turf into the same swamp.
Lappland
This endless cycle is what Siracusa is.
Lappland
Don't try to escape it or change it. The easiest thing to do is to learn to enjoy the swim.
Lappland
This is what the old man, Signora Sicilia, and you... what all of you have taught me.
Texas
Leontuzzo and Lavinia have taken radical measures in order to validate an order that exists outside the mafia... there is a long way to go.
Texas
But this is why Nuova Volsinii exists. It offers a new possibility.
Texas
But really, did you do all this in order to give this speech?
Texas
I didn't know you were so concerned about the future of Siracusa.
Lappland
Took the words right out of my mouth, didn't you? I was going to ask you that.
Texas
...
Lappland
Otherwise, why would you have come here all the way from Lungmen the moment you got my invitation?
Texas
...
Lappland
I know, you're gonna say—
The White Wolf pauses, clears her throat, and imitates Texas' way of speaking.
Calm and even, yet emotion-filled.
Lappland
Ahem. 'All those lofty ideals are none of my business. I just work for a logistics company.'
Lappland
'I'm just here because I care about my friend, and because my conscience wouldn't let me turn a blind eye to certain things... just like in Volsinii...'
Lappland
No, Texas, I haven't forgotten the time that we first met...
Lappland
You had just came to Siracusa. You were standing at the edge of the mobile platform, holding your Nonno Salvatore's hand, watching my family's workers trim the grapevines.
Lappland
Your nonno and my father were talking about how Columbia was turning into a dump, about Siracusa's good weather, the new year's harvest, and how you'll be staying a while at our place.
Lappland
Your eyes were BRIGHT back then, and your expressions were much more interesting than they are now—
Texas
That's because the grapes you picked were so sour they almost burned a hole in my tongue.
Lappland
Everyone on the square is wearing a mask tonight, but none could compare to the one you wear.
Lappland
Nobody sees things clearer than you. You were the first one to realize that this is a swamp that you needed to get out of.
Lappland
But it was your disappointment that made you see, Texas. You once had such high hopes for this swamp.
Lappland
Forget about my speech. You, Texas, are a true blue idealist!
Texas
...
Texas
...
Texas
I don't deny it.
Texas
Or rather, whether I am or am not makes no difference.
Texas
It doesn't change what I have to do at the end of the day.
Lappland
...
Lappland
A very Texas answer. Almost boringly so.
Curious Passerby
Is that a LANDSHIP?!
Curious Passerby
Wow, City Hall brought a landship to the show and turned it into a stage?
Excited Passerby
Wait, look who's on deck...
Excited Passerby
Is that the Last Texas?
Curious Passerby
I'm sure, I've seen her in the courts of Volsinii—and the one opposite her...
Excited Passerby
Lappland? The White Wolf who was disowned by the Don of Saluzzo eight years ago?
Curious Passerby
Why are they here at the Carnevale?
Excited Passerby
Must be City Hall's special guests! Think about it, representatives of two major famiglie here at the climax of Carnevale...
Excited Passerby
It sends an even more powerful message than Signor Bellone's promotional video!
Curious Passerby
Damn right!
Lappland takes off her mask and gives it to Texas.
Texas
What?
Lappland
You won the bet, didn't you?
Lappland
In the old days, the famiglie murdered each other on Carnevale, the last surviving wolf taking the masks of the vanquished.
Lappland
I suppose we need to give the old customs new meaning in this new city... a new life, that kind of stuff, I guess.
Texas
...
Lappland
As for the question just now, it doesn't matter what your answer is.
Lappland
Siracusa makes all of us wear masks, after all.
Lappland
We're part of Carnevale's main event, Texas.
Lappland
Regardless of why you're here, here and now, you represent part of Siracusa, whether it's the part that's new, or the part that's broken and needs to be thrown out.
Lappland
Mafiosi and truck driver, city officials and judges, and all the Siracusans on the square, will see in us the meaning that they want to see.
Lappland
You may, of course, choose to turn around and leave.
Texas
...
Lappland
Come on, Texas, don't just stand there. All of Nuova Volsinii is watching!
Silence.
Texas gazes at her old friend, and old enemy, for a long time... and finally extends her hand.
A dozen beast floats drive into Court Square, as though it had been previously rehearsed, and the reveling crowd continues to gush in like the tide.
The sound of music and the cheers of the crowd keeps growing louder. The bright lights and fireworks in the sky provide the perfect backdrop for the duo on stage.
Lappland
Do you hear that? They would not let the good night go gently.
Lappland
They're cheering for you and me, for this new city, for a new life.
Texas
You're still really good at making me feel sick.
Lappland
I'll take that as a compliment.
Texas
But I don't mind being part of the event. I don't mind these people seeing some sort of 'meaning' in me.
Texas
Without hope, there would never be disappointment. Whether in Columbia or Siracusa, I do, in fact, hope to see a truly vibrant city emerge from the swamp.
Texas
If the challenge and complexity of building it are beyond what I can imagine, then I will face the challenge with my friends, not run away from it.
Lappland
...
Lappland
Alright, I've made up my mind. I'll take care of one more trouble for you and Siracusa!
Lappland
I'm bringing those stupid wolves back to the wilderness, so that Siracusa won't be affected by their dumb game.
Lappland
No need to thank me. But when the obstacles have all been pushed out of the way, how will they—you—change this swamp?
Texas
...
Lappland
There's something I suddenly wanted to ask you, Texas.
Texas
What?
Lappland
Are you disappointed that I didn't come to Nuova Volsinii for you?
Texas
No.
Lappland
Another very Texas answer.
Lappland
Break a leg, Texas.
Texas
Mm-hm.
Texas takes the mask.
The White Wolf lets go, without warning, without hesitation. She turns around and walks into the landship's hold.
As you can see, I was a little dinged up, but I'm out of the woods now.
Leontuzzo
I was actually there in the middle of the parade on the way to Court Square, experiencing this city that we live in together.
Leontuzzo
I'm sure little needs to be said about the impressive performance of Signorine Lappland and Texas.
Leontuzzo
But I wanted to see your faces, say a few things, and spend the night together with you guys.
Leontuzzo
Many things have changed in Nuova Volsinii over the past year, not least the completion of the Nuova Volsinii Port, the biggest cargo port in Siracusa.
Leontuzzo
Every connection it makes is like a pulse of the city, demonstrating healthy, robust vitality, supporting thousands of enterprises and hundreds of thousands of livelihoods.
Leontuzzo
We founded the country's first police academy, a new code of laws, and people are increasingly identifying with Nuova Volsinii.
Leontuzzo
This makes me glad and anxious in equal measure.
Leontuzzo
The city continues to face many problems that cannot be ignored. For example, the citizen credit system remains inconvenient, and there are many cases where it doesn't achieve its intentions.
Leontuzzo
We also understand that the uniqueness of New Urban Management Act makes it difficult for our citizens to receive the support they need for cases that span jurisdictions.
Leontuzzo
A year is a very short period of time. City Hall and the courts still have much to do.
Leontuzzo
What I want to ask is this: What is Nuova Volsinii to you?
Leontuzzo
That's also the question that I want to ask other Siracusans in Volsinii, Sicilia, Montelupe... what is Nuova Volsinii to them?
Leontuzzo
And what is this young city to neighboring Leithanien, distant Ursus, and all the other countries in Terra, for which change is a constant?
Leontuzzo
Are we a new possibility to them? Not just a different kind of violence, but something stronger, firmer, more close-knit, something worth talking to?
Leontuzzo
Will they understand that our strength comes from our most earnest desires, that we, and all the others gathered here today, can safeguard our hard-earned new lives?
Leontuzzo
That's what we have been trying to achieve over the past year.
Leontuzzo
There is no famiglia in Nuova Volsinii. The reforms associated with this saying doesn't rely on 'Siracusan' methods, as Siracusans know it—
Leontuzzo
A secret negotiation, an assasination in the dark, a purge of the city, a deadly struggle between famiglie...
Leontuzzo
All that has happened here, and all that will happen, will be viewed through the lens of the law.
Leontuzzo
We're giving a new order to our new life. The swamp that Siracusans used to take for granted will no longer faze us.
Leontuzzo
A friend once said to me that I'm walking down a thorny path.
Leontuzzo
He's right. But all the challenges that we have faced is exactly why Nuova Volsinii must continue to move forward.
Leontuzzo
For everyone who has been hurt on this path, for everyone who may be hurt in the future, I'm sorry.
Leontuzzo
But at the same time, I continue to extend an invitation to all the friends who have something to ask of Nuova Volsinii.
Leontuzzo
We shall trample the thorns together and make this brand-new, one-of-a-kind city better, little by little, until it's ready to usher in a new era.
Leontuzzo
As a matter of fact, a new era for Siracusa has already begun, a future filled with infinite possibilities.
Demetri gazes forward silently, at the silhouette of Leontuzzo outlined by the countless lights.
Demetri
What can I say, Leon?
Demetri
Saluzzo's wine isn't bad, but I prefer my own.
Demetri
Bellone will find its way into this city, in my way, by your rules.
Demetri
I promise that to you.
Demetri turns around.
The mayor's speech continues, but he has received the answer he was looking for. Demetri has accepted the invitation, or perhaps, the declaration of a very long war.
