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Hehehehehehehehe... HEHEHEHEHE.
I have soooo much fun with this new map, new trial, new Prime Asset. Franco "Il Bambino" Barbi. He is so easy to deal with, therefore extremely simple to tease(as long as he doesn't just appear out of nowhere and jumpscare me). Throwing bottles and bricks at his large head is always hilarious to me. Using the Barricade Rig whenever he needs to proceed through a door is pure perfection. The creators couldn't have made a better Prime Asset(well, Coyle is still awesome).
It's strange how I can get away with so much towards our good ol Franco boy here, but I could never attempt to do the same to Coyle nor Gooseberry. It could be because Franco is a bit slower than they are. Him using a shotgun(with teeth for bullets, mind you) makes up for it, at least.
One of the times I played Franco's trial, I played 165 minutes straight so I could bully that little guy into oblivion. There was no way I could've gotten away with that to the other Prime Assets, especially Gooseberry.
Why would I torture Franco Barbi like this?
Dunno. 🤷🏻♂️
The real question that should be asked here: What would he do to my reagent(M̶e̶) if he remembered all of the previous moments we've dealt with each other's threatening presences?
Here's the answer.
And here's how the story would go.
*****
Rubbing my hands together with slyful anticipation, I ready myself to play Poison The Medicine once more. This would be my 4th time ever playing that fun and thrilling trial(3rd time being the 165 minute long one). Letting gas engulf my Asian male reagent's senses, I watch the scene play out as usual. Franco Barbi sucking his thumb, toddling around like an actual baby, then jumping onto my reagent's lap with his Lupara aimed at my character's face. Seeing Franco behave the way he typically does makes my face twist into a wicked leer.
The hallucinations finally simmer away as my reagent stands up from the chair and enters the trial. The beginning of the trial sped by in a blur as I couldn't wait to come after Barbi again. Placing the first sack of powdered drugs into the cart, Franco is ranting to me as usual. However... the last thing he says is noticeably different, new.
"It's mine. It's god damn mine and I'll skin, salt, and fuck any ruptured scumbag that tries to take it! And once I get ahold of you, you'll be fucking mine."
That for some strange reason sends a couple quick shivers down my spine. I shake off the flicker of fear and enter the main part of the trial. Hurriedly jumping into the closest train car, one of the drugs is kept inside of a coded, locked safe. Finding the symbol somewhere out there shown above the safe would give me the number code through my number tracker. Ya know, the usual, usual.
Gathering my wits about me, I disappear into one of the darker areas. Franco's heavy breathing is heard above where my reagent stands. Damn. He's already on the top floor of the building. Soon, I listen intently as the strange man runs quick little pitter-patters down the stairs. His heavy breathing seems never-ending. Here I thought Coyle had breathing problems...
I drop the number tracker as I foolishly realize that I'm not here to complete the trial successfully. Bullying Franco Barbi again is going to be my intention. It is going to go smoothly just like it did during my 2nd and 3rd times ever playing this trial.
At least, that's what I convince myself with.
Once he finally nears towards where I'm at, I raise a bottle above my shoulder and throw it directly towards his large head. He shouts with surprise. Next, I aim my brick towards where his balls be hanging around.
"Get off me!"
Hit him again with another bottle.
"The fuck you trying to do?"
Another brick lands on the side of his face.
I kid you not this time he says one of many lines he usually spews out in anger, hurt, annoyance, or desperation, but I swear his voice seems more watery. A little more sad and broken.
"I'm not crying! That's just what my eyes do."
I am almost starting to feel bad for the little guy. Almost.
Rushing past his hunched over form, I hear him growl with rage, "Come back here!"
Now it's my turn to heavily breathe. I did not stop running the whole time. Alas, he refuses to let me out of his sight. "Come here, sweetness."
More rough inhales and exhales. Both sets of shoes squeaking and sliding across every floor.
"I'm gonna fuck you, I'm gonna kill you, and I'm gonna drink you!"
I roll my eyes at his dramatic spewing.
"Don't you fucking roll your eyes at me, young lady."
I stop running for a bit as I do not remember that being one of his lines either. Also the fact that my reagent is a guy. Well, I suppose it could be one of those situations where Coyle says girl towards my reagent when clearly my guy is one of the most manly dudes ever. Regardless, insanity must have taken ahold of me. He almost can grab me by my arm, but I jump away from him and begin scrambling away again. He shouts with rage as he shoots my way, one of his teeth narrowly missing me.
Closing a door, I take out my Barricade Rig and closed myself in. This will pause our chase for a little while. Hopefully.
"You think that's fucking funny? Fuck you." Smashing his whole weight against the barricaded door, I chuckle, smirk, and wait for his arrival. Not even 5 seconds later, he breaks through it and almost falls into the room. "Mommy." I allow my reagent to run away from Franco once more.
"Wow, you must be really fucking dumb." My voice cracks with amusement, mostly just muttering this to myself. "You can't even hit me once. That's what I'd call a skill issue, boy."
I could've sworn I hear him seething. Steam coming out of the ears and everything.
"Heh, I guess you really are just 'Il Bambino', after all."
Feeling the whole trial and its atmosphere go silent, Franco somehow is able to seize me by the shoulder. He stares down my reagent, but I feel as if his eyes are piercing through mine.
"Jessica D. B., you one crazy spunk."
He says my whole name like it means nothing. What. The. Actual. Fuck!?
From this point onwards, he doesn't even try to hide his ultra awareness any longer. "How about we play 'Ring Around The Rosie' on my terms? How's that sound, sweetness?" I gulp nervously as my mash every single button on my controller, trying desperately to escape from his grimy little hands.
"N-No." I stammer.
"Well, you got no other choices. You better start ringin'. Make baby proud."
So, I finally play by his rules only for him to continuously punish me by taking more and more of my health. "Who's the big boy now?"
My eyes are watering a teensy bit with frustration as I struggle at maintaining my health bar. Things only turn worse from here on out. Until I finally could escape from the trial without dying once. Guess he decided to be generous this one time.
Healing myself up, I exit the trial with a solid D+.
From this day on forward, I promise myself to never bully Franco Barbi too much.