Lucky Dog 1 translations 07 Ivan route 02

Part 3: Daivan

Chapter 7

Ivan’s Answer

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Ivan: Huh?  The heart of what it means to be in the Mafia?

Ivan glares at me like I’m being the idiot and snorts.

Ivan: For me, it’s power and money.  In other words, being the most powerful guy around!

He clenches his fist as he declares this… …Um, the hell?

Gian: Why the hell are you talking ‘bout yourself?  ‘sides, isn’t that just your selfishness talking?

Ivan: You don’t get it, do you?  Every man for himself!  That’s the only law worth remembering!

The idiot’s saying the complete opposite of everything Omertà stands for and completely disregarding the importance of friends and family.  Teacher!!  Ivan’s being naughty!!

Ivan: What’s that frown for?  …You too, Gian?  Shit, quit being so old-fashioned.

Ivan: You’ve been on the bottom for so long, all those old geezers are rubbing off on you.  No wonder they like you.

Sheesh, he just insults everyone that comes up, doesn’t he…

Ivan: If you keep on squawking, ‘Family! Family!’ like a ragged parrot, everyone else’s gonna fly right past you.  The Irish and Jews’re all up and hoppin’ about.

Ivan: Hey, just think what it’ll be like when I’m boss!  Just imagine what it’ll be like with that kind of power behind me!

I wanted to cut in with a, ‘Why are we imagining you as boss…?’ but I feel like he’s never gonna shut up if I do, so I just let it slide.

If Ivan were boss…?  Everyone under him’d think crazy thoughts like, ‘If he can do it, then so can I!’

Whoo, poor captains, having to follow someone with men like that under him. … … …Wait, I’m one of them!

Ivan: There’ll probably be guys who look up to me and follow me.

I give him a nod.

Ivan: There’s a whole mountain-load of people who aren’t suited for legit jobs, even if they’re not Italian.  We’ve gotta make an organization that brings ‘em all together without a hitch.

Gian: So … you’re saying there’s no point sticking with the whole Italian heritage thing?

Ivan: Yeah.  To hell with tradition!  The new way of the Mafia should be free of all that if you wanna move forward … no, if you wanna survive!

…Somehow, this has turned into a conversation about his vision for the future of the family.

Didn’t expect Ivan’s first words to lead to something as overarching as this.  I keep quiet as Ivan continues to lecture with his nose in the air.

Ivan: Even the CR:5 tossed aside the old Toscanini family name, right?  That’s why I joined ‘em in the first place, ‘cause I liked their way of things.

Ivan: But despite all that … I still get bombarded with talk about traditions so old they won’t even rot right!  It gets so annoying after a while…

Ivan: People have to keep up with the times.  For the Mafia, the key is accepting outside blood. What’s important…

Ivan: …is showing that, here, even hoodlums can climb up to the top.  That even if they live their days sucking mud off the streets, they can look up and have something to aim for.

Ivan: Well, that’s the logic, at least.  The main bit is still ‘I’m gonna get my hands on power and money.’  Got a problem?

…

…Yeah, I don’t think this was what the Boss had in mind.

But there are parts he’s got right, so I have no choice but to acknowledge some of what he’s saying.

Still, outside blood climbing to the top…?  I’ve never thought of myself that way.

Gian: …You actually sell yourself pretty short, don’t you?

Ivan: Sell myself short?!  The fuck?  Where?  How?  The hell’re you saying?  I’m the guy who’s gonna stand at the top of everything in Daivan one day, you hear?

The cheek of him…  Does this count as a ‘virtue of the young?’  I’ve got no clue.

Ivan: If being boss gets too much for you, I’ll switch places with you in a jiffy.  Just leave the future of the family to me, and you can go hole up somewhere…  Hah, I suppose I’ll set up some allowance for you.

Gian: Who’d you say was holing up…?

I’m in the middle of complaining when I notice something strange.

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