Gunners High
Chapter 7:
Tomorrow
"I've always wanted to go places," Homura Akemi to Madoka Kaname, who had merged with her a few days before. After returning from class, and eating dinner at a fast food restaurant, she was at home, sleeping in her underwear, and class had ended. It was late at night.
"Really?"
"Yep. I always thought to myself that this would be a good opportunity to go somewhere and give myself a peace of mind."
"What do you think about their reaction, Homura-chan?"
"Reaction?"
"Yeah. They were surprised by how we took off. You looked so cool doing it. So typical of you."
"Well...I guess you have a point," she said, flipping her locks. "I think Mami, Sayaka and Kyouko won't have much to worry about. It won't seem weird to them. They'll get used to it."
Madoka went on. "As a Goddess, I have the ability to go anywhere I want, without any issues. Now you have the power. So, where do you want to go?"
Homura thought about it for a bit, then made her choice clear. "Rome. I want to see your abilities put to the test."
"They're going to decide who will be the next pope. You want me to help them decide?"
"Yeah. I like that Jorge Mario Bergolio guy. He's cool. And someone that very few know about. Also, this will end any Prophecy of the Popes nonsense."
"No problem, Homura-chan. If you say a prayer, something might happen."
"Hmmmm." Homura knelt on the bed and closed her eyes to pray. One minute later, she opened them. "Oh my gosh, where am I?" The decor was unique: two long sets of three tables across from each other with bibles, a green book and a red book; and an altar with a silver urn, a silver plate, and another container. In the center was a large book on an ornate pulpit. At the far end of the room where Homura was standing were two stoves attached to a chimney that would emit either black or white smoke. And a far end...a candelabra with a crucifix. And above...Michaelangelo's time-honored frescoes.
She couldn't believe it. "This is..."
"You're inside the Sistine Chapel, where the College of Cardinals are going to make their decision," Madoka said.
Homura was sweating and was shaking. "Madoka! We're not supposed to be here! This is supposed to be secret!"
"Take a look." A couple of masters of ceremonies and some security were inspecting the area. They looked around, noticed that the place was empty and left.
"We're invisible?"
"Yep. Take a look at that piece of paper on the table next to us."
"What is this?" Homura took it and opened. It was a rectangular ballot. "Eligo In Summum Pontificem. I elect as supreme pontiff. This is what they use?" She put it back on the table and decided to stand in the corner.
"And they have pens to write it, but they do not use their own handwriting."
"Ohhhh."
"Here they come. The show is about to start." Two straight lines of holy men wearing red hats and red and white vestments walked into the chapel, escorted by a group of deacons, priests and bishops. They had concluded their special mass and had lunch before walking in from the Pauline Chapel. Homura watched as they bowed and took their seats to the sounds of musical prayer. One by one, assisted by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the cardinals swore to an oath of secrecy as they touched the open book and said some prayers, and the MCs provided the ballots. Outside the room were Swiss Guards. One of the cardinals was escorted in a wheelchair.
"Extra omnes," said Monsignor Marini, one of the masters of ceremonies in a deep voice to the non-cardinals leaving the room before closing the door and locking it with a key, signaling the start of the voting. Conclave. With key. There was only going to be one vote that day.
For Homura, she wanted it to end there. "Cardinal Bergoglio, right?" Madoka asked her.
"Yes." Homura's body glowed and she closed her eyes. A flash later, she opened them and watched the process unfold from her corner of the room, unseen by the cardinals. Lots were drawn to select nine of the cardinals. Three were scrutineers, three were the infirmarii that collected the votes of the sick, and another three were the reviser who check the ballot counting down. Thankfully for the infirmarri, all of the cardinals were in good health and able to vote inside the Sistine Chapel.
All of the 115 present wrote their choices. The oldest cardinals brought their ballots first. "I call as my witness Christ the Lord, who will be my judge, that my vote is given to the one who before God I think should be elected," said the first voting cardinal in Latin, who folded his ballot twice forming a square and held ballot high in the air as he walked to the altar, genuflected and placed the folded paper on the plate. After he placed it, he bowed and returned to his seat. And this would happen 114 more times.
"What a process," Homura said to Madoka, a hand on her lips. "It's like something out of a drama. Like a play. Combine it with the artwork in this building, it's a rich, vivid story."
"The story of life, Homura-chan." After the ballots were placed on the plate, one of the scrutineers tip the plate into an urn. Two other scrutineers shook the urn and transfered it into a second container to confirm the number of ballots. And yes, there were 115. One for each elector.
"Now what are they going to do?"
"Keep watching."
"Angelo Scola," said one of the scrutineers, who pierced the ballot with a needle and red string through the portion that said "Eligo." He strung the ballots together as the other two tallied. And the names kept on coming. 77 were needed for a victory.
Once all the ballots were tallied, one of the revisers collected the ballots and notes and tore them apart. The paper was sent to the stove that was burning, and one of the MCs flipped a switch to apply chemicals.
"And that is how it's done," Madoka said to Homura. "Shall we head to the top of one of the colonnades?"
"Sure." Homura closed her eyes, and in a flash of light, she saw herself at the roof of one of the colonnades near the bells of St. Peter's Basilica. "What a view. What. A. View."
"See the bells?" Madoka asked. "You're gonna fire at them when the smoke shows up."
Homura responded by transforming into her Puella Magi form, a blend of mostlty pink, but with flecks of gray. "It's been a while since I've fired any arrow."
"Well, there's a first time for everything don't you think?" Madoka asked. "Wehihihihi..."
Homura saw some smoke come out of the chimney. White. And so, it was done. "Shall I fire?"
"The bells won't ring until you fire at them. Go right ahead."
"For you, my Angel of Hope, and for the world...I shall." Homura aimed for the big bell, fired at it and all seven bells rang in unison, triggering a roar from the seas of humanity below. And in the background...a song played.
"One day the light of love shining in your eyes
will transcend time
and will certainly shatter
a dream of this world heading into ruin.
Swallow your hesitation,
what is it you desire?
Is there a fragile future
in the direction of your deep desires?
Like the ancient magic
I dreamt about as a child,
with the strength to shatter darkness
I want see you with your smiling face.
In these shivering hands of mine
is the courage of a hand picked flower.
I can only rely on my emotions,
calling forth the light
is my wish.
One day you too, for the sake of someone else,
will wish for a strong power.
In a night when love overtakes my heart,
new unknown words are born.
If I can advance without hesitating,
then it's fine if my heart gets broken.
I want a spell
so I can stand up
to the sadness in front of me.
You are still dreaming about your memories…
while I have a sleepless future.
I'll continue forwards
to seize the miracle of our encounter.
In this shivering hand of mine
is the sword of a handpicked flower.
I live for my emotions,
not turning my back on my heart
is my wish.
The captured sun rays shined
back then when I loved stories of Wonderland.
I believed
all those fairy tales that said
wishes come true.
(Between light and darkness.)
Quietly blooming profusely
is the ancient magic which tenderly whispers to me
"The power to change the world
lies in those hands of yours."
Let's have an eternal dream
in this time we're together.
I live for my emotions.
Creating life
is my wish."
Homura's hair rippled in the wind as she stood atop the colonnade. She found a metal chair that was lying on the roof, and sat there, collecting her emotions as the bells rang and the crowd roared. Tears were flowing out of her eyes as she internalized the magnitude of what she just did. She influenced the cardinals of what her choice was, they listened, they voted, and she triggered to bells to ring. And that was that.
"I can't believe it," Homura said. "It's actually happened. Madoka, you are amazing as always. This is why I love you so much!"
"So much that I am part of you?"
"Well...you get the point." Her face was a rose, Homura's face was.
A voice. "Akemi-san?"
Homura stood still in her tracks, frozen. "Mami?"
She was talking to her through telekinesis. "Akemi-san, we've been looking all over for you. Where are you?"
"Mami, you won't believe this...but I'm in Rome."
"Ehhhhhh? You're there?" Embarassed, Homura took a photo of herself in her Puella Magi form and sent the image to Mami's cell. "No way, and there's a crowd below!"
"Homura!" It was Sayaka, also speaking through telekinesis. "What is going on?"
"Madoka and I told the cardinals who should be pope. Then as soon as the decision was made, I fired at the bells to make them ring."
"You and Madoka were at it again, huh?" Kyouko said to them. She was also speaking through telekinesis. They were at Mami's house, watching the announcement. "I knew something was up when I couldn't track any of your anywhere in this town. Then I remembered that there was this thing going on where you were, but I didn't think you were going to do something about it. And something big, at that!"
"They did it, Kyouko-chan?" Sayaka asked.
"That's what it looks like. I know Madoka's a goddess...but this is a bit too much. And you actually saw the entire process live? Eluding every barrier?"
"Yep," Homura said to Kyouko. "It was over-the-top from my perspective, but I can understand why they do it this way."
"The winning cardinal...did he feel his presence and congratulate you?"
"I think the power of prayer is strong and, I guess he did. They're still finishing ringing the bells so they will announce it formally. Some French guy named Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, I think, is going to give you the details on NHK. We'll stick to watching it live before meeting your guys in a bit."
"You know, you could have waited until somewhere along the fifth ballot to come up with your choice right? Suspense and all that?"
"No, I wanted to end the suspense early."
"As long as you are able to head home and get ready for class, that's all that matters, Akemi-san," Mami said.
"See you in a bit," Sayaka said to them.
"Bye," said Kyouko.
It was raining a little bit, but it was clear as the parade of marching military bands, the Swiss Guard and seminarians took place. The Mameli Hymn played, followed by the Hymn and Pontifical March. Finally, the announcement. "Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum: Habemus Papam!" announced Cardinal Tauran from the balcony window. "Eminentissimum ac reverendissimum Dominum, Dominum Giorgium Marium Sanctæ Romanæ Ecclesiæ Cardinalem Bergoglio, Qui sibi nomen imposuit Franciscum."
Homura closed her eyes and as she opened them, she was back in her room. With a sigh, she reverted to her regular intimate apparel and rested for one hour before getting ready for class at about six in the morning.
At Mami's house, Mami was playing a song on her iPad.
"Whoah... oh...
Whoah... oh...
His name is Jeremy, working in IT
Never questions why he has always been
An extra careful guy, sensitive and shy
Risk assessment is his investment in a life of no surprise
Till she walked into his life
She's spontaneous indeed, uncertainty's her creed
She has always been neither black or white
Just a curious delight
She threw affection his direction, a collection of her smiles
And to his surprise, whoah...
She's like tomorrow, so distant, she just wants to play
Like tomorrow she is always one day away
All the time she slips away it's close but yet so far
It's time to follow her tomorrow, whoah... oh...
Time to follow her tomorrow, whoah... oh...
He fell for her too fast, we all thought it wouldn't last
'Cause good ol' Jeremy likes his rigorous routine
'Cause he only thinks today but tomorrow is a way
To find a new direction and you'll be okay
She's like tomorrow, so distant, she just wants to play
Like tomorrow she is always one day away
All the time she slips away it's close but yet so far
It's time to follow her tomorrow, oh... oh...
Time to follow her tomorrow, oh... oh...
Time to follow her tomorrow, oh... oh...
Time to follow her tomorrow, oh... oh...
She's like tomorrow, oh so distant, she just wants to play
Like tomorrow she is always one day away
One day away (One day away)
One day away (One day away)
All the time she slips away it's close but yet so far
It's time to follow her tomorrow (Oh... oh...)
It's time to follow her tomorrow (Oh... oh...)
It's time to follow her tomorrow..."
Mami looked at her calendar. April 2, 2013 was three weeks away, but she was excited about the opportunity to finally earn her membership to the National Rifle Association of Japan. As for Homura, she decided that she would go ahead and earn her own membership as well. For now, it was all about wrapping up the month of March.
END CHAPTER 7