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The End of the Circus: A Tale of the Yizibajohei
Omake: Rendezvous of Wild Thing and Campione
by Regina Magia
Including mention of characters from DC Comics, a subsidiary of Time-Warner, created by Dave Wood, Gardner Fox, Murphy Anderson and Carmine Infantino.
Overlooking the Canal Grando in the Rialto district of Venice, the third Tuesday of November in 2012, suppertime (Tōkyō time: Wednesday, two hours after midnight)...
"Buona sera, mia cara."
Clearly undisturbed by that strange voice, Angelica Russo turned and gave the handsome Scotsman now currently perched on the railing an amused grin. "It's good to see you too, Geoffrey," the native of Salerno near Napoli greeted as she held out her hand, allowing her surprise guest to take it and give her a formal kiss before taking his seat. "Might I ask what brings you to Venezia this lovely evening?"
Geoffrey Beveridge chuckled as he accepted a glass of apple schnapps from his host. "My superiors at MI6 are planning to take a more active rôle in supporting Miss Katabarbe's cause," the native of Saint Andrews near Dundee answered as he took in the aroma before sipping the drink. "I thought you might be interested in helping out, even if the Italian government has yet to join the fight in full."
The current incarnation of la Magnifica Fanciulla del Potenza, Yuodur'ba ("Campione"), hummed as she considered that offer from her peer. The pretty Campana was an up-and-coming drama actress, having got the chance to be Gifted by Tariko Katabarbe herself near the start of the latter's decade-long casting drive. And while she still acted — she currently starred in a slice-of-life comedy series that was normally filmed in and around the former independent republic at the head of the Adriatic — she was also seen as a trainee working for Italy's counterpart to Britain's Secret Intelligence Service, la Agenzia Informazioni e Sicurezza Esterna.
Of course, she also gladly performed "public service duties" at nighttime as Campione, such having gained the attention of certain elements of the local media in recent weeks.
"Do your superiors know you're Gifted yourself?"
"Only a very select group at Vauxhall Cross do, right straight to C himself," the handsome thirty-something — who, like many his age and older who had been Gifted, had his body regenerated to make him look to be around the same age as the average cruiser shipgirl — responded before sipping the schnapps. As the Beast of the Highlands, Yaduo Tinumu ("Rud Fiadhaich"), the Fifeshire native inherited a similar power-set to the DC Comics' hero Animal Man. Shortly after his Gifting a year before while in Japan liaising with the Public Security Intelligence Agency, Geoffrey read over Hirosaki Chikage's report on her second interdimensional summer vacation trip in 2009; the Tōkyō native Gifted as the Dark Heart of Pure Chaos just prior to her entering the second year of studies at Hogwarts had actually met Bernhard Baker while she had apprenticed under both Bruce Wayne and Zatanna Zatara to better expand both her magical knowledge and detective skills.
Of course, being Gifted with the ability to mimic the inherent ability of any animal species he chose — both Terran and Yizibajohei — had been an incredible boon in his own intelligence work.
"By the way, I've some information on Capello you might find useful," the SIS agent added.
Instantly, her blue eyes turned very cold. "Go on."
He tried not to visibly wince on seeing her reaction. Being one of the first people to be entered into The Book of Pretty Girls, the actress took it quite personally when she learned of what happened to the current incarnation of the Trickster of the Show the previous fall. Her investigations — aided by both the AISE and the Forze Armate Italiane — brought up the name of Carlo Capello, a half-English former ambassador to the Court of Saint James's from Verbania near the Swiss border in the Piedmont. A friend of hers who helped introduce Angelica to Geoffrey some months ago recently unearthed evidence connecting Capello to the then-unknown group that had forced Tariko once more into a loveless home all to see her "married" to one Redet Lum of Uru a month later.
"According to an anonymous source in Japan, the good ambassador funnelled money to the PSIA through a fake charity supporting domestic abuse victims. Directly to people now known to work for Division One as confirmed by Tariko's new friends from another dimension who are looking into this." As his host nodded, Geoffrey added, "Capello was able to convince several members of both the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies — atop several successful businessmen and the like — into contributing to that 'charity'. Just before he was recalled back to Rome from Saint James's Court, he did the same thing to three members of the House of Lords and two local businessmen as well. The money all wound up directly funnelled to those loons who want to sell the whole of Earth out to this 'Obsidian Lord' that's gained the interest of General Tonfā and the Rhapsode over the last year."
A grimace twisted her lips. "When will MI6 and the Agency make their move?"
"Once the good chap is tracked down, which shouldn't take too long." Here, the Beast of the Highlands gave his host a knowing look. "Some of the new girls from COMCONTRUGSE are helping out."
The Magnificent Maiden laughed at that reference to Italy's ever-growing corps of fanciulle della flotta. Given that she had quite the awarding day job and she didn't want to make any waves even if her being Gifted went public, her new friend from Scotland was doing much of the legwork alongside peers from both Vauxhall Cross and the Piazza Dante. It didn't surprise the Campana twenty-something that as soon as the revelations concerning the truth behind shipgirls was revealed at the White House hours before, her target vanished from his apartment near the slopes of Monte Mario and the Palazzo della Farnesina in Rome, where he had been assigned at the start of the new year as advisor to Minister of Foreign Affairs Giulio Terzi di Sant'Agata.
"We presume you want to participate," the Fifeshire native added.
"Without a doubt," she breathed out. "Friends of mine from the right bank of the Tiber told me that several agents of the Guardia Pretoria and two members of the Magico Senato also supplied funds to Capello, especially after Capitano Ansaldo di Bergamini reported to the Palazzo Marina in late June. Given that shipgirls like them served during the times of the Wars of Liberation, people in the Magico Senato are scared."
"No different than members of the bloody Wizengamot under Northumberland Avenue," he noted. "Do your friends believe stalebloods in the Guard and the Senate might move to help keep the ambassador free?"
"The chances are very good."
Geoffrey nodded before drawing out his PAA. "I'll warn C."
With that, he stood to head to the balcony before calling directly into the office of the Chief of the United Kingdom's external intelligence agency. Waiting until he got out of effective hearing range, she reached over for her cell phone. "Raimondo?" she called out to her agent once he answered. "I'm sorry to spring this on you at the last minute, but I don't think I'll be able to attend that awards ceremony..."
Fin...
WRITER'S NOTES
Translation list and source language: Canal Grando — Grand Canal (Italian); MI6 — Literally "Military Intelligence, Section Six", the "flag of convenience" used by the Secret Intelligence Service (short-formed SIS) during World War Two to mask its existence as a separate entity (English acronym); La Magnifica Fanciulla del Potenza — The Magnificent Maiden of Power (Italian); Campione — Champion (Italian); Campana — Female native of the region of Campania in and around Naples and Salerno (Italian); Agenzia Informazioni e Sicurezza Esterna — External Intelligence and Security Agency (short-formed AISE) (Italian); Rud Fiadhaich — Wild Thing (Scots Gaelic); Forze Armate Italiane — Italian Armed Forces (Italian); Fanciulle della flotta — Maidens of the fleet/shipgirls (Italian); Guardia Pretoria — Praetorian Guard, the Republic's magical police (Italian); Magico Senato — Magical Senate, the Republic's version of Britain's Wizengamot (Italian).
The term C is used as verbal short-hand for the chief of the Special Intelligence Service.
The Italian military formation in charge of the country's non-magical metahumans — known as the Comando Congiunto di Truppe di Guerra Specializzate "Ercole" (Joint Specialized Warfare Troops Command "Hercules") and short-formed as COMCONTRUGSE — was first introduced in the side story Remember My Truth.
Vauxhall Cross (headquarters of SIS) is located on the south bank of the River Thames in the London borough of Lambeth. The Piazza Dante (headquarters of AISE) is located in Rome's Municipio I ward on the east (left) side of the River Tiber south of the main train station. The Palazzo della Farnesina (where Italy's foreign ministry is based) is located on the west (right) side of the Tiber in Rome's Municipio XV. The Palazzo Marina (headquarters of the Italian Navy) is on the east bank of the Tiber in Municipio II northeast of Vatican City.
As for locations of the various national magical governments and ministries, Fred invented several metronyms to serve as clandestine ways of referring to such organizations. Italy's Ministry of Magical Affairs and the Magical Senate is on the right bank of the Tiber, located in the district once known as the Trans Tiberim ("beyond the Tiber"). Britain's Ministry of Magic and the House of Lords Wizengamot is based in an underground complex near Trafalgar Square in London, under Northumberland Avenue in the city of Westminster. As an aside, America's Department of Magic and the Magical Congress of the United States of America is always referred to as being on the other side of the Hudson due to its location in downtown Manhattan.
