Chapter 27 – Ripples on the Holy See
And yet another day that I wake up beside Yoshika. After what she's done yesterday, I should really build a shrine to Amaterasu and pray at it daily… But first things first, Yoshika should go back to her room before anyone notices…
"Hey, Yoshika…" Toshiro said silently while poking her.
"Huuummm… Too early…'
"You have to go back to your room, before anyone sees you here."
"Whyyyy…"
"The girls could get jealous that they don't get a piece of meat, and you hog me all for yourself."
"Heehee… I wouldn't want to get on Minna's or Sakamoto's shortlist… Well, bye then, Toshiro…"
She tried to kiss him, but he pushed her back gently.
"First wash your mouth, sheesh…"
"Oh, right… Sorry, heheh… I'll be going now."
"Wait, I'll get dressed and go jogging. Maybe I'll be able to sneak you through."
"Kay."
Toshiro got dressed up and led Yoshika out of the castle.
"Coast clear…" He whispered. "Follow me closely…"
They quietly ran up to the dorm building, with no one in sight.
"Okay, it seems that we made it…" Toshiro said once they went up to the door.
"Heehee, that was exciting."
"Oh really now?" Mio's voice sounded from behind the door.
Both of them froze in place, and the door opened, revealing Mio with a smirk face.
"Miyafuji… I wouldn't like to interfere with your love life but… you are in the army! Get a hold of yourself girl, this is not a bordello!"
"B-b-but…"
"No buts, rules are rules! After you return from the Vatican, one hour of bucket holding!"
"Yes ma'am…" Yoshika mumbled.
"Good… You aren't opposing, Toshiro?"
"Yoshika knew what she was doing, it would be wrong to lift her punishment. Besides, bucket holding will help pump up those twigs Yoshika calls arms."
"Hahaha! I see you are not love blind! Now back to bed, Miyafuji."
"Okay…" She said silently and went to her room.
"Now, Toshiro, let's have a jog. An extra-long one, so your perverted thoughts evaporate with your sweat."
"Hey, it's not me who invited Yoshika…"
"But you didn't shoo her of, right?"
"No… Hey, are you trying to command me?"
"Yes."
"Guh, whatever, I'm bored as hell anyway… Lead the way…"
After an almost two-hour jog in complete silence, they ended up in the dining room. Yoshika immediately brought them a glass of cold water.
"Thank you, Miyafuji."
"Thanks, Yoshika."
After guzzling down the water, Mio said, "You four going on the trip should take a bath."
"And since when are you concerned about my personal hygiene, Mio?"
"Don't joke now, Toshiro. You don't want to face the head of the Catholic Church stinking like you just stepped out of a field after a whole day of plowing?"
"I suppose you are right… Hey, Yoshika, we're bathing after breakfast!"
"Super!"
"At least I don't have to force Yoshika to take a bath, heheh…"
"Speaking of baths, do you know about an ETA for our outdoors bath?"
"It's almost sure you will get to take a dip by the 14th."
"Good, good… Ah, Minna, you woke up."
"Hi everyone…" Minna said with a sleepy voice.
"Couldn't sleep?" Toshiro asked.
"Yes… I was dead worried about your visit today…"
"Don't worry, I won't do anything wrong, at least I hope so…"
"I'm more worried about Lucchini and Shirley… They are grade-A airheads, Lucchini being an S-class rascal…"
"I'll keep them under wraps, I promise."
"I hope so… What's for breakfast, Yoshika?"
"Bacon and eggs, Miss Minna!" Yoshika answered.
"Yoshika, huh?" Mio said silently. "You gave in…"
"I'd rather call her by her first name than have Toshiro staring at me fiercely for the rest of my military career…"
Toshiro, to mock Minna, started gazing at Minna making a long 'Jii' sound.
"Toshiro, please, I haven't slept for a minute…"
"Okay, okay… Why didn't you order a coffee then?"
"I was too tired to think of it… Yoshikaaaa… Coffeee…" Minna moaned.
"Yes ma'am!" Yoshika replied.
Yoshika quickly brewed Minna the wake-up elixir, and gave it to her.
"Thank you…" Minna said and took a sip. "You remember what coffee I drink…"
"Two sugars and a little bit of cream. I remember everyone's coffee or tea preferences." Yoshika said with a bright smile.
"After two months even Erica would give a fuck and remember… Good job, Yoshika, now go back making breakfast…"
"Yes!"
Yoshika ran back and Minna said, "Such a good girl…"
"You are awfully honest and open when you are deprived of sleep, Minna…" Toshiro noticed.
"That's one of my little flaws… But I just have to shut up, and everything will be okay…"
"Hey, Minna, I caught Miyafuji while she was sneaking out of Toshiro's room today, what do you say to that?"
"Good for her? I'm jealous that Yoshika can be served whenever she likes…"
Toshiro and Mio looked at Minna with confused looks.
"What? Really… I've only done it twice with Kurt… I want somebody to give me a solid pounding, but I want to love that man, and I want that feeling to be mutual…"
Mio and Toshiro were even more consternated after these words. Toshiro saw Trude coming in behind Minna, so he struck quickly.
"Hey, but what about Trude?"
"Trude? She should also get laid, ASAP. It would probably take the edge off… I mean she is a good soldier, and her diligence is remarkable, but sheeesh, she behaves as if she's twelve and was just told about the birds and bees… Maybe I should get one of those guidos and hook her up…"
Trude leaned over to Minna's ear and visibly restraining herself, she said, "No thanks, Minna."
Minna jumped up hearing those words and turned around to Trude.
"I didn't mean to… I…"
"You're right, Minna…" Trude sighed. "But don't you try to pimp me out to some greaseball, okay? When I'll find a man, he should be a keeper."
"Sure… Sorry…"
The rest of breakfast went on without further incidents, and soon after, Yoshika and Toshiro were together in the latter's room again. The water was running from the tap over the tub, which was almost filled halfway. Toshiro cut off the water and heated it up. The naked Yoshika said, "You go in first."
"Kay…"
Toshiro climbed into the tub, and Yoshika swiftly slid in behind him.
"I'll wash you so thoroughly, you could be deemed sterile!" Yoshika shouted.
"Hah! I hope you won't be horsing around my nether regions, huh?"
"Nope. You're on your own down there…"
Yoshika scrubbed of Toshiro with such diligence, and washed him so thoroughly, that he was sparkling in the sunlight.
"Now it's my turn, Yoshika."
"Same rules apply…"
"Your uh… breasts too?"
"Ye… Why did you make such a pause? Oh, I see… Well, it's true, my breasts look more like mosquito bites… But still, those are my titties!"
"Yeah, yeah… Off limits for now… Again…"
"We are going to a holy man, Toshiro. Find some seriousness inside of you…"
"Okay, okay…"
Toshiro first gently raised Yoshika's' left arm and gently pressed the sponge against her armpit.
"Ghhhhh…" Yoshika snorted silently and wiggled.
Toshiro moved the sponge up and down a bit, making Yoshika wiggle even more. Finally, she couldn't hold it in and laughed out aloud.
"Ahahahahaha, Toshiro, stop, pleahahahahahahha…"
"Oh, ticklish?"
"Yes… If you do it so gently I'll damn pee myself here…"
"So you want it rough?"
"Yes! Until my skin gets red!"
"You really have a dark side, Yoshika…"
After a few minutes of rough scrubbing, Toshiro washed Yoshika's hair, and they got out of the tub.
"Hey, Toshiro, how about we wash Francesca and Shirley?"
"Nice idea… Hey… You just want to get near Shirley's mammaries, right?"
"Uhhh… Well…"
"And who's the one being childish now, huh?"
"Just get them here! I'll prepare the bath for them…"
"Yeah, yeah…"
Toshiro approached the PA panel and said, "Francesca, Shirley, get your bath stuffs and check in for obligatory scrubbing in my room."
While the water was running, both dressed themselves up, temporarily in their previous clothes. In a minute, the door busted open and Francesca yelled, "Bath time!"
"Okay, okay, not so fast, the water is still cold." Toshiro calmed her down.
Toshiro checked the water level, and after finding out it is satisfactory, he heated it up.
"Now you two, out of those clothes, and inside you go. We will wash your hair, and if you want to wash your bodies, we can also help with that, heheheheh…"
"Toshiro!" Yoshika shouted confounded.
"Sheesh…"
The two undressed themselves and climbed into the bath.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaah… To stretch out in a tub and not being cramped like a sardine in a barrel… Remind me, Lucchini, why the hell aren't we bathing at Toshiro's more often?"
"Cuz Yoshika would be jealous!"
"Oh, right…"
While Toshiro was washing Francesca's hair, he was looking at Yoshika, who took the task of washing the redhead's hair. He saw that her hands were dangerously veering off south.
"Ugh, just do it, Yoshika…" Shirley murmured.
"Do what?" Yoshika asked surprise.
"I know what you were after the whole time… Come on, I won't bite you. Lucchini might though…"
Without further ado, Yoshika grabbed Shirley's prized possessions with her wet and slippery hands and started rubbing them. She had a face expression as if she was experiencing nirvana in a garden of boobs.
"Hey! Those tits are mine!" Francesca shouted furiously.
She tried to lunge forward, but Toshiro grabbed her head tightly so she couldn't move.
"Toshiroooooo! Unfaaaair! Lemmeeee goooo!" Francesca pled with all her might.
"Nope. Shirley's breasts aren't for your own amusement. You could say they are a… cultural heritage…"
"Hey, don't talk about my jugs as if they were an exposition in the Smithsonian!" Shirley protested.
"Sure, sorry… But you catch my drift." Toshiro said while still restraining Francesca.
"Um, Toshiro, your hands have gotten dangerously low…" Shirley said with a smirk.
"Huh? I don't feel anything…"
Toshiro looked down on Francesca, who in turn looked down on her chest. Toshiro's hands were placed over what one could describe as undeveloped secondary sexual traits.
"Waaaaaah! Lemme go you molester!" Francesca screamed.
Toshiro let her go at once, and she covered her chest with her arms. Yoshika seemed unfazed, as she still was experiencing heavenly bliss from the interaction with Shirley's ta-ta's.
"Sorry, Francesca, but you squirmed too much…"
She puffed her cheeks and said, "Rinse my hair…"
"Coming right up. Hey, Yoshika, stop groping Shirley already."
No reaction. Toshiro carefully peeled of one hand of Yoshika's hands from Shirley's bosom, but a mischievous troll besides him gave him a slight nudge, and his hand planted itself straight on Shirley's left breast.
"You two are reaaaaaaalllyyy amusing yourselves at my expense…" Shirley sighed.
Toshiro squeezed gently.
"Aaaaahhhhnnn…" Shirley moaned.
Yoshika snapped out of her trance immediately, looked at Toshiro, then at his hand.
"Toshiro…" Yoshika furled her eyebrows.
"Francesca shoved me…"
"Francesca…"
"He was teasing me!"
Yoshika stood up, cracked her fingers, and planted two firm head strikes, one for each of the offenders.
"Owowowowowo… You are mean, Yoshika!" Francesca said disgruntled.
"A fitting punishment…" Yoshika said.
"Well anyway…" Toshiro said. "Try to dress into something nice for the trip all of you, okay?"
"Something nice…" Shirley pondered. "You're in for a surprise, Toshiro."
"Am I?"
"Yup. While we were shopping for winter clothes, we got something more… summery…"
"Please, do show us!"
"Kay, just dry us off, and we will be going."
The two got out of the tub, and Toshiro dried them off in an instant. They dressed up, and went their way.
"You know, Toshiro… I also have that dress I bought…"
"Do it."
"Yay! I'll be right back!" Yoshika cheered happily and ran off.
Toshiro decided to dress himself appropriately. He opened the chest and pulled out his shiny shoes, the long version of his uniform and all his shiny awards. After a while, he was all ready, only the coat was missing on him. Yoshika came in, and Toshiro almost fell on the ground as he stood.
Dressed in the green dress she bought in Rome, she looked stunningly, surrounded by a mysterious aura of juvenile beauty.
"Toshiro… It's rude to stare… Say something…"
"Words can't express how beautiful you are…"
"Heehee… That will do…"
They both sat on the bed and waited for Shirley and Francesca. It was a short wait, and this time even Yoshika forgot her tongue.
The two were dressed in pure white frilly dresses. Francesca's was only hanging on two narrow straps, while Shirley's had short cut sleeves, with obligatory frills. Both of them had straw hats with white bows strapped to the side.
"Hah! I knew it! They both are speechless!" Shirley boasted. "You don't have to praise us, this reaction is everything I needed, heheh…"
"Where did you…" Yoshika said silently.
"Told ya, while we were browsing for winter clothes. Maybe I shouldn't tell this to Toshiro but… we bought a dress for everyone, there was a sale… I even have one for you, Yoshika, with a matching hat."
"Oh pleeeaaaaseeee, give it to meeee!"
"Sure, sure, I just need you to pay me…"
"How much?!"
"Two shilling."
"Toshiroooo?" Yoshika looked at him with puppy eyes.
"Okay, okay, sheesh…"
Toshiro pulled out his wallet, and gave two one-shilling coins to Shirley.
"Pleasure doing business. Come on, Yoshika, follow us."
"Weeee!" Yoshika ran off with the two clad in white.
"We'll meet in the hangar!" Toshiro shouted.
I'm spoiling you, Yoshika… But you are the only one I have that could be spoiled like that, heheh…
Toshiro stood up, and put his coat on. After putting on his cap, he looked himself in the mirror.
"Damn… A model officer… An Oberst from a damn propaganda poster…"
"Yeah, you really look nice, Toshiro. The Karlslanders sure know how to present themselves. I approve."
Toshiro went downstairs, but at the junction, he ran into Lynne and Perrine.
"Oh wooow… You really look fabulous, Toshiro… But um…" Perrine said.
Toshiro saw that both of them had white sealed envelopes in their hands.
"You see… We wrote letters to the Holy Father and…" Lynne said.
"We wanted for you to give them to him…" Perrine finished.
"I'll see what can be done, girls. Come on, give me them."
The two looked at each other, and gave Toshiro radiant smiles, along with the envelopes. Toshiro put them into an internal pocket of the coat and went on. In the hangar, he took a rag, dusted off the table at which he sat during meals while the dining room was in an awful state, and he waited. Few minutes into the waiting, he heard the voice of Yoshika calling him, "Hey, Toshiro!"
Toshiro looked to his right, and saw a trio of maidens clad in white, each wearing a straw hat. Yoshika was wearing the same type of dress that Francesca had.
"Well… WELL! My Yoshika looks like an innocent girl that just returned from a stroll in the garden during a warm summer day. I have to avert my eyes, or I'll have indecent thoughts!"
Toshiro turned away his head in a theatrical manner. He heard that Yoshika ran up to him, and he felt that she jumped on his back.
"Hey, don't you avert your gaze from your girlfriend like that!"
"Oh come on, you'll crumple up my coat…"
"Oh, sorry…" Yoshika said and dropped down.
"We still have at least two hours until we get a ride…" Toshiro said. "What will we do?"
"I might have a solution…" Shirley said.
She took of her hat, and pulled out something.
"We can always play some cards!"
"But I don't know how to play cards…" Yoshika said with a sad voice.
"We will teach you, don't worry!" Francesca cheered. "Poker?" She asked Toshiro.
"Yup, let's begin."
Two hours later, and about fifty games later, they heard a plane coming in.
"Finally!" Shirley shouted. "If we were playing strip poker, I would be naked, and if I was playing for money, I would be broke till 1947!"
"Heehee, it looks like I'm good at cards." Yoshika giggled.
"Yeeaaah… Unexpectedly good…" Toshiro mumbled. "Let's go, everyone."
Shirley picked up her cards and they approached the runway. A four-engine transport plane, the Savoia-Marchetti SM.95, belonging to the Regia Aeronautica, touched down on the runway gracefully. It taxied up to the hangar entrance and made a turn. The door on the left side opened, the stairs fell down and a soldier in Romagnan uniform jumped out, and ran up to them. He saluted and introduced himself, "Caporale Norberto Nibello! I presume you are all the four to visit the Papa?"
"Yes!" Toshiro responded.
"Follow me!"
The man led them to the stairs, and pointed inside. The girls climbed in, with Toshiro behind them. He saw that the benches, that usually were bare metal, were padded.
Well, at least this…
The Corporal entered the plane, retracted the steps, closed the door and made his way into the pilots' cabin. The plane started moving forward and it took off.
After less than an hour, they felt that the plane landed.
"Oh, we must have landed." Francesca said.
"Indubitably." Toshiro said.
The Corporal shot out of the pilots' cabin, but Toshiro stopped him with a hand gesture.
"No worries, Corporal, I can handle it."
"As you wish, Colonnello."
Toshiro did the Corporals job, and soon, all four of were standing on the runway of a rather spacious airfield.
"This must be the Ciampino Airport!" Francesca said. "But… We need a ride now! It's twelve kilometers or more from the Vatican!"
Toshiro looked around, and saw two black Fiat 518 L's driving in their direction. The two cars stopped before them, and somebody got out of one of the cars. It was a man way over his fifties, wearing a black cassock with purple piping, a purple sash and a purple zucchetto. He approached Toshiro and said, "Greetings, Colonnello."
Toshiro recognized the voice, so he responded accordingly.
"And greetings to you, Monsignor Orseniga."
"Are these the fine maidens that helped to protect the Vaticano?"
"Yes, Your Excellency, each and every one."
"Bueno. Please, take one with you, let's go to the car I have been riding. The other two can take the other one."
"Of course, Your Excellency."
Toshiro turned around and said, "Yoshika, come with me. Francesca, Shirley, you take the other car."
They nodded and Yoshika came to Toshiro.
"Good morning sir." She said.
"Good morning, ragazza. Could this be your mysterious girlfriend, Colonnello?"
"And, pardon my rudeness, how would you know that, Your Excellency?"
"The Vatican knows much, but tells few… Please, have a seat in the back; I will ride in the front."
The two sat in the comfortable back of the car, while the Nuncio sat beside the driver.
"Luca, rapido!"
The driver didn't need more encouragement, as he accelerated quickly, and soon, both the cars were on the way to the Vatican. The Nuncio didn't utter a syllable during the trip, so Toshiro and Yoshika also didn't give a murmur.
They drove through the bridge to Vatican, and saw a whole sea of people on the St. Peters Square.
"The Angelus Domini is ending right now. We will drive behind the Papal Apartments." The Nuncio said.
Toshiro could see a person clad in white speaking from atop of a balcony, under which a red banner with the papal insignia was hanging.
So that's the Pope…
The two cars drove up behind the building from which the Pope spoke. There was another Fiat waiting for them, and as soon as their car stopped, the passengers from the lonely limousine exited the car. Toshiro recognized them immediately. Two muscle heads in black suits, with black sunglasses and black hats, and a red headed woman in a frilly white dress.
Toshiro exited the car as fast as he could, and jumped to Francesca.
"The Mafia is after Maria again!" Francesca shouted as she wiggled in Toshiro's grip.
"Francesca, for the love of your God, please, those are her bodyguards!"
Francesca stiffened up immediately.
"Uuuuuh… The same that I beat up?" She asked with a mechanical voice.
"Yes, Francesca, the very same."
"You can let me go now, Toshiro." Francesca said with a serious voice.
"I hope I'm not doing the wrong thing…"
He let her go, and she walked up to the bodyguards. They both braced themselves for a fight, but Francesca simply bowed before them and said, "I'm sorry for beating you up back then."
That was unexpected…
"Let bygones be bygones…" The thinner guy said.
Francesca whizzed past them and hugged Maria.
"Maria!" She cheered.
"My little Francesca… I hope you weren't punished to harshly for your little escapade with me?"
"You saved my ass! I would probably carry buckets of water till today if not for your address!"
"Heehee… It seems you listened to me, Toshiro?"
Toshiro approached Maria and said, "You are the head of the country that hosts us, right?"
"True, heehee…"
"But it seems you didn't change one bit. You even have those two bozos with you."
"Also true. Let's say they are my closest guards, while the other few dozen are… orbiters…"
Yoshika and Shirley also approached Maria.
"Hi… I'm Yoshika." Yoshika introduced herself.
"And I'm Shirley."
"Pleased to meet you. I hope I didn't cause you two too much trouble in looking for Francesca."
"Nah…" Shirley said. "We had a nice stroll across Rome thanks to that…"
"And I found a cat!" Yoshika said.
"You did?" Toshiro asked.
"I didn't tell you? I found a black cat in an alley, but it seems it was owned, since it had a small collar…"
They could hear somebody clearing his throat. After looking in the direction of the sound, they saw the Nuncio pointing to the door. He went forward, with everyone behind him.
The splendor of the Papal Apartments stunned them and made them speechless. The weird procession of gawking maidens dressed in white and a Karlslander officer continued until they wandered up to a big door. The Nuncio knocked on it and said, "Siamo arrivati (we have arrived), Papa."
"Entrare (enter)." A muffled voice sounded from inside.
"The Holy Father will take you all in. Enter in an orderly manner."
They entered an enormous room, with a table long as an aircraft carrier. At the front of the table, on a chair resembling a throne, sat a man clad in white with gray hair. He was wearing glasses, and looking peacefully towards his guests.
Like a flash of lightning, Francesca suddenly ran forward and jumped on the lap of the Pope. He made a surprised expression, but then, with a calm and soft voice he asked, "And who are you, bambini?"
"Francesca Lucchini! And I'm not a bambini, I'm a ragazza!" She said proudly.
"Francesca, I will whoop you so hard…" Toshiro shouted but he was quickly interrupted.
"Per favore, si calmi (please, calm yourself), Colonnello…" The Pope said calmly with his hand raised slightly.
Toshiro did not knew what it was about, but he just nodded and took a step back.
"So you are the one that saved the Vaticano, si?" The Pope asked Francesca.
"Si, Santo Padre (Yes, Holy Father)!"
"Then I must thank you first and foremost. I saw your performance from my appartamento."
Francesca giggled slightly.
"Do you believe in God, Francesca?"
"Yes!"
"And do you attend to Sunday Mass?"
She hung her head down and mumbled, "No…"
"Ah, senza importanta (unimportant)… Our dear God will surely forgive somebody who protects his temples from the Grande Male (Great Evil)… I will offer you the gift of Plenary Indulgence, Francesca." The Pope started making the sing of a cross in the air. "In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti."
"Amen." Francesca said with reverence after crossing herself.
The Pope raised his hand, on which he wore the Ring of the Fisherman. Francesca gently kissed the ring and scrammed off the Popes lap.
Holy shit… So Francesca CAN behave… Incredible…
Francesca ran up to Toshiro and said, "Sorry… But I had to…"
"Be grateful that the Pope is such a calm man… If this were to evolve into an incident…"
"Please, Duchessa, you can approach." The Pope said, and a bit hesitantly, Maria approached.
"Good Morning, Your Holiness."
"I believe have to thank you for, what was reported to me, being in the right place at the right time."
"I don't understand…"
"If you weren't kidnapped, those people there would probably be on the way home already, and who know what would be destroyed…"
"Then my help is purely coincidental, Holy Father…"
"Every little ant has its place in Gods great plan, Duchessa… Nothing is a coincidence in the eyes of our Father."
"I won't oppose then…"
"In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, I absolve you of all your sins. You may now go in peace, Duchessa."
"Thank you, Papa…" Maria said and kissed the ring.
"The redhaired ragazza, please, come…" The Pope said.
"M-me?" Shirley stuttered.
"Yes." The Pope answered calmly.
Shirley approached the Pope making rigid moves.
"What is your name, child."
"C-Charlotte Elwyn Yeager."
"You also helped to defeat the monster over the basilica."
"Y-yes, Your Holiness."
"Do you believe in God?"
"Y-yes, b-but under a different denomination…"
"Oh?"
"I'm a Baptist…"
"It doesn't matter, child. You believe in the One God, and that is what matters…"
"Yes… I suppose so…" Shirley mumbled.
The Pope made a cross sign in the air while reciting the Trinitarian Formula and said, "I absolve you of your sins. You may now go in peace."
"Thank you…" Shirley said and kissed the ring.
Shirley returned to Francesca a bit shaky, and then the Pope said, "Colonnello, and his girlfriend, please, come to me."
How does he know…
Yoshika and Toshiro approached the Pope.
"Yoshika Miyafuji… The daughter of a man who designed the means to defend against the Neuroi… Toshiro Edelweiss… The son of a man who helped the former… I cannot bestow you with the gift of the absolution of sins, but I can give you advice. Stay strong in your relationship. You two are the key to the end of the Neuroi scourge. Let no obstacle hinder you in your bilateral love."
Toshiro and Yoshika listened to this clueless, but Toshiro had something on his mind.
He knows just too much! I have to ask…
"Colonnello… Please, follow me; I want to talk to you in private…"
"Yes, Your Holiness…"
"The rest of you, please, be seated. I still haven't ate dinner, and since I have such splendid guests, you can join me."
I have never been this afraid in my whole life… Just what does this man plan?
The Pope opened the big door behind his seat, and entered the room, with Toshiro behind him. The doors were at least ten centimeters thick, with a metal inlay.
"Close the door, Colonnello." The Pope commanded.
Toshiro closed the door and double-checked if it was truly so.
"To think that I would meet a Chosen in my life… Truly a blessing from the Lord…"
Toshiro was silent.
"I don't understand, Your Holiness…"
"You are a Chosen, right?"
"I still don't understand…"
"You surely know what I'm talking about!"
"No."
"Just like Saint Peter before our Savior Jesus Christ, you deny thrice… I will tell you something that will make you more… open towards me… Do you know about the concept of Free Energy and the laws of causality?"
"How…"
"Dear Colonnello… Every successor to Saint Peter is given a connection to the Voice of God. Not God himself, His voice would shatter a mortal body and soul. Thus, each Pope has substantial knowledge of things… behind the curtain so to speak…"
"That's how you knew about Yoshika and me, Your Holiness?"
"Yes."
"Pardon my distrust, but I believe that your organization burned down the last Chosen, was it not so?"
"Ah yes… A truly regrettable decision… Jeanne was considered a threat by the contemporary rulers of the Church and Gallia altogether… But I assure you, those time are long gone. I have a rather selfish request…"
"The Pope himself having a selfish request of a simple Oberst of the Wehrmacht? What has the world come to…"
"Truly, you should think of becoming a comedian after the war ends… My request is simple, yet a bit uncouth… I would like to see your Goddess."
"Oh? Amaterasu? Why?"
"I have wanted to see a deity from another religion… It is some desire that sprouted in me lately…"
"But Your Holiness, Amaterasu isn't just somebody to call out of the blue… I mean, even your religion states 'You shall not call Gods name in vein', right?"
"It is true. If your Goddess won't listen, I will stop asking, and we can go feast."
Suddenly, a storm of cherry blossom petals swirled between them, and the perfect Yamato Nadeshiko, Amaterasu, appeared from amongst them.
"Somebody called?" She asked with an amused voice.
"Madre di Dio!" The Pope said aloud.
"Not exactly… But thank you for the flattery." Amaterasu said.
"Amaterasu, while you are here…. We didn't have time to discuss this problem, but I wanted to ask you this… If gods can't intervene, then why should people revere them?"
"A wise question, Toshiro. I believe the Pope here knows the answer, but it won't hurt to refresh his memory… You see, gods cannot exist without people believing in them. Gods receive energy, which they convert into Free Energy, with prayers of their devotees. What does a god need energy for? To exist, that's the first and foremost reason. The second one is to govern his realm and the support the place of afterlife for the souls believing in him or her. You see, without the use of Free Energy, for example Heaven would simply be devoured by the Void."
"The Void?"
"Don't interrupt your mistress while she's talking, you dunce. As I was saying, The Void is a sort of a cosmic vacuum cleaner. If something isn't supplied with energy, it goes into the Void and is 'recycled', so whatever power was left in that thing can be reused somewhere else. Something like a forced reincarnation…"
"So if for example all Shinto believers were mysteriously wiped out of the face of the Earth, every soul in Yomi, and whatever place will cease to exist?"
"Precisely. That is why each religion seeks to expand its influences. The more souls in afterlife, the more energy expenditure…"
"Wow… That is really something… But that means that the living are just damn batteries for the gods and the deceased!"
"It surely looks so… But you have to understand that the dead have their needs…"
"I understand… If my mothers' soul disappeared into the Void, my heart would probably break…"
"I'm glad you understand. Not that you could change anything, but still. I think you have another question, right?"
"Yes. What about atheists?"
"Ah, a truly remarkable question. You see, since atheists don't pray, they don't give energy. However, atheists aren't damned, oh no! When a non-believer dies, he faces a council of five gods, chosen based on how he led his life. The, the gods give a verdict. If at least one gives his okay, he is admitted into the paradise of that god or goddess. For each positive vote, he has more possibilities to choose. However, if he gets none, he is simply thrown into the Void."
"So if an atheist led a good life, his soul is saved."
"Just like in almost every religion, Toshiro. The commandments for example, are just guidelines made for Christians, not absolute rules."
"But if they were pillagers, rapists and murderers, and no god deems them worthy, they are 'recycled'?"
"Yes. It's the downside of being an atheist. Most religions have some place of damnation, so the soul will live, but suffer. Here, poof, you are gone, and maybe you'll be reborn." Amaterasu said. "If you don't have any questions, I'll retreat to my realm."
"I don't have any. Do you have any, Holy Father?"
"How can a woman be so beautiful…?"
"I'm a goddess, Your Holiness." Amaterasu winked and disappeared.
"So, Holy Father, shall we go?"
"Yes, Colonnello. I thank you for this occasion. I have task for you, if it doesn't seem a burden…"
The Pope pulled out a piece of paper from his sleeve. Toshiro took it and read it.
"Sheet music for Amazing Grace? What should I do with it?"
"I know that you are a trumpeter, and amateur, but you have some talent."
"That is true." Toshiro said a bit irritated.
"I want you to play it today at 1800, if it's possible."
"I have two amazing teachers; I might be able to learn it by that time, if we make haste back."
"Thank you, Colonnello."
"Oh! I almost forgot!"
Toshiro pulled out the two envelopes from his coat.
"Two girls from my unit wrote these for Your Holiness. Please read them."
"I always read letters from my flock. I will give an answer soon."
"Thank you."
They went back into the previous room. The table was already set for the feast, with Yoshika and Francesca looking at all the delicacies like wolves on stray sheep.
"Ah, it seem dinner has been served." The Pope said. "Please, Colonnello, seat yourself, so we can begin."
Toshiro sat beside Yoshika.
"What did you talk about?" She asked silently.
"Things you shouldn't know, or I shouldn't know for that matter…"
"Oh…"
After a quick blessing, they ate. Francesca was really pigging out, but the Pope just shrugged off Toshiro's pretentious look with a smile.
When everyone was full, the Pope said, "It is time to conclude this little audience… May the dear God have all of you in His care."
Maria, Toshiro, Yoshika, Francesca and Shirley went out of the room into the hallway and on outside.
"Time to say goodbye." Maria said. "It was fun to meet you all again."
"Bye, Maria!" Francesca cheered.
"Bye." The rest said.
They all sat in their respective limousines, and everyone drove away in their direction. The plane was already warming up its engines on the runway of the airfield. The four boarded it, and they returned to the base.
After disembarking, Lynne and Perrine ran up to Toshiro.
"Did you do it?" Perrine asked.
"No worries you two, I did it personally."
"Thanks!" Perrine shouted and hugged Toshiro briefly.
"What is this about?" Yoshika asked.
"None of your business…" Perrine huffed and walked away.
"You have such pretty dresses…" Lynne said in wonder.
"Pay the lady, and you'll have one in a few minutes." Toshiro said while pointing at Shirley.
"Ahum." Shirley confirmed.
"Oh, then…"
"Follow me." Shirley said, and Lynne followed her.
Francesca of course followed Shirley, as she couldn't resist the possibility of fondling the racks of both Shirley and Lynne.
"I have something to do now, Yoshika. Go get dressed in your usual clothes, it would be a shame to get this dress dirty."
"Heehee, okay."
Yoshika ran off up the stairs by the side of the wall and on to the dorm.
Toshiro walked up the nearby PA panel and said, "Minna, Sanya, could you get into the common room now?"
He then ran up to his room using Yuki's time magic, changed himself, took the trumpet and sheet music, and ran down and on to the common room.
He saw that Minna and Sanya were sitting down on a couch.
"Toshiro, how was it?!" Minna asked nervously.
"Nice. I'll talk about it during the supper so more of you can hear it, but for now I have a task for you…" He said and showed them the sheet music.
"Amazing Grace?" Minna asked.
"The Pope asked me to play in on a trumpet at 1800, and so we have slightly over two hours for me to learn it."
"The… What?!"
"Don't ask me about the details, I just blindly accepted."
"Ugh… What do you say, Sanya, do we help this blockhead?" Mina asked.
"Heehee, sure…"
It really took them two hours and two minutes to teach Toshiro how to play the tune, but by an amazing feat, he managed to learn it almost flawlessly. In the meanwhile, a storm gathered over the base and it started raining heavily.
"Maybe you should learn some more tunes, Toshiro?" Minna asked.
"If I'm bored dead one day, be sure to remind be about your offer, heheh…"
"But it's so rainy outside…" Sanya said.
"I'll manage. Thanks you two!"
Toshiro went outside. The rain was pouring, but he marched in a steady rhythm inside the castle, and up the stairs. He waited a bit before exiting through the balcony again, and when the time was right, he jumped on the head of the angel's statue, and started playing.
He felt as if the sound of the trumpet was resonating with the sky itself, as the rain suddenly stopped pouring, and the cloud veil opened up, letting in the sunrays, which shone at the whole base with magnificent splendor.
Toshiro laughed, because he knew that this was just a little prank pulled on him.
I got played by the Pope and God himself, hah!
He finished playing, dried himself up with the use of magic and went to the office.
"I see that you are now controlling the weather, huh?"
"I think it was just an elaborate prank…"
"Nice prank… But the sound of the trumpet… Amazing…"
"Yes, it was… Any paperwork to do?"
"Of course! Now you have to report everything on paper."
"Grumble grumble…"
It took him an hour, and just as he gave his last signature, Yoshika called them for supper through the PA system.
"I was just about to read your report…"
"You'll hear it from me, come on."
They went all the way to the dining room, and when everyone started eating, Toshiro started talking about what happened during bites.
"She what?!" Minna almost spat out her food when Toshiro mentioned what Francesca did.
"Wah!" Francesca shouted and hid behind Shirley.
"You, little miss, are so lucky that the Pope is such a fine man, because this could have easily evolved into a scandal…"
"Almost exactly what I said…" Toshiro grumbled. "Well anyway…"
Toshiro continued, omitting his private audience with the Pope.
"Boring…" Eila said.
"What did you expect? Fireworks? Dragons?" Toshiro asked.
"Maybe…"
After supper, Toshiro went to his room, but of course, he couldn't be half an hour alone without being unbothered.
"Yoshika… As much as I love our newly found pleasures, I have to give a bit rest to Little Toshiro…"
"Not that little, heehee… Well, we have to stop for a little, until Sakamoto forgets about my previous trip here…"
"Good idea…"
"But that doesn't mean that we can't cuddle a little…"
Yoshika pounced on him, and after a while, they heard a yell from downstairs.
"Miyafuji! Stop making out with Toshiro and get back in your damn room! Or were todays buckets not enough?!"
"Coooominng!" Yoshika shouted. "Damn Sakamoto…"
"Good night, Yoshika."
"Good night, Toshiro."
After Yoshika left, Toshiro decided to sleep.
Le reference to a recurring character from the Elder Scrolls series and Sora no Woto detected!
And if you want to praise/rant about my story, please leave a signed review, so we can continue via PM's. Seriously, I don't bite. Unless provoked :]