Confession IV

[shotapope]

[Phone]

[It really was a big deal for him to speak up, and it had taken a lot of determination for him to come to this conclusion. He was almost ready to give in though, but in the back of his mind he asked himself what would his sister do.]

Um....

[Even if he had the resolve his voice was still very soft and hesitant.]

S-since it's A-Ash Wednesday... I thought... I d-d-decided.... I-I can bless anyone who w-wishes at the Ch-Church today....

[He sounds like he was going to say more but then whatever words he had got stuck in his throat. He struggles for a little bit before simply putting the receiver down.]


[Action; Church]

[He is indeed at the church, all dressed up and everything. Part of him is hoping no one will show up, part of him is hoping that he can set a good example and not be an embarrassment for all members of the Church.]

Comments

[baptizedinflame]

How did you come into this position? If I might ask.

[shotapope]

Um.... I... [He didn't really want to admit it, mostly admit that was very aware of the manipulation that had happened to put him in place.] M-my sister and b-brother used my f-family status and r-relation to the p-previous Pope....

[baptizedinflame]

I see.

[No approval for that.]

Are you merely a figurehead then?

[shotapope]

P-perhaps.... But... i-it won't be like that f-forever.

[baptizedinflame]

I should hope not.

Misusing the Lord's name is not something to be taken lightly.

[shotapope]

I have n-never misused His name.

[baptizedinflame]

A puppet figurehead serving the needs of others before the Lord? I believe some would call that misuse.

A misuse of power in any case.

Which is almost as bad.

[shotapope]

I d-d-don't serve a-anyone b-before Him. W-we all serve Him. And S-Sister and B-Brother are always thinking of wh-what is best for the Ch-Church and the p-people.

[baptizedinflame]

So only your accession into power was corrupt?

[shotapope]

I-it was not c-c-corrupt.... Th-they voted like they w-would anyone....

[Even though it was still all a politics game.]

[baptizedinflame]

I'm sorry. I'm rather unfamiliar with the pre-war versions of religions other then the way of the New Canaanite's.

Why don't you explain the system for me?

[shotapope]

A-alright.

Um... wh-when a Pope dies a n-new one is e-elected by the C-College of C-Cardinals. Th-this is when all the c-cardinals come together to v-vote on the n-next Pope. U-usually it's one of the c-cardinals, but it c-can theoretically be a-anyone in the r-room at the time. Th-though cardinals should be the o-only ones there.... Th-there was an issue of a-appropriate c-candidates....

[And this was the part that always made him feel bad.]

S-Sister and B-Brother were f-favored, but... s-something about r-rules getting in the way.... B-Brother didn't have the r-right background to be e-elected, and S-Sister is a woman so....

[In the end his sister and brother put their backing behind a ten year old and everyone voted that way. Really the better of two bad situations but it hurt to say that part.]

[baptizedinflame]

And you were more appropriate?

[Honestly curious.]

[shotapope]

Y-yes... I h-have a b-better family.

[baptizedinflame]

Better in what way? Surely you're all family.

[That's what it is like for them. The tribe is family. No one is better then the other.]

[shotapope]

W-well... we sh-share a father but.... b-but my m-mother is higher n-nobility....

[baptizedinflame]

What an odd group.

Where I'm from we relied heavily on each other. So I suppose dynamics like that were not as much an issue.

[shotapope]

Th-that would be m-more like a s-small town.

[baptizedinflame]

Yes. It was rather small.

[shotapope]

The V-Vatican and R-Rome are very l-large. There are m-millions of people in Rome and b-b-billions of people in the Vatican Territory.

[baptizedinflame]

Yes. I suppose in any pre-war society, it would be difficult with so many people.

[shotapope]

Pre war...?

[baptizedinflame]

Yes. Though I suppose that would be a misnomer if you're from a different world altogether.

There was a great war many years ago that destroyed most of civilization. My tribe, the New Canaanites are the remains of a pre-war religious group in America.

[shotapope]

Th-that sounds a lot like A-Armageddon. S-something like that happened a l-long long time ago.

[baptizedinflame]

This was destruction caused by man. And a great many nuclear devices.