Chapter 21: A Roman Holiday

[Kasper Schultz]

Kasper was just about to give up hope of finding a river, when he heard a voice. He turned around quickly and saw a beautiful girl. The light was pretty bright, so it was hard for him to make out her features, but to him, she looked like an angel. He slapped himself in the face twice...and then a third time...
"I must be so dehydrated I'm seeing things." Kasper says to himself. He shakes his head but the girl is still there. His face turns a little red, since he is shy around any female..of most any sort.

"Hi, are you real, or are you my imagination?" He calls out to her. He takes a few steps towards her, but is cautious, since it could just be a hallucination, which in that case, it could really be a bear or some other danger.

[Momo Kurokawa]

"You underestimate me and the power of my machines, but, I will still hear you out." Momo replies to Anthony, feeling upset by the fact that he says her machines won't be good enough. What does he know anyway?

"I don't think you should be so open about the research. If it is what you say it is, people will try to stop you." Momo warns. "I will think about your research and how it might be implemented with my own designs, but, I have some plans of my own already."

"What would you do with the god like creatures ...if you can create some that don't die?" She asks him. She wonders if they are being listened in on. It makes her feel a little paranoid. Certainly the Manalists wouldn't like something that challenges Father Manala.

[Hilja Kukkanen/Sasha Pisarev]

To Frieda

I get a little bored sitting downstairs, so I decide to explore Bonifaz's home. I look around, poking into rooms and just...snooping a little. If anyone asks, I will say I was looking for the bathroom.

After searching the downstairs, I head upstairs and see some bedrooms. A few of the rooms are locked, but, I open one and see a young woman inside.

"Oopps, I'm sorry, I was just looking for the restroom.." I say quickly.

[Dinari Dollar]

To Max, Bambi, Calithin

Dinari takes a moment to text Max and tell him that he is right outside the Highest Temple in Rome with the crowd of people. He is close to a stage where people are giving testimonies.

When Bambi steps off the stage after giving her testimony, Dinari gives her a thumbs up.

"Hey good job! It takes a lot of courage to go up and talk to all those people." He says to her in encouragement. "Don't you think she did a good job, Calithin?"

[Akira 69]

Akira was about to scold Ceph something terrible after he had reattatched his head, but was cut off by Ophelia who started to yell at him for no apparent reason; Akira didn't see what the big deal was. Was it that he had to break the door just to enter? Wait- was this her shop? Akira didn't know! He had assumed she just worked here otherwise he would have taken greater care in entering- women were so touchy about messes.

"You know you're beautiful when you're angry?" Akira asked sweetly, not faltering. "Look! I clean u-u-up mess- bzzt!" Akira added with a stutter and a jolt as his hands drew into his wrists, a dust pan and a brush popping out in their place as Akira bent down and sweeped up all of the glass on the ground. After the dust pan was full, Akira dumped the contents into his own mouth which triggered a series of machine-like noises until his chest seemed to unlatch and popped open like a cabinet.

Inside his chest was what looked like a very beautiful glass vase which he removed and offered Ophelia to make amends.

[Jack Kruschev]

"I don't underestimate the power of your machines," Anthony replies. "However, Jumala's most recent actions with the tsunami thing is outrageous and unforgivable. He needs to be taken down.

Now, I don't particularly care about sharing information with you," Anthony replied as he sat down. "Just know that if you ever even think about the possibility of attacking Genetech or me directly, we've got plagues and infections and viruses specifically designed from rusting mechas to killing organisms, such as yourself."

After threatening Momo, Anthony walks over to his computer and sits down. Bringing up a picture of a small child, Anthony said, "This was our first God-like creature. It survived 2 days and 14 hours. The next few gradually lived longer and longer until we had them living for 9 days, at which point we failed to make then any better.

"A few months ago, we canceled the entire project. When we recovered the few hairs from one of your mechas, we, mostly I, started the project again."

[Calithin Crest]

I nod my head in agreement and give Bambi a thumbs up.

"Yep. Dinari is right. That was pretty ballin'. And it's good that you like your job! I love banks. Mmmm banks. Banks are like... Ice cream. Like a day job is the meal, and then for desert you go to the bank afterward! If I had more than one life to lead, I would be a banker in one of my lives. Definitely."

[Bonifaz Artz-Lehrer]

"Yes, that is why we had the disease in the first place...that we were working on a vaccine." Bonifaz replies to Archer. "We have it in a shot and in a nasal spray. Heikki, go back to the main lab and pick up the nasal spray, since then we can ....spray it at my sister or something and it is a little less obvious than a shot. It is about 70% effective but takes about 2 days to become effective." Bonifaz explains about the vaccine. "I guess...we will just have to keep the socialists around until we can vaccinate ourselves and it kicks in. That shouldn't be a problem. We should infect them on the day they plan to leave." Bonifaz explains to Archer and Heikki. He had thought of the vaccine before, but, figured since it took some time to work and that it wasn't completely effective, that it might be easier to leave. However, the vaccination plan does seem easier and he is glad that Archer suggested.
"I think it will be easier to vaccinate ourselves than to leave or worry about what to do with Frieda...or how not to infect ourselves."

[Master Scrag]

Following the hour of testimonies, The Master takes the stage, addressing the crowd for the last time that day. However, there were still several days left of Holy Week so he would appear other times. Normally, he did not meet with the public so much, but the week was special and he was starting to enjoy the more public role.

After the last testimony, he takes the stage.

"That is the end of the formal events for today. However, there will be a concert and street dance starting in one hour....so that you can listen to pro Manalist music in a drug and alcohol free environment. However, there will be red leaf vendors on the street so that you, everyday people, can once again partake in the plant that is sacred to Father Manala." The Master explains.

"There is also a carnival, with rides and games....it was designed and is operated by our very own tormentor at the Temple of Terror, The Red Jester. The carnival will be a nightly event this week."

Scrag makes a few more announcements, then says goodnight to the crowd. He leaves the stage and re-enters the Highest Temple.

[Heikki Toivonen]

"Fine...I will go pick up...the Flu Nasal spray." Heikki replies to Bonifaz. He moves away from the laundry machine and repeats the word, Flu Spray, in his mind a few times, even though it shouldn't be too hard to remember. It is just that one item.

He leaves Archer and Bonifaz and once again, sets off to the main lab in Munich to pick up what is needed. However, this time, instead of enjoying the leisurely walk into the city, he decides to use a teleportation booth to speed things up. Only three socialists are staying at the house, but, at least they can infect some of them. Who knows, maybe they will spread it to other comrades as well.

[Kith Keitoleinen]

"I like that idea, though, I have never been much of a sun or beach person. Oh well, I will try something new. We should take a teleportation booth to the location we want to go. My suggestion would be Cuba, since I've been there before and thought it had nice beaches, but I am open to other places as well." Kith suggests to Linnea. They leave Sota's office in Helsinki together and see that there are crews busy at work cleaning up the damage in the streets and hauling off the mechas. Kith isn't even sure where the mechas will be taken. Perhaps they could be remodelled by Sota, but he doubts that is what will happen to them.
Things are starting to look a little more normal in Helsinki, but there is still a long way to go.

[Émilie LaFramboise]

Émilie blink a few times as he smacks himself, a little confused. However, her sensitive ears pick up what the man says to himself despite the distance, another reason she enjoyed having her ears unmorphed. Was he lost? That'd explain the clothing and why he'd be dehydrated. She grows worried for the man, but becomes distracted by his question.

"Your imagination?" She giggled, skipping over the distance left between them. "Do you often imagine about meeting strange women in the forest?" She questions before wondering how to prove to him she's real. As she ponders, she takes the time to examine him over at a more close range. He looked unique, most of the men she'd ever seen had been beautiful and rich or ugly and poor.

She found him adorable for some reason, cute but not particularly handsome. His voice was also endearing in a funny way. She giggles again, a little giddy from being around a male and being in the forest. Besides, there was no way he'd know who she really was. It was nice to be herself. "Well, I don't think your imagination could take your glasses." With that, she plucks them from his face, skipping back out of his reach while she tried them on.

"Oh wow, they make everything blurry." She giggles again, she'd never tried glasses on. "Oh! That's right! Are you lost or something?" She gives him his glasses back. "I'll help you find a river." She speaks a little rushed, not giving him much time to answer. "Be quiet for a moment." She closes her eyes and puts her hands behind her ears, listening for the flow of water. "Got it!"

She exclaims when she hears some, grabbing his hand and practically dragging him toward the river she had heard. "Dehydration is very bad for you, you should be more careful to always bring water with you. You could've fainted or even died from it if you were lost and never found a water source." She states, not wanting to scare him but educate him if he didn't know.

[Bambi Engel]

"Oh, Dinari!" Bambi says, a little surprised as she changes her way to reach Calithin and him. She hadn't seen either in a while, but she found they were fairly nice people. It was rather refreshing to see them. "Thanks..." She says a little shyly, laughing nervously at their compliments. She listens to Calithin's statement and laughs softly, but a bit more naturally.

"I'd enjoy seeing the bank you'd work at." She replies honestly, thinking on his 'ice cream' metaphor. It was out there, but she found it worked pretty well the way he explained it.

[Linnea Korpela]

"Cuba sounds great," Linnea smiled. "After all I suggested the beach. We can't make it just where I want to go."
Linnea had never been a selfish person, and would always put others before her. Even in dangerous situations where her life could be at stake.
Looking around she sighed, even though she helped she didn't want anything to do with the mess. But she would, most likely Keito would make her start the major reconstruction and clean up.

[Frieda Artz Lehrer]

Frieda heard someone walking around in the hallway but she assumed that it was her brother. Turning back to her computer she contined to work on her assignment. But suddenly her door opened and it startled her.
"Oh, the bathroom is down the hallway the second room to the left," Frieda tried to smile, but her heart was still beating fast. The woman standing her the doorway looked familar.
"Are you a socialist?" Frieda blurted, she then realized that she was being rude and her face turned a dark red.
"Sorry," she said in a low voice as she turned hear head back to the computer.