Chapter 22: When In Rome

[Salome Weil]

The Flesh Monger leaves and I am cleaned up by the guard and given some new clothes. They want me to look good and presentable for the gladiator fight tomorrow. I am actually given a tunic and sandals to wear, with gold looking bracelets. I look like...someone from ancient Rome. It is a little strange...to be given these garments, but perhaps it is for theatrical effect. I am told that I will probably be pit against an animal first, since the first part will feature fighter versus animals. I feel uncomfortable about this since I don't want some poor animal to die, but then again, I don't want to get hurt either.
When I am brought back to my cell, I think about what sort of animal I will be set to fight against.

[Lucio De Saldanha]

Lucio's skin breaks out into boils on his arms, shoulders, and chest. It happens so suddenly that he isn't sure how to even react to it. Everything is just so shocking and strange that ..the only thing he can think to do is laugh. So...he laughs. He just bursts out laughing.
"I wonder why they call them boils? I don't feel like I'm boiling..." He laughs.

He laughs long after the Flesh Monger is gone. After a while, he is visited by a guard and informed that he will fight tomorrow in the gladiator fight, but, the words don't mean much to him.

[Jumala Keitoleinen]

Keitoleinen tells Lonrott to meet with his workers individually to make sure tht they are doing well and do not have PTSD. He tells them that he will check back with Lon about a week, giving him enough time to meet with the workers. He does not tell Lon that he plans on firing the employees that are showing signs of mental distress because of the attack on Helsinki.

After his meeting with Lon, Keitoleinen finally heads to Holy Week in Rome. He figures he doesn't want to miss the gladiator fights, which should be going on soon, so, he teleports to Rome to at least catch that.

When he arrives, he finds that a concert is still going on. He is somewhat relieved that he didn't miss out on the fights, but he was never one for music.

[Armin Lehrer]

Armin heads to Allwhere Florida and begins his work meeting with Allmart employees. It isn't easy, but he feels some relief in that Dinari Dollar is in Rome along with other key Allmart bosses. Armin begins by going to an Allmart store to start asking about Allmart factories and where the blimps are being built. He talks to the workers like he is a curious customer who supports Allmart and the Eyes of God. Many of the employees don't know where the blimps are being made and some don't even know about the Eyes of God. However, after talking to a few workers, he is told of some factories that might be working on the blimps.

Since one of them is in Allwhere, he decides to head to that factory first. He leaves the store and walks to the factory. When he arrives, he finds that it is gated and there is tight security. He waits outside, unsure how he will enter.

[Hilja Kukkanen/Sasha Pisarev]

When I leave the Nihilist house in Germany, I head to London. I think my job s going to be harder than his, since I think there is easier access to Allmart factories and workers than to M TV ones. I start the day by taking a tour of M TV stations with a tour group. By pretending to be a tourist, I learn more about the different buildings and what not. Most of the tour focuses on the broadcast aspect of the company, although it also has studios for making movies, a radio station, and a newspaper. None of these are what I am looking for though. At the end of the tour, I ask where the broadcast equiptment and sattelites are produced. The tour guide doesn't even know. I guess I will just have to ask one of the M TV workers. I get off the tour bus at one of the studios and try to figure out who I will ask and how I will explain the asking...

[Émilie LaFramboise]

Hoping Kasper was ready, she changes her direction toward the forest exit. The thinning trees dampen the fact she was able to move more swiftly through the forest. More than likely, the spider was gaining speed with the widening of space. It didn't appear to like the sun much, purposely altering its route to avoid the brightest patches. She spots end of the forest a few feet which sends her hope soaring.

Seeming to know it would lose its prey if it did nothing, the spider took one last shot toward the nimble nymph. Shooting one of its front legs out, it catches on the tail of her dress. Her dress tears but not all the way, causing her body to jolt and fall backward. She screeches as the spider's fangs shot out toward her. Giving a mad tug at her dress, the fabric gives just in time to send her tumbling the opposite way.

The fangs catch her thigh, sinking into the flesh greedily. Hot pain shots up from the area. Reacting on a will to survive, she plows the last stick she was holding into one of the spider's eyes. It screeches as she had previously- fangs sliding from her thigh. She covers the distance to the end of the forest in seconds. Émilie didn't even feel the urge to glance back, her only goal was the treeless area ahead.

Charging out of the forest, she continues at full speed for only a few seconds more before the pain in her leg catches up with her. She gasps and falls. With the pain came a strange sensation. Idly, she wondered if spider venom could kill a nymph. It was effecting her in some way, at least.

[Kasper Schultz]

Kasper watches the forest eagerly and finally he sees Em run out, but, her leg is hurt. He gets off the bicycle and runs up to her, not thinking about the spider. Anyway, they are out in the open near the road. Kasper has some water from his water bottle, but it is all he has for the trip today. He notices the bite on her leg and puts some water on it, to wash it off a little. He assumes it is a bite from the spider.
"How are you...does it hurt badly? How are you feeling right now?" He asks her. He wonders if the bite is poisonous, or what kind of poison it is.

[Émilie LaFramboise]

"Thank you..." Émilie says between breaths as she spares a little water for the bite. She was not near as fit as Kasper was. Ripping the already torn fabric near the bottom of her dress, she ties the fabric around her thigh. "I'll live, we should get..." As she looks up, she notices everything appears a little brighter than before. In particular, Kasper stands out. "You know, you're so cute- I've never met someone like you."

She says, almost dreamily. Her body felt hot. Had he done something different? He looked a lot cuter than yesterday. He was so fit, too- She blinks and shakes her head, realizing with horror what was happening. Was the venom effecting her nymph urges? She clears her throat and looks away. "We really should get going and try to reach town as soon as possible. Even if there was poison in the bite, there's little we can do out here."

It'd never felt exactly like this. How was she going to make it to town sitting behind him? She'd spent years learning control over her urges- they had never been like this except the first time she had ran into a male. She wobbly stands, focusing on reaching the bike. "Please." She adds, stressing the word.

[Calithin Crest]

"This is okay. But... I can listen to music anytime. I want to see the fights! I'm excited for that. I think the concept of gladiators is pretty interesting and very historically significant. I'm especially excited to see the people versus the animals. I like seeing man triumph over beast. Plus... I just don't care about the well-being of animals."

Or... People really, for that matter.

"I think we should make a bet."

This I say to the general group. Betting always makes things more interesting... A philosophy that has gotten me into trouble on more than one occasion...

"Whoever wants to bet that the people will win can do so, and whoever wants to bet on the animals can do so. Then at the end the winners can ask the losers to do whatever they want! Nothing ridiculously extravagant of course, but still. Something entertaining. Doesn't that sound like fun everyone? What do you guys say?"

[Kasper Schultz]

Kasper's ears turn beet red when Em says that he's cute.
No one has ever told him that before. He thought that he looked skinny and that his glasses were too thick and that his clothes were not fashionable. He felt red in the face and started to blush there too. But, he didn't want to dwell on it. He ran back to his bicycle, almost tripping on a log before getting on the bike. He scooted up the banana seat, making room for her behind him. Then, as soon as she was on, he started peddling. He knew it would take a few hours to get to the town, and he hoped that this girl...the only one who ever said he was cute...would not die or become delusional from the poison. He pedaled hard and fast, focusing on the trip ahead. After a while though, he decided that he would try to talk. If they kept talking, it might keep her alert.
"So...this was a big adventure...my friends will never believe all that I've done. They'll probably think I just imagined you." Kasper says as he pedals.
The sun is still low in the sky, since it is still morning. It makes riding comfortable. There is also a light breeze.

[Master Scrag]

Finally, the concert ends after a few more music groups take the stage. The concert goes well into the night and afterwards, most people leave to go to their hotels or home for the night. Scrag was not at the concert, since he didn't care much for music and saw the whole thing as a waste of time. However, many people seemed to enjoy the music.

The next day, it is finally time for the fights to begin. People start heading to the Colosseum, where there are many red robed priests and followers. The high priests get the best front row seats, but certain business leaders are also able to sit up front.

For now, the fighting area is empty, but for some red robed people inspecting the scene. The Master himself gets special balcony seat, where he sits with some of his closest allies.

[Dinari Dollar]

After the concert, Dinari heads to his hotel, but he tells the others he will see them at the colloseum the next day. Morning arrives and Dinari watches M TV news in his hotel room as he gets ready for the day. The news is mostly covering holy week, but there is also a story on the reconstruction of Helsinki and Japan.

He turns off the TV and heads to the Colosseum. Since he is the head of Allmart, he gets a good seat in the front. He looks around but doesn't see any of his friends yet.

[Jumala Keitoleinen]

Keitoleinen sits through the concert and goes to a hotel for the night. The next morning, he heads to the Colosseum and sits a few seats away from Dinari Dollar. He is somewhat pleased with Holy Week. There was a carnival, concert, sacrifices, speeches...the whole thing has been enough to please any god. Really, he finds it all quite remarkable. The world to him, is in a nearly ideal state. The world worships one God...one violent, male, sexist, destructive, selfish God. Keitoleinen wonders how most people imagine this god. From what he gathers, many people envision him as an old man...a great old man. And where does he live? In their imagination, it is some place in the sky...a gated kingdom in the clouds. People are so ignorant, yet hopeful.

[Bonifaz Artz-Lehrer]

"I suppose its just a waiting game now." Bonifaz replies to Heikki. He leaves Heikki for the kitchen, where he glances at the paper, a thin, substanceless thing published by M TV. It's mostly just advertisements. Bonifaz makes himself some toast, which he spreads with strawberry jam. Food like that, as simple as it is, is often unavailable to everyday people due to the price.

Bonifaz takes a few bites before calling the main lab in Munich and ordering that more vaccinations for Cat Flu are produced. He imagines that there will be a spike in demand in the upcoming weeks.

[Armin Lehrer]

Armin talks to some workers outside the factory, since it seems that he won't be able to get inside. Many of them speak Spanish to his surprise. He thought that everyone in the world spoke English. Was he naive to believe what the Manalists had said? He did his best to try to speak with them, but he wished that Freakboy was here, since he might be a little more helpful in the situation.
After some explaining, someone lends him an extra work uniform...a key to getting inside the factory.

Armin puts on the blue-gray uniform with a small smiley face over the chest pocket. It also has the embroidered name "Jesus" so, for today, he is going to be Jesus, even though he doesn't look hispanic and doesn't even speak a word of Spanish beyond, Hola, or uno, dos, tres.

The guard does not even check his ID and he passes inside the factory without much notice.