The library was spacious and airy, with large windows across one wall, and bookshelves lining the rest. 3 Sets of smaller chairs and tables were pushed together to form a dining table. The arrangement felt very informal, and Anna wondered why they were dining in the Pope's private library, opposed to an actual dining room.

"I find this space far more...meditative," the Pope said, as if he could read her mind. "Please, take a seat."

Amari sat opposite the Pope, and Anna took a seat on her left side, with Aisha on her right. The combined tables made an oval shape. The twins seated on either side of the Pope, and Ralfie sat next to Amari.

Amari was the first to speak. "Well, Your Holiness," she said, her voice mildly sarcastic. "We weren't told much about this...lunch. Is there something in particular you wanted to discuss?"

The Pope waved his hand. "Please, call me John," he said. "We can be informal, here. After all, you 6 have been far closer to God than I ever have," he continued. Anna smiled at that, as if it was a joke, but realised he was serious. She wiped her smile off her face and tried to maintain a neutral expression.

"I wanted to speak to you to satisfy my own curiosity, in a way, and to know how you feel - after all, times are changing," he said, gesturing outside. Though you couldn't see it from here, everyone knew what he referred to - to the group of protesters outside, to the larger discontentments around those who have been possessed (and by a few of the possessed themselves). "I'm not sure how aware you are of people's...dissatisfactions," he continued, "but I am eager to hear your thoughts on the matter, as our new generation of the blessed."

Amari and Anna glanced at each other. Anna didn't know much about this - about why people were unhappy. She knew why *she* was unhappy, but that was because of, well, personal reasons. That didn't mean *everyone* had an overbearing, church-going mother and a stranger for a father, or was everyone harbouring their own familial trauma, and expressing it in the same way?

Anna glanced at the twins - Ichiro looked deeply uncomfortable, and Kai nodded aggressively with what the Pope - John - was saying. *Dude, chill,* Anna thought. His eagerness was a little cringey.

John picked up on it, and responded accordingly. He turned his attention to the twins. "Kai, I'm eager to know what you think - I know things are different for you and your family back home. How has it been, adapting to this change?"

Kai looked hesitant now, realising that all eyes were on him. "Well," he started, and Anna was surprised by how soft and high-pitched his voice was. He looked young, but sounded a lot younger. "It's been hard, sometimes," he continued. "Appa - our dad - wants us to stop. We had a demonstration a few days ago, at our local church. Someone was suffering from a..." he blushed here, " venereal disease, and wasn't responding to any of the treatment. The doctors were mystified, and the people in his community saw that as a sign from God. He asked Ichiro - " here, Kai gestured to Ichiro (for some reason, as though he was talking to a crowd and not a table of 7), and Ichiro looked up, a little shy himself. "Ichiro said there was nothing he could do." At this, Ichiro shook his head, as if this was a routine the two had played out before. "The man got angry," Kai continued, "and one day, he came home. Appa chased him away, but he came to our church, next, and kept yelling at us for 'forsaking him', even though he was a God-fearing citizen like the rest of us."

Kai hesitated, and continued when John put a reassuring hand on his. "Well, a few days later, he brought a group of his friends with him - people who thought he was suffering unnecessarily, and thought we could help cure him, or that our prayers mattered more."

"It is difficult to tell others that they didn't," Ichiro said, his voice above a whisper. He looked...sad, somehow, upset that he couldn't help that man.

"That night was when things got ugly," Kai continued. "The man was angry, and it felt like they were looking for a fight. Appa told us to stay indoors and he'd speak to them outside. He tried to have a calm conversation but it devolved into yelling pretty quickly, and one of the members punched him." Anna was shocked, and Amari's eyes widened. The others were quiet. "Amma called the police immediately, and the group ran away pretty quickly after one of them hit Appa, but even then..." Kai took a break. "He's fine, he was just bruised, but we were all shaken. Appa wanted us to stop preaching after that, and Amma agreed, but the pastor disagreed and told us that the community would protect us next time, and that we shouldn't be afraid. The day after that, wereceived your invite. Amma thought it would be good for us to attend, and so we came here," Kai said, sitting back. "She also thought it would be a good idea for us to leave town for a few days, too," Ichiro added.

Anna was surprised at this. She had her fair share of people upset at their circumstances in life, but most accepted that God works in mysterious ways - at least, that's all she was exposed to. She does remember her mother turning people away sometimes, and her father shutting the door on someone's face, but they always told her that they were impatient, unwilling to listen, and that they needed an adult's help, not Anna's. Anna wondered just how much her mom had protected her from, despite pushing her into the limelight on every occasion. It was a confusing feeling.

Amari nodded along, responding to Kai's story. "A friend of ours is in a similar situation," she said, gesturing to Anna. She knew Amari meant Brian. "In fact, he's joined a protest group as well."

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Ralfie was surprised by that. "Really? And you're still friends with this person?" "Of course," Amari said. "Why wouldn't I be?" "Well," Ralfie replied. "These groups typically don't like us, or what we've gone through. Doesn't that mean he doesn't like you anymore?"

Amari shook her head. "Not at all, we're still friends," she said. "I know him, I know what he stands for, and blind hatred is not one of them."

"Please, tell me more," John said, staring at Amari with interest clearly marked on his face. He turned to Kai. "My boy, I am sorry you had to go through such a horrible experience, and I'm sorry you felt unable to help that man. Know that sometimes, things are out of your control, and it is solely up to God's Will."

He turned back to Amari. "Please, tell me what your friend thinks. I am curious to know. It is hard to get honest opinions here, in this ivory tower."

Amari shifted in her seat. She didn't want to reveal Brian's name, or that he was a 'blessed' either, that would make the conversation too real for this ragtag group, anyway. She did want to share his principles and his beliefs, if not his personal identity.

She thought about the best way to frame it.

"Well," she said slowly, considering her next words. "I know my friend feels powerless - because people expect him to be perfect, or grant their desires, or be morally superior, and he isn't. He tells me about people asking him to pray for their loved ones, to cure their illnesses, and he knows he can't. What makes it worse was when he *could*, when he was a vassal, but not anymore. I know most of us don't remember their time as a vassal - I don't," she said. The others shook their heads, including Anna. In fact, she didn't remember the next week - all she remembered after the fact was waking up in a hospital bed, wounds healed, still slightly sore and tired, but otherwise well. "He explained that losing that ability, that control, is what partially drove him to join," she added.

John nods, encouraging her to continue. She pauses, and the pause lengthens while she considers what to say next. Anna admired her way to hold a crowd's attention while taking her time to think of what to say next - God knows Anna has blurted the wrong thing to those came to her, because she couldn't hold the silence as well.

"I also know he feels, well, guilty, about what happened while he was possessed. He remembers most of what happened, including what happened to those who got...caught in the crossfire," she continued.

Amari stopped, having revealed everything she wished to - for this moment, anyway. "That's all I can say," she said, her face slightly flushed. "I'm sure he has personal reasons that he wouldn't want me to discuss." John put his hands up, as if to indicate that he wasn't threatening. "Thank you for that, Amari. That was truly enlightening, and makes me re-think the pressure we place on the 'blessed' - on all of you," he gestured around the table.

"Please, enjoy the food," he said, and as if on cue, a staff of waiters enter the library, appetizers at hand - french onion soup, with a side of garlic bread, to start.

The conversation was subdued, and decidedly away from uncomfortable topics. The twins talked about their plans in Italy - it seemed they had made this trip a part of a longer holiday, and John was happy to share a few tips while touring around the country. Ralfie joined in, having visited Italy many times before, and had a list of restaurants the twins should visit while in Rome and Milan.

Aisha, Amari, and Anna discussed inane topics - the weather, any movies or TV shows they saw recently, and other safe spots of conversation - while enjoying a rich meal of duck, veal, and lamb, followed by slices of apple pie and peach cobbler, with vanilla ice cream. Amari and Anna were both wary of the others, unsure of how much they could share, and Anna felt the others' hesitation as well. It seems that Amari's words got them all thinking. John sensed this too, and suggested they move to a balcony for tea, once the waiters cleared the last ice-cream bowl away.

"The weather is too beautiful to ignore," he said, standing up. The others followed, with Anna trailing behind the group. He was right, the weather was lovely - the sun was shining, and the skies were clear. In the distance, Anna could faintly hear the chants of the group the cab had passed outside - it seemed that they were still going strong, hours later. Amari met her eyes, and it looked like Amari could hear them too.

"So, Anna," John said, placing his teacup down on the table. "What are your plans, now that you are here in the city? Or will you be returning home?"

"Well, I did book a hotel room for a few days, but I'm not sure if I have a real plan. I thought this would be a good time to take a break from everything, but I didn't think too hard about what I would do after this," she admitted, twirling her hair. It was something she did whenever she was nervous. "I think I'll take a tour around the city? I'll take my time soaking in the sights."

John perked up at that. " I'm glad you are staying here for the next few days! One of my assistants will give you a brochure of the things you must see, before you leave. I recommend you take a look at it, it's full of useful information about the city, and the best places to eat. Please, it would be my honour to provide you with this, if not a guide," John said, literally holding his hand to his heart. Anna put her arms up, and smiled nervously. "Please, it's not a bother at all. Thank you for the guide, but I'm sure I can find my own way around," she said. She looked at Amari with *help me* eyes, but Amari smiled and shook her head slightly. God damn it.

The conversation that followed mostly revolved around the city proper, and soon after, John stood up to bid them farewell, and invited them to the palace to return at any time. The group split into various cars as drivers took them to their respective hotels. As they were leaving the residency, the Pope gestured to Anna. "I know you'll be here for a few days, and I wanted to ask you if you would wish to return, at any time." He must have seen Anna's face, because he quickly added, "there is no rush, of course. If you ever find that you have the time to spare, please feel free to visit. We have some lovely art and architecture within these walls, and many tour guides to show you around. You are welcome, at any time."

And with that, the group dissolved, and Anna and Amari returned to the hotel.