Holy Ghost: Chapter 1

Maria had awoken from her deep slumber.

"Aye, today seems like a wonderful day, I must seize it! Hehe, sounds like something Grandpa would say..."

She stirred, but oddly enough, bumped into something. Under her covers was her older brother, Feliciano Vargas, dozing off. She smiled, kissed her brothers drool-drenched cheek, and went on the other side of the bed. To her surprise, she found yet another body! This time it was her other, more serious brother Lovino, deep in sleep.

"Even when he sleeps, he seems so pensive!"

She quietly went over her brothers and tiptoed out the door.

"Pleasant dreams, my brothers."

She closed the grand doors, leaving her brothers to dream.

----

Maria Constantina Vargas. That's what it said on the card the Vargas twins received so many years ago. It was like a present from God. Well, it WAS a present from God, as addressed in the gold-ordained letter. "Take good care of her. Love, God." It was strange. The brothers were devout Catholics, but this, they could not believe. A person sent by God? Impossible. Lovino was the first to doubt.

"What the- Okay, Feli, your pranks have gone far enough! This is ridiculous! Give this baby back to its parents!"

Lovino Vargas, known to the world as South Italy, always had trouble finding the right words to express what he was feeling at the moment. Most of the time, his words formed loud banter of irrationality. Even though he was the more outspoken of the brothers, he was no different from his twin Feliciano Vargas. He was just as gullible, and his dubious nature tended to get him into trouble, which in turn caused his build-up frustration to take a toll on him.

"Ve~ Fratello! I did nothing of the sort! Why will I steal a baby from her parents! I would never..."

Feliciano Vargas, or North Italy, was, in sorts, the "kinder" twin. His gentle personality and radiating admiration for others made him the more attractive of the identical brothers. Feliciano's love for everything bothers his brother. Yet, under that smile, hides pains he shares with his brother before they were unified as one nation. Most of the time, Feli's passive nature annoys Lovino.

"This is TOTALLY your handwriting Feliciano! Look!"
"But fratello, I don't know how to make those 'G's' like that in cursive..."
"Then who? How? When? Why? Why is it-"
"SHE, fratello! It's a she! And her name is Maria! She is our sorella! You must accept it!"

Feliciano picked up the baby from her present-like basket. Her downy red hair shined and her large green eyes glowed. She laughed a hearty laugh as Feliciano raised her up.

Lovino looked over grumpily at his brother, but his jaw dropped. With the jingle of her rosary, the snow-white lace of her dress, and her smile, he would've sworn she glowed in the sunlight of that faithful morning.

That baby, is she really the nation of God?

----

Maria scurried down the corridors, racing imaginary friends to the the kitchen within the great Papal Palace.

"I will cook my brothers a breakfast! Oh, won't they be excited!"

She turned a corner and fell on her bottom after bumping into someone large. She looked up, wincing at the slight pain she felt on her bum, to find His Holiness in front of her.

"Ah, Pope John Paul II, I'm sorry if I disturbed you, I-"

He gave a youthful laugh knowing his age and looked down at the young girl.

"My sweet child, I was once your age! Running to the kitchen, I suppose?"
"Yes, Father, to cook breakfast for my brothers."
"The Vargas brothers? They were always devout nations. You take good care of them, don't you?"
"Yes, I love them so much!"
"Love all, my love, love all, you know!"
"I know, Father! My love is not exclusive at all!"

A yawn was heard to her left.

"Ve~ Not exclusive? I'm sad, Mari! You don't love me!"
"Aiya! Fratello, you know I love you so much!"

She ran to Feliciano and he spun her in the air. The Pope smiled a large smile.

"Now, children, I think there is a breakfast that needs to be fixed!'"

North Italy and the Vatican City started walking with Pope John Paul towards the kitchen as the three laughed their way down the corridor.

----

Romano was groggy. He didn't sleep very well. Maria kicks in her sleep and Feliciano snores so loudly they can hear him all the way at St. Peter's Basilica. He and his brother were sleeping over for a week at their sister's place. It had been a long time since they visited, so it was a date long overdue. He remembers her excited voice over the phone the week before.

" 'Ello? Maria?"
"Romano! I love you! How are you?"
"Uh, fine, I guess. I wanted to tell you that me and Feli are coming over this weekend to spend a week with you. It's been a long time since we've been in the Palace and-"
"OH MY GOSH YOU'RE COMING? YOU'RE REALLY COMING! Oh, all the things we can do! We can go on walks, enjoy siestas together, invite friends for dinner, yes! When was the last time you came over? When? I don't remember! Yes! I love you! Tell Feli I love him too! Bye!"

And there was the dial tone.

Romano sighed. His sister was always the hyper one between the three of them. He chuckled at his little sister's antics.

She said she didn't remember the last time they visited. He vividly remembers why they stopped going. Feliciano probably does, too. But he wouldn't tell her.

Those memories are so buried deep, there's no reason to dig them out now.