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CHAPTER START---
"Wow," Horizon mutters in genuine awe, staring up at the twenty-meter-high ceilings. Marble floor, massive tiles lined with gold and platinum that lead up the wall and to the ceilings.
A massive mural of angels bringing divine light down from the heavens as if they were here to save him.
He walks carefully behind the Pope's valet, taking in every possible detail, within the inner halls of the Pope's personal atrium where he holds worship.
"This sight never gets old," the valet says, an older gentleman with greying hair on his head. "Always so breathtaking."
"Wealth without bound," Horizon says, wearing a brand new three-piece suit. White with a blue undershirt and black vest, the jacket draped along his shoulders without his arms being in the sleeves. Attached to his shoulder themselves so they don't fall.
The sound of his steps faintly travels down the halls as he carries his medical bag at his side.
"So this is what 2500 years of willing and unwilling collection from the masses will get you. I. Am. Impressed," he nods along.
The valet casts an insulted glance back at Horizon, "this is what the faith of true believers gets you, doctor."
"Right, the Vatican is filled with gold because of faith, sure..." Horizon shakes his head and silently follows behind the man.
After a long and silent walk, they finally arrive at the sacred inner chamber of the pope.
Opening the doors the Valet leads him into the massive chambers, lined with purple and gold silk. Each fixture appeared as if it would cost a small fortune, because it certainly would.
The valet leads him to the bedside, and Pope Valentine greets him with a strained smile. His once vibrant complexion was now ashy and worn out. Skin hanging off his frame clearly showing all the weight he lost.
"Pope Valentine," Law greets the man in perfect Italian, his father's native language.
The pope looked somewhat surprised at this, "doctor Horizon," he nods weakly. "Thank you for coming."
Horizon turns to the valet, "you can go now everything from here is strictly between my patient and myself."
The valet looks from Horizon to the pope, and receives a nod. "I'll be outside sir," he nods and exits the room.
As the door shuts behind him Law immediately opens a ROOM, a hundred meters in every direction around him he scans for cameras and recorders of any kind, finding none within the private chambers, but a group of guards moving to take positions outside.
"Wow, lots of guards, not surprising," Horizon says as he moves to get a chair, placing it at pope Valentine's bedside. "So, you read the special contract?" he asks casually.
"You, are not what I expected," Valentine says. "I always heard you were so, strict."
"Normally, yeah," Horizon shrugs, "but I find this funny."
"You think my state, funny?" Valentine asks, not sure what he should be feeling, deciding to settle on confusion.
"No, god no...oh, sorry," he says to the POPE. "But I do think it's a bit ironic, you spend your life worshiping god and he puts a tumor in on your brainstem. And suddenly you, the man touted to have the most powerful healing Quirk of all time, is helpless, and dying."
"I fail to see how my state is amusing to you," the pope says calmly.
"Right, well, the custom contract I made for you says you get charged an absurd amount, which you've already paid -thank you for that by the way- and I get to take a picture with you when the operation is done and tell the world I saved your life. And you never get to tell anyone or thing what happened in here, right?"
"Right," the Pope nods.
"So, pope Valentine, what did you do for that miserable cunt in the sky to put a tumor in your skull?" Horizon asks. "I mean, normally he reserves his petty anger for the weak and helpless, he loves watching kids die, but you, his most devoted slave, why?"
Valentine takes a deep breath as it all begins to fit together, "I see, you're a non-believer."
"Eh," Horizon shrugs. "Even if I did believe, anyone can tell your church is a business, and besides, you should be thanking that asshole in the sky I don't believe in him, if I did, I would have let him have his way and just leave you to die."
Pope Valentine's face twitches, rage clashing with serenity. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, focusing his thoughts, "what exactly is your point doctor, I do hope you intend to keep your end of the bargain up."
Horizon chuckles, "oh don't worry I'll still save you, I never break my word. I just wanted you to know, you worship a vengeful petty bitch in the sky that turned around and put a tumor in your skull, and I'm the only one that can save you. I should be the one you convince billions of people to pray to so you can rob them. I...am the closest, you will ever get, to meet a god. I am your only hope of salvation, me, Horizon... I'm the only god you have..." his cold slightly mechanical voice says, sending a shiver down the pope's spine.
"Y-you..." the man mutters in disbelief and horror. "You're a monster," he says in a quiet voice, all the authority he'd grown used to speaking with now gone.
"No," Horizon stands up and opens his medical bag. "I'm a god, but of course you'd think I'm a monster, you've never been this close to one before..."
---20 Minutes Later...
"Hngh," pope Valentine opens his eyes, feeling sleepy. Not weary and tired like his illness had caused, but simply sleepy. "What?"
"Finally awake huh," Horizon says, already back in his chair beside the pope.
"How long was I asleep?" the pope asks, not even realizing that he'd instinctively moved to sit up against his backboard.
"Twenty minutes," Horizon shrugs.
"Twenty minutes? But,the cancer?"
"Gone," he points to the bedside table, the pope turns and freezes at what he sees, a small grape-sized ball of flesh in a cup. "Your god's gift to you, perfectly preserved," he shakes his head.
The pope stares at the tumor for a few minutes in complete silence, and as he does his body slightly glows as it bulks up to his regular body mass, no longer looking shriveled up. Now much more rotund. The power of the greatest healing Quirk ever, although the growls coming from pope Valentine's stomach were another story.
"Well, that didn't take long," Horizon chuckles. "Time for our picture, don't worry my account is private until I'm ready to go public."
The pope recedes into his mind as the next events happen. Lost in thought as Horizon guides him to stand for a few pictures, completely zoning out and not listening to the doctor.
"What was that?" the pope finally asks, snapping out of his daze.
"I said my job here is done, contract complete, I'm leaving."
"And if a new tumor emerges?" Valentine asks.
Horizon shrugs, "the contract only covers one, I had to charge you more than anyone else for...moral reasons. The risk of undoing your god's work after all," he chuckles.
The pope sighs, already knowing it was no use engaging in this nonsense. "I understand, but may I ask one question?"
"Of course," Horizon says.
"Why did you never ask if I believe?"
"That's actually quite simple," he chuckles. "Why would I ever give a fuck about what you think, I just find this whole situation hilarious."
"Really?"
"Yeah, and, I already know there is a god... I'm right here," he shrugs.
The pope is once again shocked by the arrogance of one man, "you wish to become a god, is that your goal?"
"No, that is what I am... but what I will become, is a hero."
"Hero...wait a moment, you're a child?"
Horizon raises a finger to his visor in a shushing motion, "that's a surprise for when I go public, let's keep that between the three of us," he points upward, at heaven.
The pope sighs and pats his shoulder, "son, I shall pray for you, for you to become a good person, and a hero."
Horizon brushes his hand aside, "I'm perfect, and your prayers are useless, if they could work...you wouldn't have needed me, save them for the sheep that follow you," he turns on his heel and begins walking away.
As Horizon is walking away the pope only shakes his head and frowns, horizon waves back. "The next miracle I sell you costs double Valentine! And maybe consider putting a mural of me on one of these walls, it'd look better..." he says before exiting the room.
As he leaves the pope makes the sign of the cross and says a not-so-short prayer, a futile effort to humble the ego of a walking miracle...
END CHAPTER---
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