Obama and the battle for the Obamaprism: The Rise of Reagan

Side Chapter 3 - A Thieving Pope Plans an Extermination

"It appears those three have defeated the Queen," a pale, white-robed man states, conversing casually with a darker-skinned man dressed in a black tuxedo.

"Next, they'll be moving on to the 'Rock', yes?"

"They would be, if there was such a thing."

"Ah, so it really was you."

"I thought that it was quite obvious, to be honest. Anybody who truly wished to uncover the Rock's identity should have easily done so by now."

"You underestimate your skills, Francis. Even I, holding an equal stance to you among the Church, was not entirely sure of the Rock's identity."

"I suppose that could be true, if I managed to even fool you. However, it is best that one avoids overconfidence. You can never guess what can happen, especially with how many evils there exist out there."

"That is true. That organisation in particular is one that cannot be underestimated."

"Their influence is everywhere you look. It only takes a small amount of research to find evidence of them in even trivial matters such as that Reagan fellow."

"You're one of the only people who can call Reagan's rise to power 'trivial'. The Democrats are sending some of their most valuable members to topple that guy."

"If they can't even manage to cut down that puppet who thinks himself a puppeteer, then they aren't very valuable, are they?"

"Come on, you can't just call the son of the founder disposable."

"Even if he is the offspring of a man as great as the founder, should he prove himself useless I shall treat him as such. Of course, I don't doubt that he has value. That Obama possesses immense potential -- if his power is raised properly he may eventually stand on equal ground with myself, perhaps even surpassing me."

"Hmm... for you to call him by name, you truly are fond of that child, then?"

"Perhaps I am. Unfortunately, I cannot offer Obama much open assistance until that organisation plays their hand."

"Do you think that they're behind all this?"

"There are not many groups who are capable of performing such a task, and none could leave behind so little evidence as to who was behind the strings -- which, ironically enough, places them as the only suspects."

"Those scoundrels really are the only ones who have the confidence to go up against the Church."

"As much as it pains me to say so, their confidence is not unfounded."

"Ah. To even befuddle you, how competent must they be?"

"Although every member of that group is dangerous to some extent, there are only two members that we must be truly wary of."

"Two? I know of their leader, yes, but who would be the second one?"

"The unsealed evil seems to have joined them."

"It's managed to join their ranks? I'd have thought it would still be rampaging mindlessly."

"If that was the case, we would have subdued it long ago. It is actually because of that thing's intellect that their group has managed to spread their roots so far."

"Really? How far do you think their influence spreads?"
"They've thoroughly infested both governments, and though their influence is more obvious in Vietnam's Republican half than its Democratic side they're likely capable of taking down both quite easily. One of the more dangerous figures they've recruited to their side is that Gang Lord, Gandhi."

"He's quite the crafty one, isn't he?"

"Not crafty enough. I've all but confirmed his ties with that organisation -- in fact, I would have taken him out already had he been competent enough to pose a threat."

"Hm... didn't you say he was dangerous?"

"More dangerous than Reagan, perhaps, but he certainly isn't that valuable to that organisation. His prophecies are vague, and they can likely deduct more important and pressing futures through simple analysis. More importantly, if I were to play my hand and take out Ghandi, the organisation would most likely respond. Most of their members aren't all that intelligent, sure, but they're more than capable of battle. It would waste time and resources that would be better spent elsewhere."

"I see. Is that why you're planning only to strike when the opportunity presents itself?"

"Yes, although it may take a little... prodding to make sure that opportunity arises."

"I thought you couldn't interfere?"

"It would be foolish to directly offer my aid to Obama, but that doesn't mean I can't make a deal or two from the sidelines. For example, if a lone bartender indebted to Obama's dear tutor decided to conveniently offer his aid to a comrade in their time of need, who would stop them? My involvement is merely circumstantial."

"You sneak. You always find ways to help people, roundabout as they may be."

"It is necessary. Besides, I will only offer my assistance to that group should they prove themselves worthy of it."

"You plan to test them directly? You just said that you couldn't directly interfere!"

"As if I would directly confront them! Knowing the nature of my Gait and that of Reagan, it would be far from implausible for him to dominate a few of me and force them to confront that child."

"Knowing the nature of your Gait, that would be impossible."

"Nonsense!"

The robed man walks away from the well-dressed one, slowly making his way towards the gaudy building's exit.

"You know, I wasn't always the 'Rock'. The original simply handed the position over to me after a bit of... gentle persuasion."

"I'm smart enough to find out at least that much. Dwayne Johnson, huh... when faced with your 'gentle persuasion', I guess that even the toughest of boulders will shatter."

"There's no need to put it so roughly, I only chipped away at him a little."

"He's still in the hospital, Francis."

The robed man laughs, waving goodbye as he reaches the door.

"I should get going now. I do actually have a job, you know."

"Yeah yeah, I know. You aren't the pope for nothing, huh?"

The well-dressed man watches as Pope Francis of the Divine Church of Bob Ross exits the room, closing its door behind him.