Maria-sama Ga Miteru:Volume17 Chapter 6 2

Resounding! Leaning! Melting?! Part 2

After about one hour's train ride from Santa Maria Maggiore station, they arrived at the central Pisa station.

It was around 1 p.m., so they stopped in at a fast food restaurant by the station to fill their stomachs.

It felt like the famous hamburger chain was all over the world. These young Japanese people nowadays. They ate burgers and fries while exchanging cries of "ah, nostalgic." Hm. Well, things were rather americanized.

The bus leaves from the front of the station. Since the bus does not accept cash, you have to purchase tickets ahead of time from the tobacco shop. Right after you get on, you put the ticket into a machine that stamps it with a "ka-chunk." This is the same as the railroad.

The entire class was able to board a single bus, either because they had already eaten lunch when the train arrived and thus avoided the crowd, or because they got there just after the earlier bus had left.

Jostled by the bus for around 10 minutes. They arrived in front of the Duomo piazza, where there was the leaning tower.

As they got off the bus, the second-year Pine class all exclaimed simultaneously:

"Oh wow, it really is leaning!"

Probably everyone who came here uttered the same words, but in different languages. "The tower is leaning."

Most of the people who visited this place already knew that the tower stood diagonally. Even still, after confirming the lean with their own eyes, the shock escaped their mouths. Really, how can it not collapse?

"I thought Pisa had just the leaning tower, but..."

"Right. How many other buildings can we see? Uh, wait a moment. Looks like there's the Duomo, baptistery, art museum."

Said a classmate who had pulled a guidebook from her bag. Pisa is a maritime kingdom from ancient Roman times.

Coming to the lawn side of the leaning tower, Katori-sensei stopped and looked back at the queue.

"Well then, it's free time from now until 3:30. I think you all know this, but don't miss it. If something happens, come to this area. Because I'll be strolling around here. Now then, the folks who wanted to climb the leaning tower, assemble at 1:45. And, dismissed."

With the sensei's hand clap as a signal, the Pine class all dispersed into groups. Tsutako-san took the first initiative with "over here". Yumi and friends followed.

After all, this was a "sightseeing spot" of sightseeing spots. Along the roadside were lines of souvenir shops, selling a jumble of Leaning Tower of Pisa ornaments, Leaning Tower of Pisa picture postcards, Leaning Tower of Pisa T-shirts, somewhat unrelated to Pisa Pinocchio puppets, neckties printed with masterpieces, and so on.

"Hey, do you think they got permission?"

Yoshino-san laughed, pointing at a T-shirt with a drawing of the most famous mouse character in the whole world propping up the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

"More than that, I'm trying to imagine a mouse giant enough to support that leaning tower."

Mami-san said quietly.

"..."

That would be a bit scary." No, not a bit. That would be quite scary. Which would be bigger, that or Godzilla?

"Let's take a picture here"

Tsutako-san stopped.

"I wanted to take a cliche photo after I got to Pisa. Yumi-san, collaborate with me."

"Sure, but how?"

She stood where she was told, and posed how she was told. Turned sideways, with both arms extended, one leg bent at the knee, she leaned forward. Like so.

"Yes, like that. Titled 'Rosa Chinensis en bouton, propping up the leaning tower by herself.'"

"It's definitely a cliche."

Mami-san interjected from the side.

"Cliche, but totally fine. There's no point in being embarrassed when taking photos that can only be taken here. Okay, strike the pose one more time so that I can fine-tune it."

"Sure, sure."

After that, Tsutako-san had Yoshino-san strike the same pose, taking a photo titled in the same vein, "Propped up by Two Boutons." Mami-san, who at first thought these "cliched" and a little foolish, got a little envious after seeing them, and eventually joined in, propping up the leaning tower with the most serious face of them all.

"If only Shimako-san were here, then we could complete the 'Red, White, and Yellow Rose Lineup.' ... too bad."

Like a photo of the lineup during the concluding festivities of a sumo tournament. Pondering this, Yumi caught something at the other end of her gaze.

"Shimako-san is here, though."

The three remaining members of her group all said simultaneously, "What? " and turned to look around.

"Over there."

Yumi pointed towards a bunch of people relaxing in the middle of the lawn, then broke off running.

"Shimako-saaan."

"Ah, Yumi-san."

Shimako-san stood up from sitting on the lawn, and greeted Yumi with a smile. The two were happy to see each other again, and right away exchanged greetings of "Gokigenyou."

"The Wisteria class also came."

"Yes. So did Yumi-san and everyone come after the San Marco art museum? We came here first."

"Is that so."

Yumi unintentionally lowered her gaze. She asked, "Shimako-san, are you here by yourself?" after looking around.

Then. Her eyes spotted a normal tourist, sitting down by her side. At the same time that she thought, "oh, who is this person?" that other person's voice said,

"Gokigenyou, Yumi-san."

"Rosa Canina!"

The three people chasing after Yumi called out the name of the person before Yumi. Ah, so the person here was Rosa Canina, Kanina Shizuka-sama.

"Shizuka-sama!? How come?"

Yumi squatted down on the grass, spontaneously clapping Shizuka-sama's shoulders, "pon, pon." This wasn't a dream. She was real. But her hair had gotten quite a lot longer. Except for that, the Shizuka-sama that existed at Lillian Academy just half a year ago was right here.

"Because I decided to come and meet you? All of you."

Well, unless Shizuka-sama lived here in this piazza, it was rather unimaginable that they would just meet by chance here.

"You knew your schedule?"

"I have a pen pal who leaked the information to me."

"Pen pal?" No, could it be?"

Sei-sama? Yumi, Yoshino-san, Tsutako-san, and Mami-san, they all thought so. But the name that flew out of Shizuka-sama's mouth was,

"Shimako-san."

Shimako-san smiled as she said "yes."

"You two are pen pals!?"

"Why, is that so strange?"

"Well."

Because of all the things that happened with Sei-sama and Shimako-san at the time of the student council elections. Not only that, but is it okay to interpose in Shimako-san's delicate relationship with Sei-sama? And more, because Shizuka-sama found Shimako-san's hidden white card during the the newspaper club's Valentine's Day project, the two of them went on a half-day date. Somehow or other, they were friends whose relationship could not be summed up in a few words.

So, even though she can inquire, "Is it strange, I wonder?" Nobody can really say what is strange. But they couldn't think of how Shizuka-sama and Shimako-san became close friends.

"Excuse me, may I ask a question?"

Mami-san raised her hand and asked.

"I'm Yamaguchi Mami of the newspaper club. There is a rumor that Sei-sama has come to Italy. Do you have any information about that that you could share?"

After being asked this, Shimako-sama looked at Shimako-san instead of answering.

"Have you heard anything?"

"No?"

"I've not heard anything either. If she was coming, it would have been nice to get in touch with me. I gave her my house address and phone number."

So, it was bad info after all. Mami-san was obviously disappointed. If it had gone well, she could have some breaking news for the Lillian Kawaraban: an article with a three-shot of Sei-sama, Shizuka-sama, and Shimako-san. It appears that she had put the cart before the horse this time.

"You three, did you just get here? Are you climbing the tower?"

Shizuka-sama brushed off her skirt as she stood up.

"Yes, ... pretty much."

Yumi's voice had gone tiny. Actually, back at school when they asked who was going up, Yumi raised her hands and said "I'm going!" with great force. For some reason or another, she felt like a lucky charm for times like this. But now with the real thing before her eyes, she realized that she was honestly scared. Thinking "it's so big" plus "it's so tilted."

"What time?"

"At 2 o'clock."

"Well, then there's time. If you like, won't you come with me to the baptistery?"

"Actually, since I was just waiting for Yumi and friends, I haven't been inside either."

Wisteria class's free time ran until 2 p.m. It seems that Shizuka-sama and Shimako-san had already talked about it, and they were waiting for a little while before going to the baptistery if the Pine class did not come.

The clock read 1:20. They promptly bought tickets and headed towards the baptistery.

"But why the baptistery?"

Shimako-san asked Shizuka-sama. It seemed that she too had not been told why. They deduced that this had to be the baptistery since the information stand was neither the Duomo nor the art museum. Shizuka-sama made a small smile through pursed lips and said "because this is my favorite place" then stopped.

The baptistery was close to the entrance of the piazza, so going back didn't seem that far. It was a round, white, and cute building.

In front of the door, the person in charge came out to meet them. She was a young lady with pretty blond hair. Perhaps this person was what one would call an "Italian beauty." Wearing a police or guard uniform, she looked incredibly cool.

Inside was a big space without partitions. In the center was something that looked like an octagonal bathtub. This was the baptismal font.

"How's this?"

Since she was asked, Yumi offered her honest impression.

"It looks like a big bathroom."

"Hey, Yumi-san."

That's indiscreet. Mami-san poked Yumi with her elbow. But then Shizuka-sama said,

"That's Yumi-san for you."

"Huh?"

"The real answer to the earlier question. The reason that I like this place. It's because this is indeed a big bathroom."

"Haa."

While saying this answer, Shizuka-sama just grew more and more mysterious. Everyone was tilting their heads, looking around at their surroundings as if won't somebody explain this?

Then, the baptistery interior suddenly grew darker. The door, which had been open up until now, was closed with a clang.

Some tourists murmured, what's starting? The Italian beauty from before stepped to the center, quietly said "shh" as if giving directions.

The baptistery grew quiet. Then the Italian beauty clapped her hands. Clap. Clap. Then.

Claap! Claap!

It reverberated like an echo.

(Ah)

I got it. It reverberates.

Since Yumi couldn't say anything, she watched Shizuka-sama. It's a big bathroom, huh? Shizuka-sama smiled and nodded. That seems to be correct.

The Italian beauty continued, crying out "Aaa." A beautiful voice. Before the first "Aaa" had disappeared, the sound of a second "Aaa" came from the ceiling. Third, fourth. All different sounds. But they formed a chord, not a muddled pile, each mutually enhanced the other sounds. They played beautiful music.

This was a place where one voice could become many.

After she finished a verse, a round of applause burst forth from the audience. That applause also echoed from the ceiling, creating the applause of a much larger crowd.

Before the door was opened, Shizuka-sama approached the Italian beauty and said something in Italian. After receiving a gesture that looked like "go ahead," Shizuka-sama stood where the Italian beauty had just been and took a deep breath. And then the next moment,

"Aaa"

A voice that sounded like it pierced the sky, reverberated throughout the baptistery.

And then a second voice. Beautiful chords.

Goosebumps.

Probably a hymn or a verse from an aria that she had never heard. It was a song that created the impression of a clear, blue, sky.

Amidst the echoes, Shizuka-sama bowed her head deeply. Unexpectedly and spontaneously, tourists from many lands applauded in a huge ovation. Some also shook her hand.

"What was that song called?"

"Improvisation. I could not think of any existing songs that would make pretty echoes."

It had to be notes that wouldn't be ruined when covered with the remnants of the previous notes as echoes piled up one on top of each other. It was the same principle as stepping on a piano's pedal.

"I wanted to try that once."

Shizuka-sama stuck out her tongue.

"You all gave me an excuse."

To say such a thing. Really, she thought it might be a present to a junior schoolmate who had come all the way from Japan.