Chapter Text
He can hardly believe it, when it's announced. He's Pope. They chose him. He's made history as the second ever pope from the Americas, a victory for his people from both the United States and from Peru. He is one of the most influential people in the world, the head of the Catholic Church. He gets to ride in the Popemobile.
These are some of the thoughts that run through the mind of the newly appointed Pope Leo XIV during his first moments as pope. The cardinal electors light the ballots to let the world know they have chosen their new pope. Bells start ringing. White smoke begins to rise into the sky.
Then everything stops. The pope takes a moment to look around, just in case he's suddenly gone deaf. No, he's right. Time has stopped for everyone except him. The smoke no longer billows. The cardinals are frozen in their places. Everything is silent. Completely, eerily, deadly silent.
The tiles of the Sistine Chapel floor begin to swirl beneath his feet. At least that's something moving, even if nothing else in the world is moving. Is this some sort of miracle? It doesn't quite feel miraculous, at least not yet. The brand-new pope takes a small step forward, a small part of himself wondering if he'll be able to.
A swirling black vortex opens in the grout between tiles. Pope Leo XIV is sucked through a portal into another world.