Disclaimer: Soul Eater is copyrighted to Atsushi Okubo and all other third parties (characters, series, and concepts).
Author Notes: During this entry's flashback, please assume everyone is speaking in Russian.
Category: Canon
Setting: Soul Eater: Troubled Souls
Chronology: Chapter 21 – The beginning when Caius is examining the scrapbook
"This is the last I have of them…"
Caius turned more pages of his scrapbook, reaching the individual ones dedicated to each member of his immediate family. Their included ages were two years younger than in reality, given that the book hadn't been updated since the massacre.
The left-hand page showed one of his sisters, Chloe. She was sixteen-years-old with long deep sky blue hair tied in a waist-length pony tail by a yellow bow-and-ribbon combo, white eyes very similar to Caius's, and red-framed glasses. Chloe was probably a bigger scholar than Caius himself. As she was one who got bored quite easily, she was always up for new tasks and doing self-imposed challenges, and usually took things in stride.
The right-hand page showed his only brother, Remus. He was eighteen-years-old with short electric blue hair and a fringe, a perma stubble, and blaze red eyes. Remus was very mischievous; the high number of pranks he pulled, most of which Caius partook in, could attest to that. Almost contradictorily, he was mostly serious yet sardonic on a normal basis, and his cooking was delicious.
Caius flipped again to reveal the final, oldest sibling, Phyllis. She was a twenty-year-old young woman with somewhat messy, pale blue hair adorned by a headband and grey eyes. Caius felt that he was the most attached to Phyllis out of all of his siblings, not to say he didn't love Chloe and Remus. They did the most things together, and Phyllis was always the sort 'role model' type of person.
Then, Caius reached the two pages that featured his parents, both of whom were 37-years-old. His mom, Rukia, bore thick and long, Air Force blue hair and slate grey eyes. His dad, Amagai, had short, wavy dark blue hair, pale white eyes, and a full beard. These two were the people who put Caius and his siblings on the right path, the straight and narrow. Caius had especial respect for his goofy and loving father, the one he idolized as a meister.
Caius sighed as he glanced out of the window beside him, watching the peaceful morning sun and sky. These were the only times he was able to have a semblance of communication with his deceased family, or some of the other Vladinghams that happened to be featured in the book. He did feel better after opening up to Claudia, Maka, and Soul. He even gained the courage to talk to Claude and Diana about everything. But, they were called 'personal issues' for a reason. The reality was that they could only fill the void so much.
Caius closed his eyes and sighed, recalling the day before the nightmare. February 1st was a day of preparation over in Rozniak, Russia because February 2nd was formerly known as the 'Gathering Day.' Vladinghams from all over the world came to Rozniak for a sort of mass reunion where friends and families mingled. It was also the day to celebrate the achievements of graduates—from the DWMA or otherwise. His brother Remus was one of said graduates.
"And, of course, I remember it all like it was yesterday."
As always, the Russian climate was cold and snowy, and town of Rozniak wasn't an exception. Both the thick, grey clouds above and the neighboring mountains contributed to that. Rozniak was blanketed in a thick sheet of white, snow sifting all across the landscape. Both normal citizens and town government-authorized vehicles shoveled and pushed snow out of the way of streets so as to not impede any travel. The streets coated in a patina of ice were being properly taken care of. Everyone was wearing weather-appropriate attire as they went about their daily business.
"Pass the ball!"
"Go for it!"
"Come on, we're down by three! We gotta win!"
That included a group of young teenagers playing basketball at the court on the outskirts of town. Teams were divided evenly into eight players of either gender on each side. Naturally, they all also were garbed in coats of various kinds and colors. Scraping and squeaking sounds, along with the dribbling of a basketball, were heard as the youngsters constantly shifted around, playing the game of basketball as it was supposed to be.
Swish!
The ball flew inside the basket, shot from a perfect arc, as some of the teenagers cheered and jumped around while others groaned and threw their hands up in defeat.
"That's ballgame. Who wants to go again?" A thirteen-year-old boy asked cockily, snatching the basketball up from the ground and spinning it on a finger. His light grey hair was messy and littered with snow, something that made a few of the others snicker in amusement. "What?" He blinked in confusion, apparently not aware that snow had accumulated in his hair.
A fourteen-year-old girl with white, lavender-tinted hair walked up to him and lightly patted his hair, removing most of the snow. "That, Vyoma."
Vyoma flustered a little and shot the girl a tart glare as most of the others laughed humouredly, "Yeah, thanks, Marina." He replied sarcastically.
"Humorous that may be, my team is itching for a rematch," a fourteen-year-old, bespectacled boy piped in matter-of-factly as he crossed his arms. A winter breeze swept by, causing the twin tails of his coat to billow, "So, let's cut the chatter out and start it up." His teammates all smirked and cheered as they got into position, raring to go.
"Fine then, Caius," Vyoma said as he stepped out of the bounds as Caius approached him, staying on the other side of the line, "Just remember that you asked for it."
"Actually, that's going to have to be the last game."
The young teenagers all whined in disappointment as a few older individuals approached basketball court, ranging from elder siblings to their parents. They knew that these little ones gathered here every weekend to play so finding them was not an issue. After exchanging their sneakers for regular snow boots, the teenagers and adolescents all said their goodbyes and good games, vowing to continue next time.
"Marina, Vyoma, you're coming with me and Caius," Chloe stated as Caius stood by his older sister's side. The two nodded, and the group proceeded to walk away. Marina and Vyoma were Vladinghams like Chloe and Caius and lived in the same village as they did, hence why they were so close. In the case of Caius and Vyoma, it helped that their parents – Amagai, Rukia, and Vladimir – had went to school together.
"Sestra, is everything ready in the village?" Caius asked after some time. They were currently walking along the sidewalk parallel to the relatively empty street and the snowy ground. This side of Rozniak was low in population density. Most people tended to live on the other side where the hospital, international airport, and DWMA base were. Then again, that wasn't saying much; Rozniak was still considered just a town after all.
"Preparations are almost done." Chloe replied. She was referring to the Gathering Day of course. The village these four lived in – aptly called the Vladingham Village – was where the celebration was always held even though not everyone lived there. This place in particular was selected because it was considered the ancestral grounds of the Vladingham Family. "I'm sure the three of you will like what's coming."
"I know I am," Vyoma spoke up, smirking as he imagined a certain event that annually happened, "I can't wait until I see my big brother, Alexei, fight against the other graduates! Him and his partner are gonna dominate!"
"Now, now, Vyoma…" Caius shook his head, "He's going against Remus. He got the badge of Three Stars at age fifteen. He's got more combat experience than most of the other graduates."
"Okay, okay, let's not start an argument." Chloe stepped in, smiling sheepishly. Really, she wanted to be humble because she happened to be Remus's weapon partner. And she knew how Vyoma and Caius could get about their older siblings.
"Yeah, single child over here." Marina deadpanned.
"You'll be fine." Vyoma and Caius replied dismissively to the girl as her features contorted with irritation.
Another approximately twenty minutes of idle chatter followed before the group reached the Bridge of Hope, a pure white stone arch bridge that stood above the steady Raksha River. Overlooking these two attractions was the Raksha Mountain Range, a quartet of short mountains that could still be seen from anywhere in Rozniak due to its lowland geography. This bridge was the sole connection between Rozniak and the Vladingham Village.
"I'M GONNA STOP THESE PRANKS OF YOURS ONCE AND FOR ALL!"
"COME AND GET IT! MAKE MY DAY!"
And it was the site of two people trying to settle a feud.
Caius, Chloe, Vyoma, and Marina all stood at the entrance to the Bridge of Hope with agape mouths and blank eyes as streams of blue fire danced wildly across the length of the bridge, brightening up the place at regular intervals. They recognized them as the distinct wavelength flames, Soul Blaze, that the Vladingham Family wielded. Immediately afterwards, they perceived two blurs continuously clashing with one another, resulting in more bursts of Soul Blaze each collision. The final clash in particular almost made the entire bridge shake to the foundation as blue smoke and flares mushroomed in the air, two peopling falling to the ground.
"Remus…Phyllis…" Chloe deadpanned when she saw that her older brother and sister were the ones fighting so violently.
"Uh… wow… This fight seems pretty serious." Marina remarked uneasily. She could practically see lightning generating between the glares of the two siblings some meters across from her group.
"I can't believe those are producing so much power without their partners." Vyoma was actually more amazed than dismayed as he watched the intense stare-down in awe.
"Sestra! Bratan!" Caius called out, jogging up to them. This allowed Phyllis and Remus to take their eyes off each other as they eyed their youngest sibling. "What are you guys doing?"
"This little putz here…!" Phyllis growled vehemently as she pointed an accusing finger at a smirking Remus, "Thought it was an oh-so brilliant idea to put oil on the kitchen floor and tell me my favorite show was on! I almost split my head open!"
"You're exaggerating," Remus shook his head, "Besides, it's not my fault you're so gullible."
"Aw, man, I wish I could've seen this prank." Caius thought in disappointment. He didn't say it aloud because he didn't want to suffer his oldest sister's wrath. She was the one who inherited their father's aggressive passion during a real fight.
"When are you two going to grow up?" Chloe asked in exasperation, walking over and placing her hands on her hips. Marina and Vyoma stayed behind, preferring to stay quiet and let the family talk things over.
"Maybe when Remus stops pulling practical jokes." Phyllis snarled, shooting a glare at him. To show how serious she was, her grey eyes and white sclera were replaced with translucent blue flames in flux.
Remus sneered and returned the 'gesture,' some of his gritted teeth showing at the corner of his mouth. "Then I guess your growth's stunted, sis. Besides, you're the one who overreacts each and every time. I'm just there to reap the benefits of a good laugh."
"How about we talk about something more relevant?" Chloe spoke up, hoping to prevent another explosive confrontation between her older siblings. "Did you guys finish your tasks for the Gathering Day?"
Any remaining fight left in Phyllis and Remus vanished instantly. An odd, strained sound escaped their slightly parted lips as realization dawned upon them. Their eyes shrunk as the flames in them died. The priceless expressions on their faces almost made Marina and Vyoma burst out laughing, wishing they had their cameras to document them. Their stunned silence all but gave Chloe her answer.
"Mother and Grandfather are going to kill us." Chloe said despairingly.
"Chloe, Caius, we're gonna need your help." Phyllis requested, rubbing the back of her head in embarrassment.
"Anything to avoid a lecture from Grandfather…" Caius said meekly, his tone dropping at the mention of their strict grandfather, Romulus Vladingham. The last time they procrastinated on an important task, they got quite the harsh earful from him, and neither of their parents were able to help them. Caius turned to Marina and Vyoma and told them, "I'm gonna have to leave you guys."
"Don't worry. We understand." Marina replied, waving off the issue.
"See ya, Caius." Vyoma said to his friend and then spoke to Remus, "And, Remus? Alexei said he'll be waiting to stomp all over you tomorrow."
Remus chuckled sarcastically, "And you tell Alexei he's got nothing on the people I had to tango with during my Three-Star Trial." Hearing accounts of other Three-Stars and their experiences during the examination, Remus appeared to have one of the most grueling ones. It did not help that his competition was extremely steep that year; special mentions went to his former classmate and good friend Roy Olmett. Never had Remus witnessed martial arts and gun-fighting mixed together so masterfully.
"Alright, alright." Vyoma left it at that. If Remus could get that violent with his own sister, he would definitely shoot the messenger if he pressed on. He smirked at Marina, "Looks like it's just you and me."
"So it seems."
This interaction did not go unnoticed by Caius, who stared at them a little while longer as his siblings started walking away. Shaking his head, Caius quickly caught up to his older brother and sisters. For a while, they didn't say anything was they continued on the snowy path beyond the Bridge of Hopes.
This silence was soon broken by Remus when they entered the trail within the Raksha Mountain Range. "Aww, was he trying to steal your chick, Caius?"
Caius tensed up as his face turned red with embarrassment. "N-no, he wasn't. Don't assume like that." He spoke calmly. However, Caius did bore a small crush on Marina. As a result, he was worried that his siblings may have found that out. The shifting of his eyes and his pout ultimately betrayed the seriousness of his words. Both Phyllis and Chloe giggled because, to them, that just seemed too adorable.
"If you say so." Remus decided not to pry.
"Better do something before Vyoma does." Phyllis said teasingly, nudging her youngest brother with her shoulder. That only served to intensify the blush on his face. It was starting to feel warmer in Caius's hood. At least it staved off the cold winter weather.
The mountain trail reached a divergence point, splitting into three different roads with a sign giving out instructions. The ones going left and right were meant for hikers and climbers, and the one going straight led to the Vladingham Village.
Caius, Phyllis, Remus, and Chloe finally reached the top of the road that overlooked at their humble community. Enclosed on all sides by the Raksha Mountain Range, there stood a village. The only break in the mountains at ground level was filled up by a lush, snowy forest that was cut off by the Raksha River beyond the trees. The Vladingham Village had a very natural appearance with trees everywhere and about half of the homes were wooden, almost like a little rustic town. Everything else combined rural and suburban: the community was small and quaint but cozy and contemporary. The most outstanding landmark of the Vladingham Village was a stone stature in the shape of a flame accompanied by a tall flagpole with the Russian flag waving proudly.
As the siblings continued their way to their home, the community was abuzz. Both Vladinghams and a few outsiders were catching up, mingling, and setting up for the Gathering Day tomorrow. Houses were being cleaned up, and decorations were being put up. To people outside of Rozniak, one could easily mistake it for a gala rather than just a gathering. Soon enough, all four of them reached their own home, a nice three-story house.
When Phyllis unlocked the door to their house and walked in, they hung up their coats, gloves, and scarves on the nearby racks and turned on the heater. Then, Chloe and Caius stared blankly at how uncouth and unorganized their house looked. The cushions and blankets of their living room sofa were out of place, it was dusty, and unneeded objects such as boxes were scattered everywhere. Then, there was in the walk-in kitchen that bordered in the living room. The dining table wasn't made up, the cabinets were open, dishes and cups were unwashed, and the trash had yet to be taken out.
"Um…wow." Phyllis and Remus immediately felt embarrassed, especially when Chloe and Caius glared dully at them.
"Alright!" Phyllis clapped her hands, perking up in order to avoid any more discussion of their negligence, "Let's get to work!"
Phyllis, Remus, Chloe, and Caius divided up their work evenly. Remus stayed inside the living room, Phyllis went to the kitchen, Caius decided to check on the bathrooms, and Chloe busied herself with the bedrooms. Remus adjusted the sofa to make it look more presentable. He also moved the lamps to more ideal positions and dusted off all glassware in the room, including the living room table, chandelier, and the television set. Phyllis worked double time in kitchen, putting all trash and unwanted objects in trash bags. She also put the dishes in the dishwater, placed silverware where they needed to be, and put up everything that was already clean.
Chloe made up all the bed in every bedroom, including the guestroom/den. Everything that could be immediately picked up and disposed of she did so, but left all else for the room's owner to handle. She also removed all personal trash bags for Phyllis to take out. Caius made sure to scrub and clean off the counters, toilets, and tubs in the two bathrooms in the house, including putting up the towels and emptying the hampers.
They took care of all that and everything in-between, such as washing laundry and freshening up the scent of home with air fresheners. When all that was done, they pulled out the vacuums and mops and addressed the other rooms that needed their services.
Finally, after about two hours' worth of working, the household was rendered spotless. The entire house smelled fresh and fragrant, all glass and metal shined with impunity, and items and other domestic accessories were placed in suitable locations. All in all, it appeared as if everything was good as new.
Remus, Chloe, Caius, and Phyllis regrouped back in the living room, all of them practically collapsing onto the sofa with a deep and heavy, collective sigh. Their limbs were slightly sore from their toils, and the soft cushions were inviting, taking away the stress of hard work and replacing it with much-needed relief. Caius had removed his glasses to rest his eyes as Chloe took her hair out of its ponytail, a sizeable portion of it hanging over the armrest and lying on the floor.
"Thanks, guys. We got our tasks done and then some." Remus said appreciatively with his head reared back against the upper padding on the backrest. Four heads were better than two, and it showed. The house looked great.
"Yeah, for real." Phyllis said with a small smile, examining the shriveled crevices of her hands – a result of washing with water so much these past two hours. "My hands look like they belong to an old bag."
"I wonder what Mom, Dam, Uncle Frederick, Aunt Katrina, and our grandparents are doing." Chloe wondered aloud, glancing at the front door. All that work to pass the time, and they were still the only ones in the house.
"I guess they're talking to people they haven't spoken to in awhile." Caius surmised.
Remus clapped his hands in realization as he shot out of his seat, "That reminds me!" He jogged into the kitchen and continued to speak, loud enough so that his brother and sisters could hear him, "Around the time we were finishing up, I decided to reward ourselves by cooking a little treat!"
Phyllis frowned sourly, speaking with an audible whine, "Remuuuuus! I just cleaned the kitchen!"
"Don't worry, I'll clean up after myself!" He retorted, "Besides, you'll be thanking me soon." The electric blue-haired meister soon reappeared into the living room. He had on mittens, carrying a tray of pastila of different flavorings and seasonings, "Tada."
Immediately, Phyllis's grey eyes widened and shimmered with delight, getting an eyeful a row of pastila that were yellow and creamy. "A-are those cream-filled pastila? The kind that I loooooove so muuuuch?" She questioned as Remus set the tray on the living room before them. Phyllis's eyes were practically glued to them.
"Yep." Remus confirmed as he took off the mittens.
"Thanks, bro!" Caius said appreciatively as he tentatively took a chocolate pastila, "You always make the best pastila!"
"Remus, I love and forgive you!" Phyllis shot out of her seat and embraced her younger brother tightly. It was a stark contrast to the hostility she showed him at the Bridge of Hope. "You're one of the greatest people on the planet! Here! A big kiss from me to you!" Phyllis planted a big, fat kiss on Remus's cheek, ignoring him squirming uncomfortably.
"GET THE HELL OFF ME, PHYLLIS!" Remus finally managed release his older sister's hold on him. He used the end of his shirt to wipe his entire face, groaning in disdain, "Lord knows where your mouth has been. Did you brush your teeth?"
"Oh, be quiet," Phyllis smirked as she grabbed one of her desired pastila and proceeded to eat it slowly, savoring the sweet treat as much as she could. Her body shivered in delight as the sugary taste exploded in her mouth. "These are the best ever~ I wish our house was made of these. When I die, bury me in a coffin made of this stuff. Make sure I die happy."
"I don't have the time nor the ingredients to do something of that magnitude…" Remus deadpanned as he munched on one.
"And that sounds… messy." Caius admitted awkwardly, imagining the stickiness of the situation with all that dough and filling.
"I don't care!" Phyllis shouted jauntily as she jumped three feet into air, clearing the living room table as she landed on the space of carpet between it and the television set. "I'm just so excited! And why wouldn't I be?!" For no reason other than the simple fact that she could do, Phyllis started dancing and prancing around the room, performing pirouettes, jumps, and spins, "I'm hanging with my favorite siblings in the world, I'm chowing down on my favorite treats, and the best day ever is tomorrow!"
"Phyllis, stop dancing before you jam your foot into the TV screen or kick down the chandelier." Chloe ordered with a sigh as she shook her head, "Again."
Because of that reminder, Phyllis froze completely as if someone put her on pause and immediately returned to her seat. "Right, right. Thanks, Chloe." Phyllis replied as she finished off her second pastila, "I blame putting my dancing moves into my combat skills."
"Speaking of combat," Chloe spoke as she glanced over to Remus, "If you expect to perform well tomorrow, we need to train some before the day's over with."
"I already got some in thanks to Phyllis." Remus replied with a lazy yawn.
"Phyllis isn't fighting tomorrow," Chloe deadpanned again, "And I'm your Weapon. You need practice with me."
"Alright, fine." Remus conceded as he completed his pastila. He didn't go for another. "You want to do it before or after I help Mom with the cooking?"
"Whatever works for you."
Remus stood up and requested, "If you're done, let's get some in now. Lord knows I'll want to lay around and be lazy tonight." He playfully punched Caius on his shoulder and asked him, "You wanna come with, bro? You might learn something."
Caius winced a little, "Um, no thanks." For some reason, Caius was reluctant to learn about combat more extensively. In fact, he didn't even know much about his family's trademark Soul Blaze. To be specific, all he knew was the name and what it looked like. He blamed a lack of direction and wanting to focus on normal school for now.
"Suit yourself," Remus shrugged his shoulder as he removed his coat from the rack at the door, "Be good, you two."
"If Mother and Father return, tell them what we're doing." Chloe requested as she put on her scarf and tied up her hair again. She then sent a pointed glare to her older sister, "And don't take all the credit for the house." Phyllis smiled innocently as a halo appeared above her head. Apparently, she thought of the idea but scrapped it once Chloe voiced it. With that said, Remus and Chloe exited the house.
"I'll go ahead and put these up." Caius said as he picked up the tray of leftover pastila. By now, it was cool enough to carry without mittens. He made the short trek into the kitchen and began depositing the sweet snacks into the fridge after properly sealing them up.
"Caius?" Phyllis asked as she stepped into the kitchen. His response to Remus's offer did not go unnoticed by her, "You know, you're 14 now. Most Vladinghams your age are already in the Academy or are deciding to go there. You haven't even started basic training yet." While she understood that everyone had free will, the Vladingham Family was practically apart of the DWMA. Their identity was made because of the organization, and it was bordering on tradition for Vladinghams to involve themselves with the DWMA in some way, shape, or form. So, Caius's behavior was starting to worry her a little.
Caius let out a prolonged sigh as he closed the fridge and leaned against the counter, his oldest sister walking up and situating herself beside him. "I don't know, Phyllis. I just never had the motivation. I know the family, regardless of the few who decided to do something else, will always be defined by the DWMA, but I just…" Caius rubbed the back of his head, at a loss for words. He let out another sigh, unable to say anything else.
"I understand." Phyllis responded empathetically, surprising Caius. She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, "Don't worry. I didn't go into the Academy knowing what to do with myself either. But! I did learn something valuable around the time I became a Two-Star. That's when I came up with my own personal motto." She poked him lightly in the chest, right where his soul would be, and did the same to herself, "And that's 'the family first.' Everything I do is for the good of the Vladingham Family. I'd die for this family, and as a result, I'd do anything for the Academy. That carried me all the way through my Three-Star examination trial, and I still stick to it now!"
She giggled at the mystified look that appeared on Caius's face and then proceeded to ruffle up his Air Force blue hair. "The point is, bratan, to take your time. Whether you choose to join the Academy or do something else, I'll support you because you're my little bro, and I love you." She then let a competitive grin appear on her face, "Of course, good luck beating mine or Remus's record either way." She was referring to how Remus became a Three-Star at age fifteen and herself at seventeen.
Caius laughed lightly, "Thanks, sestra."
"GOOOOD AFTERNOOOOON, MY GRACIOUS OFFSPRIIIIIIING!"
Phyllis turned to one of exits of the kitchen, hearing the door open and the wind from outside come in, "Oh! That's Dad! They're back!" She hurried out of the kitchen to greet her parents, to let them know someone was in the house, and to inform them of what Chloe and Remus were doing.
Caius, meanwhile, continued to stand there in the kitchen, ruminating on what Phyllis told him. So, she only got things done after she developed a motto, a personal philosophy, to abide by as a driving force. That was her motivation, the Vladingham Family itself. That included not only her immediate family but also those not bound by blood like Marina and Vyoma to name a few.
"Then should I…?" He thought, considering adopting the same sort of motivation. It would be something until he found one for himself. To fight for the family seemed liked a noble cause. So noble that Caius was starting to feel his pride swell up and feel more confident in himself. "Yeah! I should!" This is what he was missing. All of a sudden, Caius felt that he could go to the Academy and carry out its will.
"Then, it's settled." Caius whispered to himself. Tomorrow, Caius would prepare for the rest of his life. He resolved to talk to Marina, tell his parents he wanted to join the DWMA, and train with Soul Blaze seriously. The Gathering Day was an important day, and Caius would make sure it marked the beginning of the rest of his life.
However, it instead marked the beginning of the end for the Vladingham Family.
