The research on Leon's accidental passage there, to the future, seemed to have stagnated. Any solutions Sypha had come across were currently impossible-they required materials or magic no one had access to, and so they shelved the idea for the time being.
Sypha appeared frustrated with her lack of progress, but threw her frustration into looking for ways to locate Dracula or his castle instead.
Alucard appeared unruffled, at least at first, but he got snappish a few times when the subject of Leon stuck in their time came up. Leon could only hope his frustration was not because Alucard tired of his presence.
Trevor appeared to bounce back and forth. While he often seemed blasé about the whole situation-"Yeah, so you're in the future, can't change it right now, right?"-Leon had caught him in a sort of melancholy meditation: polishing, half-heartedly testing, or just staring into the reflections of several weapons.
Leon's concern for them had him jittery with nerves and half-formed ideas. Unfortunately, as Trefor had told him, his research skills were specialized. While he was learning many more languages used in older texts and magical scripts, he fell apart when it came to more complicated theories. It wasn't as though Leon didn't try, but he simply related better to things when they had a direct and real use in life. Ideas and maybes were harder to grasp, and in Leon's line of work, less directly useful.
Battle plans or ways to make holy weaponry? Sure. The theoretical idea of space-time and its complex relationship with magic and the fabric of the universe? No, not so much.
So instead, Leon spent some time hunting down obscure corners and hidden compartments for better supplies. If they were going to be squirreled up in nothing but this hold, with limited access to the outdoors, they were at least going to be comfortable. Being underground wasn't freezing, especially since some ambient magic appeared to be at work, but the floors were hard and Leon refused to let any of them-especially himself-sleep on such an uncomfortable surface for another night.
He had managed to scrounge up several old blankets, pillows, and travel rolls by the time their late-night break had come around; Since everyone had either yawned, blinked too long, or given some other sign of fatigue, Leon announced both his find and the idea that they should all get some rest.
"I don't need sleep," Alucard immediately declared.
"Don't be a child," Leon said.
Alucard stiffened and lifted his nose. "Traveling through time does not make you the senior here."
"And being part vampire doesn't give you immunity to life's necessities," he countered, pointing out the slowly gathering bags under Alucard's eyes. "You eat food, so you need to sleep."
"I slept for an entire year."
"...Did you?"
"Yes. So I hardly think I need any more."
"Is that the excuse you tell yourself when you catch your reflection?" Trevor mocked, "Or is it just not the same without a coffin?"
Sypha giggled at Alucard's huff, a slightly unhinged sound, before she said, "Maybe we should sleep."
"No objections here." Trevor grunted. "Haven't slept with a proper pillow in a while."
Leon's heart lurched, and he immediately decided to give his descendant the softest one he had found, favoritism be damned.
"I still don't think it is a good idea to all go to sleep," Alucard grumbled.
"Why not?" Leon asked and barreled through Alucard's obviously sarcastic expression. "We are in the hold, which is covered with a powerful ward Trefor and I designed. No one else should be able to enter."
"Like night creatures?" Alucard asked, still dryly sarcastic.
"Yes. And they would need a lot of force to even attempt to break through it, something we would be able to hear through any amount of dirt."
Sypha nodded, looking more and more like a loose-limbed doll as she did so. "That's true. I just opened it because I'm awesome." At her giggles, the other three exchanged looks.
"Fine," Alucard agreed. "But don't expect me to sleep next to Belmont."
"What?" both Belmonts asked, in wildly different tones.
"Exactly."
Trevor scoffed. "Upset you won't be sleeping inside a dungeon which falls apart at a touch?"
"I'm not convinced this hold is immune to such a fate," Alucard said with a sniff, "especially with two Belmonts now banging around in it."
While Trevor sniped back about keeping monsters in a dungeon and Sypha yawned, Leon decidedly did not tell them some of the sleeping materials had been either previously cursed, enspelled, or simply taken from a powerful monster's abode.
He handed out the different things he had found, attempting to get the trio to sleep at least close to each other. It didn't take a scholar to see how lonely they all were. Alucard, despite any protests, took his simple blanket and immediately left. Oh well. Leon hoped it brought him restfulness, like the description had read. He didn't even know if it had any of its original power left.
Trevor and Sypha took their blankets and pillows with more grace, Trevor muttering his way through a few excuses before he finally settled on the other side of the open area-within sight, but not nearby. Sypha plopped down right where she was and went to sleep.
Leon felt a fondness warm his heart. He settled himself down too, though not right next to her; It was proper to give ladies some space, even if they were powerful magician warriors.
Several thoughts swirled in Leon's mind as he lay close to sleep, wondering about the circumstances under which three people, so similar yet so different, met and decided to fight against Dracula together. They could be a legend in the making. Leon was aware he tended to romanticize things he imagined, but he couldn't help the image in his mind, fueled by the experience he already had of them fighting-the hunter, the scholar, and the soldier. Three who stood together against evil, back to back, and hand in hand.
A few blinks later, he was asleep.
Everyone in the group has had a really weird two days/nights, so it's time for them to get some rest. Leon did, but mostly just a power nap. The real challenge was getting Alucard to try, since he doesn't seem to do that unless passing time in the show. But hey, at least he took the blanket? ^^;;
And Leon is thinking up what miiiiight become the prophecy. (。•̀ᴗ-)✧ You know, since the knowledge comes "from the future" and all that, hehehe.
I am happy to post this for y'all, I had fun with it. Thanks to everyone who's been showing interest, especially to everyone who has been reading through my things having joined the fandom after season 4! Welcome! (ノ^ヮ^)ノ*:・゚✧
I know this chapter is just getting them to try and sleep, but next chapter we pick up again with the another day. So please let me know what you thought of this one, or previous chapters, or even what you think will happen in the future! I love hearing theories and thoughts. o(*゚▽゚*)o
