Castle in the Sky
Written By: Lady Lunar Phoenix
Bribed into doing this...
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
'I... I just watched two woman have an aerial battle in the nude didn't I?' Soma thought to himself, wishing there was someone to verify what he bore witness to. He had been hiding via the invisibility granted by another of his souls, allowing him to avoid getting involved with anything he saw. A battle for the sake of the universe that he found incredibly upsetting given how young the girls were. They were barely high school students, and for the first time Soma saw this supposed original 'Chibi Usa' and even her own Sailor Scouts.
Which implied that there was four 'more' scouts that didn't get activated at all if they didn't show up in his time. They would have during that one battle at the very 'least' and then there were the 'aliens' involved. His mind was still reeling over the fact that there were 'Alien Sailor Scouts' that arrived to take part of the battle.
Then his brain took a moment to realize he basically made an 'ass' out of 'alien sailor scouts' and thus he ended up smothering some chuckling before resuming his thoughts.
Every star system, every planet that sustained life had its own Sailor Scout? Was 'that' what he was meant to take away from this? Every star was a sun that warmed possible worlds that held life and Sailor Scouts and that Galaxia girl had sacrificed a good portion of her life fighting Chaos. Fighting equating sealing the entity within herself, causing unnecessary destruction across the star maps of the universe.
When he wanted to wreck a system he just became a Vampire and started world wars, he never looked up to the night sky and said. "You know... I'd like to see all that potential life burned to the ground too."
And when he was forced to view 'himself' as having a moral high ground, that was when Soma knew it was time to do something! Usagi and the others had already left, there was nothing but himself and this lone cosmic cauldron that carried the infinite possibilities of the universe. Usagi literally allowing herself to be the Big Bang that would restart all of the universe, return her to where she was before Galaxia showed up...
And be forced to live the rest of her life as a Sailor Scout, fighting for love and justice until she was an old woman. Unless he figured out a way to allow her and her fellow scouts to pass the duties on to another generation. All the while keeping the universe from the stagnation that the Castle was vehemently opposed to. AND also figuring out how to sustain the Castle without the Chaos core or making it so codependent on him.
Though in moderate hindsight all he was trying to do was stabilize Usagi and her group's situation rather than his own. He was fine with being killed and resurrecting over and over again until Julius got around with killing him and reincarnating into Soma.
Thus Soma made a seat for himself before the Cauldron on a boulder that was near enough that he could see everything approaching it. Though not necessarily 'be' seen, the landscape was pale white for the most part and if there was anyone that fit 'pale' 'white' and possibly invisible against a white wall, it was Soma.
"Cauldron? Is it possible that we can have a talk?" he finally asked, who knew maybe it could form words in some manner or another. Or prop up cue cards with its answers on it, or text him answers he didn't honestly know. This wasn't something that he could just dig out of his ancient memories, and if it 'was' something that happened before and he 'could'.
Then he was quitting life.
That was it, going from the undead, monsters, vampires, being a reincarnation OF a Vampire Dark Lord. Only to discover he was sharing this world with elemental casting princesses who wore sailor suits and fought for justice. While having his previous residence now following him around like a fangirl. Who, in an effort to try to protect him, would now transform herself into a Sailor Scout and turn Soma into a stuffed toy.
Because why not?
It was like being trapped in some insane story written by the utter insane when he thought on it...
One major problem was going to be the fact that Soma was trying to effect changes in the past without 'going' into the past. He was trying to figure out a way to get the Castle itself to randomly develop the very thing it would need to sustain itself without using Chaos. Or at the very least use Chaos as a main source while having a back up source for when Soma would finally be able to leave it for good. Even then, what would happen after Soma died?
Give the Castle to Arikado, literally 'here you go son your very own castle!'... No, Arikado would have words with him. Pretty sure that those words would be harsh, numerous, span MULTIPLE languages, and end with a 'no thank you'. With that in mind, how many generations could the Castle even be passed on 'to' before someone tried to exploit the structure? Hell he had been summoning demons and monsters for 'how' long in the Castle on his own? The only other option would be to allow the Castle to exist without having to be right at his side, until he died. Allowing it to slide into its own slumber and in a sense 'die' in an incredibly human and humane way.
Unless...
Maybe...
… that could work...
Give the Castle to the Sailor Scouts? They 'were' princesses, the Castle 'did' take on a female form and because he was trying to figure out who to pass the Castle on 'to'... There would be a good balance between the Castle's affinity for Chaos and Darkness with the Order and Light that Usagi represented.
It would be like having Mina doing the interior design for the Castle, which would mean lots of pastel colors, cleaned up, repairs made... Giving something for the Kung Fu Zombie Maids to do other than trick his Japanese ingrained mindset to do a proper bow before ax kicking him IN THE HEAD! Because he was a little head sore from that really, one would have thought he would have learned after the first maid.
He didn't.
Hell he still didn't understand how he got his memories back, was acknowledged by the Castle as the true lord and master... AND STILL had to fight his way through down to the core just to get to the Orb of Chaos in the first place. He would have assumed that by proxy of him being 'their master' the monsters would have obligingly stepped out of his way.
What had started out as quiet contemplation slowly churned its way into annoyance until he was fuming at the disrespect shown to him. While the Cauldron before him continued to churn quietly as though some cosmic ladle was stirring it, and providing Soma with no way to communicate with it. And just 'talking' to it was tricky, there was no way to know if it was agreeing, disagreeing or ignoring him and Soma needed confirmation. After all, Usagi got to where she was because the Cauldron listened without her knowing.
Mid thoughts he found himself getting distracted by a sound that dragged itself into his awareness. Once it got his attention he quietly got up while trying to scan the landscape to see if he could find who it was. A landscape that had involved large pillars and broken stone boulders, grass in some places had somehow melted and reshaped behind his back. Beyond him was a seemingly empty garden, with pillars and fountain, something to be expected on the grounds of a noble.
Save there was no life, flowers, grass, trees, even water coming from the fountain were all absent from the area. Was this meant to symbolize the metaphorical 'bones of the world'? If so Soma was curious if perhaps 'this' was the method that the Cauldron used to communicate with. Regardless, Soma kept his head down and tried to see who or what was making the sound that took away his attention to start with.
Was it that the garden was still forming itself? Or was this strange formation a reaction to the presence of other living people? Was someone else here? Because the Scouts had been able to reach here so it wasn't immune from outsiders approaching it. Hell Soma 'himself' was an outsider that approached it! Yet the sound had a very even footing pace, the sound of someone walking leisurely through the unplanted garden. There was nothing hurried or militaristic in those steps, just the soft shifting that came as something was dragged along, like a long dress or a cloak that reached the ground. Muffled footsteps with the soft shift of fabric that probably tented the footsteps to begin with.
Under his finger tips he felt the pillar he hid behind mold itself, pulling his attention momentarily away to watch as images came and went. Though these were pillars, they didn't retain a particular style or shape or even design. From simple grooved in lines to ornate swirls even images that brought to might Egyptian hieroglyphics. Everything was moving slowly into various designs, as though one was taking a walk through the history of designs from around the world.
It was mesmerizing really, the ebb and flow of what 'appeared' to be stone as it melted on a very subtle level to change what was presented. Dangerous clearly, Soma shook his head of the bewitching beauty of this garden and resumed following the sound that grabbed his attention originally. A sound that was making its way closer to his location near the Cauldron.
Peering from behind a pillar Soma suddenly felt as though he had been punched in the stomach. It was a strange sensation as the person walked out from behind some trellis that were posted up. How exactly did a person deal with seeing 'themselves' again for the first time in another body? In the back of Soma's mind he could literally feel a part of his brain start screaming 'That's it! That's my body!'. Those were his European features, his deep brown hair, that was 'him' walking through this strange, silent garden.
How was Soma's previous body 'here'?
Although, it would have made some sense if this was where his past self managed to get what he needed to bring the Castle to life.. The Cauldron that held all life and chaos contained within its walls would easily be able to produce the original core wouldn't it?
Perhaps it was the fact that Soma was blatantly staring at the man he used to be, that Mathias finally began looking in Soma's direction. With a reaction much akin to Soma's in all honesty, the surprise and disbelief. White hair, pale skin, those strangely slanted eyes and a white coat that reflected Mathias' own preference for thick fur collars.
Yet if Soma's shock was in seeing his original body moving about after all those centuries, for Mathias it was seeing his own soul in its own body. That strange sense of absence that manifested once he became a vampire, the moment he sealed away his humanity in retaliation against God, that feeling flared up once more. Surprisingly intense as though it wanted to reach out and grab this person and pull him in, restoring what was lost.
And any attempt to start a conversation was suddenly halted by the combination of incredulous realization that this was happening and what did one even 'say' when in an encounter such as this?
'Hi Body long time no see?'
'How did my soul end up taking a stroll outside of the Crimson stone?'
"Well this is awkward."
"That it most certainly is..."
"So what brings you to the primordial source of Chaos and life?" Soma asked crossing his arms and leaning a bit against the pillar by his side.
"Oh, is that what this place is... I guess that explains a few things. I am looking for an artifact of power for my, well, our home." Mathias answered simply, allowing his gaze to once more take in the environment he found himself in.
"A core for the Castle..." Soma elaborated out loud as he realized this must have been the day that his past found a way to give life to the Castle. "We need to talk..."
"Is this going to be about becoming a vampire? If so..." Mathias began only to be interrupted by Soma shaking his head 'no'.
"You're a Vampire, can't do anything about that, no this is about the Castle itself... Have you ever... thought about what would happen to it if you brought it to life? Like its feelings on the matter?"
"'Feelings'? Of a 'castle'? Have you lost your mind?" Mathias inquired, amazed at such an insane question... Then again... This 'was' his soul asking this question and there was a decided series of reasons why he wanted said soul 'out' of him.
"You turned yourself into a Vampire... You're not the gold standard of sanity here." Soma retorted casually as his eyes caught the slightest sign of fangs in his old body.
"I'm not the one trying to place emotions upon a castle." Mathias replied as he adjusted his steps towards his own soul. But with each step the yearning for his soul grew stronger forcing him to stop, fearing that somehow his soul would reinstate itself into him. Forcing him to experience all the conflict he had developed when he decided to betray Leon and Sara as he did.
Not that Soma wanted Mathias any closer, while he lacked the desire for reunification that Mathias possessed. He 'did' feel a strange sense of being pulled upon, as though drawn to something on Mathias or to the guy. Which made no sense to him seeing that he was a reincarnation, so why would he want to be back in his old body? Save for old times sake? "Yes, well it didn't have any until you finished up what you came here to do. Its alive, and by my point in time, sentient." Soma pointed out, and watched as Mathias reacted in surprise.
"Your point in time? Do you mean to say that you are not just my soul wandering loose in this strange place?" Mathias asked taken aback at the thought that this wasn't just some strange manifestation of his human soul. But some future version of himself?!
"Yeah... You, me, we died, and reincarnated into who I am. What did you think this is?" Soma replied pushing himself from his pillar lounge to hold up his arms as though to say 'this body' "This body is new, but we share a soul."
"Impossible the Crimson Stone sealed my soul within it." Mathias argued only to watch as the pale one rolled his eyes.
"If your soul is sealed away, you'd have no personality and wouldn't care about anything, you didn't seal away your 'soul'. You sealed away your humanity, but even then that's not something you can't just redevelop. So over time you could redevelop everything you threw out, I have our soul after all." Soma began before adding as an awkward afterthought. "Mine and a bunch of other souls that I absorbed over two trips through castles."
"You absorbed 'what'?"
"... The souls of monsters... its called the 'Power of Dominance'... I'm assuming you can do the same thing... I mean we're the same person." Soma pointed out not liking this gleam in Mathias' eyes, the kind normally seen on doctors given a new item to dissect.
"I'm just an alchemist... but that your power is a manifestation of the Crimson Stone and then advanced..."
As Mathias approached, Soma called Death's Scythe and jabbed it at Mathias in self defense, "no, no. You stay over there where I can see you. Look all I need is to figure out a way to maintain the Castle without it needing to be at my side all day and night. So whatever you have planned, if you could add a secondary source for the castle to draw on or something..."
"You'd still consider the Castle as a living thing," Mathias shook his head in response with a sigh, crossing his arms and studying this clearly younger minded version of himself.
"Because it is, not only is it sentient I have to figure out how to help a group of women I'm kind of fond of." Soma elaborated as Mathias finally opted to take a step back so the scythe wouldn't be quite in his face.
"What... where did women come into this discussion?" Mathias asked feeling confused at the statement.
"Well I was thinking of letting them move into the Castle after I die. I figured that with all their holy power and light it would balance the.. what's that look for?" Soma broke off from his explanation once he saw the expression on Mathias' face.
"Have you lost your mind?!" Mathias demanded it amazement.