"No, actually, I don't drink coffee," Dracula stated in response to Joachim's question. "It is bitter and unpleasant."
"You'll grow to like it, with time," Joachim assured him. "It's quite nice with a bit of cream and…"
"Would you two can it for a second?" Soma groaned, then turned to face Dracula. "If… if you're alive… then how am I using your powers?"
Dracula paused to reflect on this question, touching a finger to his chin thoughtfully. "An excellent question. Tell me, boy, do you have any interest in becoming a lord of darkness?"
"The name's Soma, and no, not particularly," the silver haired youth remarked, crossing his arms. "…why?"
The devilish smirk that crossed Dracula's lips was one laced with malice, "Because I could add a few more souls to your collection."
"Soma is not interested," Alucard declared immediately, earning a glare from the youth, which he immediately returned. "You don't want to become Dracula again."
"I really don't see how he could, if Dracula is standing right here. Although…" Leon commented, beginning to place together the reason Castlevania felt so strange this time. "If there were two dark lords… what effects might it have on the castle?"
"The castle would likely respond to both our wills… like a foul lovechild bred from pop-culture and chaos," the current lord of darkness answered, then pointed to Soma. "Let's test it out. You. Use your will to stop this."
Before Soma could blink, Dracula had glanced up at the crystal chandelier above the boy's head. Alarm spread across Soma's face as he held his hands reflexively in the air, but nothing happened. "Did… I stop it?"
"No," Dracula frowned. "Something strange is going on…"
Feeling like he had to prove something, Soma growled, "oh yeah? Well…" With a quick motion, he commanded the throne room door to slam shut.
"Congratulations. You can shut a door," Joachim clapped his hands together slowly.
Leisurely, almost cautiously, the door creaked back open.
Soma glowered, "The castle really does respond to you more…"
"Actually, I didn't do that," Dracula said, looking with interest at the door.
A timid looking succubus peeked into the room, carrying a tray of small bottles. "Are you busy, my lord? I've brought you the potions you've requested this evening."
"Ah, Saccubus. Come in and set them on the table," Dracula waved her in, eyeing her scantily clad body lecherously as she leaned over to deliver the potions.
Soma discreetly took a step away from Dracula.
"Tonight you have requested green tea, raspberry, and anguished soul flavored potions," Saccubus purred, bowing deeply to her lord. Her straight red hair fell in front of her face, the innocent white flowers crowning her head visible as she glanced up from her poised position. "Shall I add any other flavors to the menu?"
"You wouldn't happen to have cappuccino-flavored, would you?" Soma asked hopefully.
Saccubus grinned, floating over to the silver haired youth, "why, I think I do…" She reached between her barely lace-covered bosoms, pulling forth a small bottle with a popping sound. With a wink, she placed it in Soma's awaiting hands. "For you, my dear."
"Thanks babe," Soma replied, opening the bottle, tipping his head back, and quickly shooting down the contents. Satisfied, he handed the empty bottle back to her. "Top notch. You can have this back."
"Ooh, playing hard to get, huh?" The succubus smiled, plucking the bottle from him and replacing it back in its rightful place.
"Saccubus!" Dracula roared, commanding her attention back to him. Hastily she floated to him so that he could properly punish her. "Why did you do that?"
"D-do what, my lord?" She trembled as he gripped the lacey leather collar around her neck, pulling her even closer to him.
In a dangerously low voice, he demanded, "why did you flirt with him? Your loyalty is only to me."
Confused, she replied, "I… I do not know, my lord. I feel as though he is also my lord."
"Get out of my sight," Dracula dragged her to the window and threw her outside. "And bring licorice flavored next time!"
"Yes, my lord!" Saccubus cried as she fell out the window.
"Very interesting," Alucard commented to himself cryptically.
"What is?" Joachim asked as he stealthily snatched a couple of the potions from Dracula's dinner tray for himself.
"My father's hold on this castle and its creatures appears to be weakening," the half-breed explained. "I wonder what could cause this dilemma?"
"I don't know, but that isn't really important to us. Don't forget why we are here," Leon finally interjected, a determined gleam in his eyes as he looked at each of his companions in turn. "To destroy Castlevania once and for all."
"Wait, what?" Dracula flew face to face with his former-friend. "Why do you want to destroy my home?"
Leon spread his hands in a "well duh" motion. "Mathias, your castle is evil. You are uhh… were… evil."
"It's Dracula," he reminded Leon and folded his arms crossly. "And besides, you have no idea what…"
"Castlevania binds the souls of the five most evil and condemned demons in the history of the universe," Joachim began with a sigh.
"As well as two of the most angelic," Leon added.
"They are all bound to various places in the castle, lying dormant," Alucard continued to explain, "But they will awaken and be set free if we merely destroy Castlevania in its entirety."
"So we have to kick their asses first," Soma finished, then looked squarely at a flabbergasted Dracula with a grin. "I think we have an idea."
"…I was going to say…" Dracula's scowl deepened, "that you have no idea what effort I've put into remodeling!"
Indeed, now that he thought about it, Leon's descendants all came back with different tales of the castle's design. And the teleportation room had appeared quite decorative and New-Agey.
Plus, that would explain the stack of Good Housekeeping and Better Homes and Gardens magazines next to the throne.
"I apologize, I never realized you cared so much about it," Leon admitted. "But, your castle is still evil."
Dracula paced away from Leon, sighing reluctantly. "If I help you destroy the evil presences, will you leave my home alone?"
"I shall," Leon promised.
"AND," Dracula spun around, pointing a finger at the Belmont. "Will you stop sending your descendants to kill me? Seriously, it's getting old."
Leon smiled, "As long as you remain a vegan."
Dracula huffed haughtily, "One does not simply decide to stop being a vegan. It is a change in lifestyle, a change in who you are."
"Ok, that's great, can we go kick some demon's ass now?" Soma tapped his foot impatiently.
"Yes," Alucard nodded, leading the way to the door of the throne room. "Metaphorically."
"Wait, what?" Soma groaned. "Explain."
It was rare that Alucard showed much emotion, and it was even rarer that the emotion was happy, but he actually smirked. "This demon has no ass to kick. It's completely non-corporeal."
"Wha? But then how do we kill it?" Soma whined.
"I don't know," Alucard admitted. "We will not know how to defeat it until we fight it."
Soma rolled his eyes but dutifully followed the half-vampire through the doorway. "Fucking fantastic."
Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed this story! It really makes my day to know that so many people are enjoying this fic!
Oh, and before you say anything, yes, I do know how to spell Succubus. I chose to name Dracula's favorite "Saccubus" after reading this typo online somewhere. If I'm not mistaken, this is her Japanese name. This simple mistake made me laugh like an idiot for hours.
Congratulations to these people, who answered the Chapter #4 trivia correctly! (In order of who reviewed first…): Willowfur, True Hyper Sonic, Lonewolf102, and Teros!
Chapter Trivia #4 Answer:
In this chapter, Leon and Soma jumped into a teleportation room that looked like a large bubble of water. Which Castlevania game features a teleportation room of this design?
Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia, which features the heroine Shanoa, has this type of New Age-ish teleportation room.
Chapter Trivia #5!:
Despite their claim to being vegan, Joachim and Dracula are vampires. Should they be able to drink potions, tea, and V8 juice? Review with your answer!